Well, we just approach September and I feel that summer is drawing to a close. This was the first year that I allowed myself a little bit more free time to enjoy one of my passions -- horseback riding.
For me to take time away from work is extremely unusual. Earlier this summer I had a long time business friend ask if she could interview me for an upcoming Barkleigh Pet Boutique & Spa Magazine due out this fall. The column is called, ‘A Snapshot of Success.’ Of course I said “yes” and Karla Addington-Smith sent me a dozen very challenging questions addressing the progress of my career.
Her questions were so in depth that the only way that I could organize the way to answer them was to create a timeline of my career starting from 1977 until now. Wow -- that exercise alone was an enlightening project! I created the draft for the outline from my home office while there was a flurry of activity by Teresa Dreese, my longtime manager at Paragon, who had to keep running into my office at the training facility to check the dates on trophies and plaques that I had won through the years. When we completed the project, for the first time I realized there was rarely a year that went by that I had not accomplished a major feat that allowed my career to continually move forward. I sat back and read the timeline. I had a hard time believing it was even mine!
I find when I'm so immersed in what I do, I rarely look up or take a breath -- I just keep moving forward. As I reviewed this unbelievable timeline, I took it as a signal for me to slow down and enjoy the summer. It was wonderful! Alas, fall is in the air. There are huge opportunities, many projects and businesses sitting before me that I'm anxious to immerse myself once again.
Make sure you pick up the latest issue of Pet Boutique & Spa to read the story that Karla Addington-Smith wrote about me. The rest of the year I'm going to be busy traveling, much of it for work. To find out where I'm headed for the rest of the year plus the projects that we are working on, make sure you check out my website at www.MelissaVerplank.com.
I feel refreshed and ready to push up my sleeves while I still maintain a little bit of extra time to spend on myself trying to find that perfect balance between work and pleasure. I hope everyone has had a great summer and found their personal balance between work and play.
Happy Trimming,
Melissa
