MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

It’s 7:15 on New Year's Eve. A beautiful young woman sits at a nice restaurant, dressed to the nines, all alone. Across town, a young man sits in a radio studio, finishing up the year’s work before he sprints out the door to meet his date.

This is a true story, and a microcosm of my 2012. That’s going to change.

I’ve never made a New Year’s Resolution before, and that’s going to change, too. In 2013 I will focus less on work, and more on things that really matter.

A little background: In 2012 I worked multiple jobs. I worked between 60-70 hours every week. I worked 7 days a week, four of which included a shift that began before dawn. This was great for my career, and I don’t regret it nor would I change it if I could. I reached some goals and accomplished some things that already have and will continue to change my life for the better. But some things fell by the wayside, most of all my personal relationships.

For the first time since I was 15, I went an entire year without visiting my high school friends in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I missed out on the annual reunion of my college buddies from the University of Iowa. I missed countless weddings, parties, and nights out with people whose friendship I cherish. The people who sacrificed the most last year were the people whom I love the most.

In 2013 I will have one job (with a little work on the side). I will vacation with family, visit friends, rekindle old friendships, and create new ones.

To any current or prospective employer who may be reading this, this doesn’t mean I will stop working hard. I am driven, more than ever, to better myself, hone my skills, and strengthen and broaden my brand. But I do have a new set of priorities.

In 2012 I focused on my career. In 2013 I will focus on my life.