Dear Friend,
As you may remember, I lost my dear mother-in-law in January. Since then I've had a tough time. Getting back into work and being fully present has been a challenge for me. If you follow my blog, you know that I had a big gap in posts this year. I just couldn't seem to get past my writer's block that corresponded with her death. Inspiration from Unexpected Places Things started to change in the spring when my summer intern from last year, Kirstin, called and asked if she could intern again this summer. I had to be honest with her; I couldn't imagine what I would have her do. I knew I didn't have the energy to create full-time work for her. At the same time, I remembered how much I loved working with her. Kirstin is professional, enthusiastic, energetic and full of creative ideas. She is also an amazing listener and a rare young woman who gets when to be quiet and when to speak up. It's refreshing on so many levels. A Fresh Outlook Undeterred, Kirstin got in touch again, reiterating that she just wanted to help in whatever way she could. So I took her up on it. And now here we are in July, and I can honestly say that this young woman has picked me up and put me back out into the world. I find it so reminiscent of the Louise character in the Sex and the City movie that I've jokingly called her Louise. What Do You Really, Truly Need Right Now? I want to share with you the valuable lesson I've learned from my summer with Kirstin/Louise: sometimes, especially in the wake of major life events, you need help more than you think. Maybe you need help figuring out what look works for your new career, maybe you need to have a double check on whether your look is still current, maybe it's time to update your wardrobe. Who Can Help You Get There? Then again, maybe you need a Louise. Maybe you need someone who can pick you up and put you back out in the world in the way you want to be seen and appreciated. This summer I've started using Pinterest (check it out if you haven't already), I've committed to Twitter and Instagram (follow me at patriciagorham), and I'm blogging again. This is all because of Kirstin. The next time you start thinking about working with someone new, I'd like to suggest that you open yourself up to someone who could possibly change your life. It's all part of finding The Real You. Enjoy this gorgeous summer! |