CHangin" and CHocolate!

CHangin' and CHocolate, both begin with CH.....and I've been through a lot of both in the last 48 hours!  My final day at LG was Thursday.  After 4 years, it was time to say goodbye.  I have known this day was coming for months and I am very prepared for the next stage of my career and life and I received a very fair severance package (so money is not an issue) and yet, still, it was surprisingly stressful to walk out the door for the final time.

I know it was because of the relationships I had developed and the people I care about.  I know it was because even though I have been preparing for a long time to transition, that stepping off the ledge represents a big change.  Intellectually, I know all these things.

It is another thing to experience my own set of emotions as this significant transition actually occurs.  The funny thing is that I do not actually ever (normally) crave chocolate - really, I am telling the truth.  So, it was actually pretty funny when I started snacking on mini-chocolates.  As I reached for them, I knew it was real true honest-to-goodness stress eating!  So, you know what......I ate it and knew I was "feeding" an emotional need at that time.  It was pretty interesting to observe myself and my food choices and to be OK with it and allow myself the indulgence.  I knew that it was temporary and mindful and that it was serving me in a way that I needed.  Just so you know, I also turned to yoga and soaking in hot baths too!

So, you know right after the Superbowl, an announcer asks the quarterback of the winning team.....where are you going?  And he always answers...."I'm going to Disneyland!"?  Well, imagine the announcer just said to me...."Patty McKay, you just lost your job...where are you going?"  My answer is "I'm going to Italy (not Disneyland)!"  One of the things I did in preparation for the change was to plan a vacation to mark this significant life transition, so Allen and I are off to visit our niece in Florence who is studying abroad for a semester. So, it is likely that I will miss posting next weekend as I am not taking any electronics with me.  Please forgive me.

I will be walking all day and enjoying excellent Italian culture in all available forms - museums, people, countryside, fashion, food and wine!  Yay!  I promise I will bring back some fun things to share with you.

Desire to transition to the future.  Dedication to emotional health.  Discipline to stop the chocolate intake after a brief indulgence.