Year of Yes – November Recap

I’m not sure what it is about the Fall, but these last few months of the year seem to be barreling at full speed. November was over before I fully processed it had begun. The holiday season started in the US though looking very different this year.

I typically have strong feelings about when Christmas music and movies are allowed to start. But 2020 being what it is, all rules went out the window for me and I said YES to watching Christmas movies early this year. My new favorite is Jingle Jangle on Netflix. If you haven’t watched it yet, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Here are some other things I said yes to in November as part of my year of YES.

Cha IGTV Show Interview

I met Cha (pronounced Shay) Sears-Barefield through my friend Grant Jenkins. She and I live in the same city, but our paths had never crossed before this introduction. From my first conversation with Cha, I knew she and I would be friends in some capacity.

Cha invited me onto her IGTV show to share about the unraveling of my spirituality and my journey to reclaiming both my faith and myself as a Black woman. For some reason, we had A LOT of technical difficulties and ended up having to reschedule the interview. Finally, though we got it done and I loved every second of it. You can click here to listen to it.

I am A Riser Podcast Interview

This month, I said yes to another podcast interview opportunity. Karen Gunton and I have circled each other virtually for years. She has written several books and her latest is called Rise. It’s a self-leadership guide to help you get unstuck and to rise.

In my interview with her, I talked about permission-giving, the role of fear, and the power of baby steps. I also shared actionable steps you can take to move forward. You can click here to listen to the interview.

New Photos

In November, my friend and photographer extraordinaire Rachel Barker offered mini photoshoots to families needing holiday pictures. I didn’t need those, but I did want new pictures for my website. So, I said yes to one of her sessions.

I booked this back in September thinking I would be fully recovered from my surgery by the scheduled date. However, my recovery has not gone as expected and I thought I would have to cancel. Thankfully, she and I were able to work something out and the session happened. Here are a few of the images she captured for me. She truly is very talented 😊

Virtual Trainings

In November, I continued to lean into my love of teaching and facilitating trainings. I taught on conflict resolution, led a three-day class on communication, and facilitated an antiracism training with a local non-profit board.

I love teaching. Lately, though, I’d been feeling like I should pick one or two areas to focus on with my teachings. I struggled with this idea because it didn’t feel right for me. All of the topics I teach are within my wheelhouse. Each of them in some way, tie into my overall message of navigating change.

So rather than fight it, I’m accepting that it’s okay for me to teach a wide range of subjects. I might change my mind later but for now, I don’t have to limit myself. I can teach whatever I feel drawn to teach or whatever there might be a need for people to learn about (within reason of course).

One month to go

It’s hard to believe my Year of YES is almost complete. This year certainly did not go as planned and yet there have been so many surprises. I’m looking forward to writing my annual end of year recap.

In the meantime, how was November for you? What surprised you this month? Tell me in the comments below or email me at makeda(at)makedapennycooke(dot)com.

As the year winds down, please stay safe and healthy.

From my heart to yours,