So I went to a continuing education meeting last week.  Barton Goldsmith was the speaker.  He was dynamic and informative, and most of all funny.  The one thing he said that resonated with me was to write on my blog.  If you have one, WRITE!  So I am hoping this is the beginning of a foremat for me to express all of the things I have learned in 35 years of being a counselor.

I have been doing a seminar, "Defining Moment" for a number of years now.  It is a three day journey through trauma and life's issues.  It take you back to your family of origin and brings you up to today, leaving losses behind.  But I digress.  In this seminar, a number of the participants commented that I had many "Joanisms" that hit the nail on the head.  They asked me to please write them down as I am not a spring chicken anymore and they did not want them to be lost.  So here goes ...

The first "ism" I believe in is this "The answer is yes, UNTIL it's a no."  This first came about when I noticed people around me were getting opportunities and I was not.  What was it about me that left me out?  I decided right then and there that when anything crossed  in front of me, I would assume the response should be yes - until or unless something stopped this forward movement.

So what happened?  My son ran into my old high school friend and told me.  I was needing an office desperately and my son told me he just bought a new building.  So I called him and asked if he had an open office.  He did and I moved in.  He did not charge me the $1,000 a month rent based on our friendship.  This $40,000 savings then allowed me my next yes.

I have wanted to live at the beach for a lifetime.  My dream.  Next I will tell you how I got there.