Mike and I were childhood friends.  We talked about our plans and described the people we wanted to become as we grew up.  A contrast emerged over time:  Mike wanted to save the world, while I did not.  I was impressed by his desire for a big impact, but overwhelmed when I considered it for my own life. I aimed for more modest goals.  I wanted to save (or at least improve) the world within my view, to focus on the people and institutions that I could see and touch.

Mike and I now exchange holiday letters, but no longer have those deep conversations.  I do, however, have similar conversations with current friends.  Sometimes they encourage me to market my gifts more broadly.  I read with some envy that other bloggers and online writers boast ten, fifty, or a hundred thousand followers.  Other authors don't even count book sales with less than four figures.  And many life coaches fill their calendars with appointments. But when I am honest, I prefer a scale that allows me to see and touch you all.

I am happy with the size of my circles.  When you respond to Reflections, I can write back.  I have the capacity to interact with fans on Facebook.  I recently started a second weekly email series (Sharing the Journey) with its own Facebook group, and I want to be personally involved with those who sign up.  Book sales have flowed well enough to be rewarding, but still limited enough that in most cases I know who has each book and how to reach them if I want to.   

As I prepare this year's income tax return, I am ready to change the income-expense labels from "business" to "hobby."  When I thought of doing so last year, it felt like a loss.  This year it feels like a victory.  I celebrate the evolution of my desire to serve others in coaching roles.  I started out to build a business, committed several years to major volunteer efforts, and have been led over time to the convergence of writing and coaching that I enjoy today. 

I welcome everyone who finds Wellbuddies Coaching, Reflections, Going Deeper, and Sharing the Journey despite my minimalist approach to marketing.  Most of those who sign on were invited by someone else whom they know and trust, a factor that enhances a good fit.

As a growing number of my peers reach that magic age, more of them ask me how I use all that "free" time in retirement.  I am delighted to tell them what I am doing, and I am increasingly comfortable admitting that my work is more of a hobby than a business. It may not be profitable, but it illustrates the economy of a small scale.  It allows me to do what I love, to serve those who find my approach helpful, and let go of the rest.