It’s the end of the decade.

Where were you ten years ago?

What were you doing?

Who is with you now that wasn’t then?

Who isn’t with you anymore?

Decades are different during different times in our life.

Mine moved swiftly.

Ten years ago, I was 33, running a company, two kids, just moved to a new city.

A few of my highs/lows during those 10 years:

Family:
We had our youngest son and are now a family of 5. My eldest went from toddler to being old enough to drive. My daughter went from infant to one of the rocks of our family. (seriously, if I were lost in the woods, I’d want my 11-year-old daughter with me. We’d live then). My parents celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary. There was new life, gut-wrenching passing of loved ones, love, anger, forgiveness, gratitude, and flat out hustling.

I also had hair on my head. Now I just have hair on my face.

Work:
I had a work divorce at our company through a partnership breakup where I went from CEO to not and had to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up again. I worked as an Executive Coach, COO, change management consultant, and glass ceiling breaker. I found what I wanted to be when I grew up and jumped into another partnership. We wrote a book.

My wife went back to school and became a counselor. This makes our arguments very interesting. Counselor vs. Coach; Who is analyzing who? (Who am I kidding, she has me pegged.)

Finances:
We had enough, then we had a lot, then a little, and back to enough.

Faith:
Through some good people, introspection, and lots of searching, I’ve found that integrating my faith into everything – decompartmentalizing – has deepened all I do in life.

We underestimate what happens in a decade.

Love people.

Work Hard.

Be intentional.

Be grateful.

Apologize and forgive.

Do hard things.

Have fun.

Do lots little things that turn into big things.

It’s a long decade. Make it a fulfilling one.