Unnecessary Apology

I attended a great conference a few weeks back.  It was a professional women's conference full of fresh faced and energetic millennials.  For those of you who know me well, you would be correct in assuming that I sat back and thought "I could be her mother" repeatedly.  I didn't feel too old though, I embraced my gray hair and 'maven' status.  I am at the point in my life where I would not, for any amount of money, want to re-live my 20's or early 30's.

The first break out session I attended was a networking session.  The entire group of young professional women (and me) were split into 5 groups and we were tasked with 'networking'.  I am, by nature, an introvert so I spent my first few minutes of the smaller group listening to (and sizing up) the other women.  I waded into the conversation gently knowing that I had more than a decade of life experience on these girls and feeling pretty good about myself.  The young professional ladies in my break out group were basement pod-casters, new moms, caterers, nutritional coaches, up and coming social media mavens, etc.

I was in the flow of the conversation, comfortable and measured and then someone asked "what to you do for a living?" Bam!   My fears and insecurities revolving around my silly midlife crisis thinking roared up.  I stated that I was a massage therapist and then, in a very apologetic tone of voice, mumbled that I was also a tarot reader.  I mumbled.  Me.  Miss "Speak Your Authentic Truth All of the Damned Time!!".  A group of almost 30 year olds had me mumbling about something that I love...my 'side hustle' (as they call it). 

If I am going to think about myself as a 'spiritual warrior' then I had best wrap my human brain around the concept that we come in all different shapes and sizes. We all have our gifts that we should embrace and cultivate and nurture and allow enough space in our lives for growth.  That interesting interaction had me thinking for quite some time.

I am not embarrassed that I enjoy reading cards.  I am not embarrassed that the traditional 'version' of success is not something that I really want.  I don't care that I have no interest in keeping up the with Joneses.  I also have come to embrace that I am a hermit by nature and that my path will be a solitary one. 

I am ok with that.

So, I take that unspoken apology.  You want to know what I do for a living?  I am a talented, gifted, driven massage therapist.  I am ALSO a talented, gifted, driven card reader.  My path in life is to help you clear out the ego nonsense and live a better life.  You have in you.  I have it in me.  Let's find it and make the world a better place, shall we?