When a Chapter Closes, Another is Written
Looking behind to move ahead
Happy New Year! 2024 is well underway as I write this! I’m popping in to let you know about my new post which is living on my website joanridsdel.com. It’s all about what happened before I could move into 2024 - the personal work I’ve done, the life-changing trip to Ghana, West Africa, the changes I’ve embraced around food and my body. And then it’s about what I’m looking forward to in 2024 - writing a book as I’ve been gifted a scholarship to a writing program, caring for me and my body like never before, opening up my coaching practice to private clients and clarity about who I love to work with, and the words I’ve chosen to guide me through the year, questions to you, my readers, about what’s happening for you!
I’d love for you to read it and hope you won’t be deterred by having to shift over to my website - it’s a beautiful place to be! If you resonate with it and want to share your thoughts about the New Year with me, I’d love that! You can comment below the post or share here. Either way, I am grateful to you for being here with me!
Here’s a snippet of what you’ll find in “When a Chapter Closes, Another is Written” over on W.I.S.E.R. Woman’s webiste:
“I’ve written so much over the years about my struggle with weight, weight loss and how I’ve felt about my body. I’ve shared with you how I’ve stumbled and fallen, picked myself up, and then stumbled again, over, and over. It’s not been easy, this journey to self-love and being able to care for oneself in the way I have always wanted to. The journey’s felt never-ending, fraught with contradictory traps set by both the diet industry/culture and the anti-diet movement. It’s often felt confusing and, if I’m honest, soul destroying….
Travelling to Ghana, West Africa, in November, had a profound effect on me. The intense heat taught me patience with my body as my feet blew up into balloons and sweat became an accepted daily occurrence. Connecting with family I’d not seen for over 30 years was amazing. Acceptance for size and weight is what I’ve longed for in this part of the world. Receiving respect as an older woman helped me connect with the wiser woman, the crone, within. I felt permission to take up space and voice who I am with confidence, unapologetically. Such gifts were freely given to me as I soaked up the love and care I was offered….
The Journey Ahead…
Returning to life here with these gifts and so much to be grateful for, I began to look ahead into my 66th year around the Sun. What would I create in 2024 and how could I become even more of the woman I want to be? “
There’s clearly more to the story. I loved looking behind me in order to create a path for my future and as I was writing “When a Chapter Closes, Another is Written”, I realized how important it is to separate out what to take into the next chapter, what to leave behind and what to create next.
What are you creating in 2024? What have you left behind?
How will you become more of who you want to be going forward?
Any thoughts?
Finally, a quick note and update: my work as a coach has mostly been on contract with an EAP company but I’ve opened my practice up to private clients in 2024. I’m excited for this and can’t wait to work with women (maybe some men) who are ready to do the work, love tapping (not the dance kind), who feel drawn to finally shifting core beliefs into those that work for them, calm anxiety and stress, and learn what self-care looks like for them.
And, I’ll keep you posted about the book I’m writing - it’s been a long time coming but I’m finally ready to begin!
That’s it for now! I hope to hear from you and value your presence in this space.
Joan