Notes from Dor’s Desk

This time of year, generally, has been a time to reflect on my goals. The ones that I had for the current year and the ones that I am thinking about for the next. This year has been so different, so discombobulating, so filled with life that while my goals were often there in the back of my mind, my larger vision for my life guided me towards today. I reflect back to last January when my unstated goal (because I was afraid to say the words out loud) was to keep Steve alive. I wanted to lose the extra pounds that have accumulated over the past couple of decades (I think this has been one of my goals for the last 20 years) and to help nurture the growth of this amazing organization. While I understood cognitively that Steve’s health was out of my control, I still was in for the fight of our lives. The extra pounds stayed with me and maybe found a couple of friends. And, Women Belong? It grew. We grew. You grew.

So, as I reflect on my stated & unstated goals for 2019, they could be reduced to “live as fully and intentionally as possible.” This guided my decisions and my trajectory. Our family continued to go deeper as Steve navigated the final leg of his journey, I embraced my grief over the loss of my life partner, reveled in the joy that we created a life that was full and connected, put off the discipline of losing pounds and replaced it with a dedication to self care of my body (which I previously thought was unnecessary and selfish) through healing massages and moving my muscles and bones even when I didn’t feel like it. And for Women Belong? I continually challenged myself to be open to the possibilities of Women Belong.

And the partnership with Kate allowed me to do what I needed to do personally. She’s been one of the biggest gifts that I received this past year. She has reminded me when I was angry or hurt or defensive about living with goodwill towards others. She has worked tirelessly on your behalf. She is dedicated to making anything and everything better. She is constantly innovating. We are all truly lucky to have her on this team. So, honestly, I am wrestling with what my goals for this new decade as I have come to understand that without the vision supporting the goals, without the “why” behind them, they are not connected to my bigger purpose. My vision is to challenge those thoughts that threaten to limit my growth, to seek possibilities, to be open to the new while embracing that which continues to serve me. To continue to explore what it means to be me, to be a woman, to be. As I sit here in Madrid on an adventure with my kids, I have concluded that as of this minute my goals are: more connection, more support, less control, and more adventures!

Wishing you and yours an amazing holiday season. xoxo, Dor

Continue the conversation in our Women Belong Slack #goals.