Like most years, 2023 was one to remember. It’s typically specific life events that make a year one you really remember – a certain trip, job change, loss of a loved one, etc. What did 2023 look for you? I challenge you to reflect on 2023 and see what you learned from it and how you’ve grown, if so. As for me, 2023 started off as status quo for the most part. We had JUST celebrated out first Christmas🎄in our new house…spring would soon come and we would experience all of the firsts of the spring season.
I was running my at Home business as a Consultant with The Body Shop. Yes, the retail store found in malls and airports. Many of us, those at home consultants, were planning out the year, creating our vision boards, etc. It was on January 10th that they announced our businesses would be shut down at the end of February. Just like that – they were done with us. My amazing upline leaders took quick action and found a company (to which they already had knowledge of) for us. We were all signed up by that Friday, just days later!
This company is Urban Retreat (UR), a company out of France offering wellness products, skincare, body care, haircare and makeup! Their products consist of ingredients naturally found and ethically sourced. The products are also toxin free, every batch is tested. They are European Standard (EU) certified to which is the highest achievement to be held. More about this later. So, we turned lemons into lemonade! Many of us ordered products, loved the products, shared with everyone until it all went up in flames. Literally. The UR product and manufacturing warehouse was nothing but a pile of ash. A neighboring business caught fire and the wind took the fire to the UR building! This small business and all of the new representatives were devastated!! We are shut down for 7 months. In the meantime, I purged my old company’s stock, tried more UR products I had on hand, created content with what I hade and simply took a break. This break really let me reset and recharged my love for what I do. I simply love helping people solve their problems. I am not here you me, I am here for YOU!
We celebrated one year in our house over the summer! My husband worked every other weekend so on his weekends off, we had friends and family over for a cookout. He loves to smoke meat – he is famous for his chicken. We enjoyed a few weeks off in the summer to complete projects around the house and continued to decorate on the inside. As always, the summer ends too quickly and it’s time to begin another school year. This year my daughter will have her last first day of her high school years. Wow – it feels like we just brought her home from the hospital about 5 years ago. My son is now in the eighth grade and completed another undefeated football season with his middle school buddies. They clenched the title of Tri County champs! I was thrilled with the upcoming fall season – especially since Urban Retreat would open their doors again on October 1st. They have rebuilt from the fire and came back even stronger.
Now that the football season had ended, we then encouraged our son to continue weight training during is down time and he obliged. We believed he would excel in wrestling and encouraged him to attend one practice to see what it entailed and to give it a chance. We do not force our kids into doing things they do not want, besides graduating – that is their only job as a kid. ;) After only one practice, he absolutely fell in love with wrestling. We can hardly wait for his meets to start the first week of January.
I have big goals to complete in 2024! It WILL be a grand year for my family and friends. We have milestone birthdays, an anniversary, graduation, new jobs to celebrate and I plan to retire from my 9-5 in December of 2024. Urban Retreat will be my full time “job”. It is not technically a “job” if you enjoy and love what you do, right!?!. An opportunity presented itself for my husband to take a reassignment within his organization near the end of 2023. I am proud to say that he earned the job and actually started December 29th! It was a fast transition yet highly needed as his work stress was starting to effect our family. SOMETHING needed to change as most days he was simply checked out when we were together. He NEVER really had a day off. Someone was always calling and/or needing something and he’s always willing to help. anyone out. This stress had built year after year and it was taking a toll on him and our entire family.
With this job change, it was to our great surprise, a few family members closest to us (one within the same organization) were the least supportive and simply… mute. How does one not congratulate one for achieving something they desire? Rhetorical question, I know. This was a whole new level of hurt. They say those closest to you are the ones who hurt you the most …and wow – we learned this to be very true. They treated my husband as though his job change would personally effect them. Would things look different in my husband’s absence within this organization – sure – yet some people are not meant to be idle and want to experience new challenges, step out of their comfort zone and simply grow.
So, 2023 ended a little different for me than most years prior. My kids were off doing their own thing on New Year’s Eve while my husband worked a night shift due to the holiday and new assignment. I rang in the new year with my parents. Wow – that’s been a minute! It was an awesome night though. We all gathered at their house with their closet friends and extended families. We ate great food, watched football, played cards, laughed, reminisced, and cheered at the stroke of midnight. Happy New Year! 🎉
Confessions of a Midwest Life 