I bring you up to date on all of the things. I also share your comments and suggestions, and reflect on what I’m feeling.   See my blog at MaryRarick.com for before and after photos of my eyes

My husband resigned from his job today. He’s retiring. And he’s only 58. No, we didn’t win the lottery. I talk about how we got here and answer some questions like, “How are you able to do this?”

Before I heard Cathie Black say, “Make difficult decisions sooner,” I had this idea that difficult decisions, “BIG decisions,” should be pondered, considered, weighing the pros and the cons. But upon further reflection I realized I was pretty good at making smart decisions quickly. Eventually, I realized that it’s not so much making a difficult decision, but my thoughts around it that had the potential to cause me pain.

No matter how uncomfortable I am now in this space of not knowing and being open to what’s next I comfort myself with the knowing that this is not as uncomfortable as I was when I was recovering from a broken ankle.  And this time, unlike other times in my life, I’ve chosen discomfort. It’s my choice to stop sleep walking through life, to examine what’s important to me, and to choose what’s next.

A dozen years ago I learned that work isn't hard if I show up as myself and turn on my success patterns. I also identified what I want and was able to achieve it in a couple of years. And here I am again, asking myself, “What do I want now?”

Today’s episode detours from our regularly-scheduled content. I talk about the results from MRI scans of my liver and my two black eyes. No, the two things aren’t related, but they sure make for an interesting teaser.

When I heard that Keith Wilson had thrown his hat into the ring to run for Portland mayor I was encouraged. When he announced, at his campaign’s election kick-off event, that he had a concrete plan to end unsheltered homelessness in Portland within his first year as mayor, I was elated. In this episode I talk about how I chose my level of involvement to support Keith’s campaign for Portland mayor.

When did I first decide that certain things weren’t for me? That they were for other people? In what ways did my shrinking impact who I became and the subsequent choices I made?

Episode Description: Remember how last week I said, “I’m learning that even when I’m terrified, there's a huge payoff in showing up, making mistakes, and doing my best”? Jennifer Pastiloff lives by this mantra only better. Because she finds beauty along the way. So when the opportunity to take her writing workshop presented itself, I signed up, because I knew it would help me with this project. My Six Takeaways: Other people’s accomplishments mean nothing in the context of me. I get to change...

There's nothing quite like your best friend dying of a disease at the age of 42 to make you realize that you have nothing to lose.

Mary Rarick is at a crossroads. She knows she is ready to pivot, but she has no idea what it looks like. So she’s launching a podcast to figure it out.