happyerinWelcome! Happy Rapunzel is currently under construction. I’m getting everything shiny and crisp for you all by August 1st.
What is Happy Rapunzel, you ask?
It’s a celebration of unexpected transitions and using mid-life changes to launch new beginnings. Whether your life changes because of divorce, empty nesting, getting fired, or a full-on crisis, I’m applauding everyone who uses that chaotic energy to completely change course. Everyone has a big, stupid dream if they are brave enough to admit it.
Divorce trampolined me into a whole new world. After 18 years of marriage, I needed time to heal and settle into this new normal. I focused on the kids, therapy, and giving my dreams room to grow. I started looking for work in IT as a Technical Writer. I had more than a decade of experience but also some significant employment gaps. Everything in my body shouted that going back into my former career of Technical Writing was the wrong path. I believe in hard work, commitment, and discipline, but I also believe in all the weird woo-woo ways of the universe and that belief, intention, and positivity will help lead you where you are supposed to go.
Happy Rapunzel is document journeys – literal ones of travel and professional development, as well as the process of growth, service, and improvement. I’m working on “extroverting” to make my social world bigger. This involves forcing myself out of my crumb-laden, couch-goblin comfort zone. I give myself a challenge involving talking to other people and growing my community. Feel free to point and laugh.
I’m not new to blogging. I’ve had one on-and-off since 2003. I used to do website design way back when it involved coding in HTML and using nested tables to control the formatting. Kids today have no idea how easy they have it. While it’s tempting to downplay this new foray into self-embarrassment and brush it off as a silly, little blog-hobby (*pats self on head*), I’m running face first into that fear and announcing it as a new venture.
There is power in sharing and chasing your big dreams and if I’m brave enough to do it online, that means you can do it too. If you are chasing dreams, TELL ME ABOUT IT. I love a good pivot.
What is the best case scenario here?
Ideally, I get to be an awkward amalgamation of real and fictional characters – Erma Bombeck, Carrie Bradshaw, and David Sedaris – who globetrots, meanders, and traipses willy-nilly, exploring everything from Turkey to the Trader Joes down the street – stepping out of my comfy tower of yarn, crafts and books to laugh, talk to strangers, and make tons of mistakes.