(This article was originally posted on The Voice Nook on Substack.)

Huldigung an Jacquin (Homage to Jacquin), Johann Knapp

Hi there!

It’s been 1, 2, 3…uh, actually, never mind how long it’s been since my last email. I’m here now. I missed you! 🤗

Perhaps you will recall that at the beginning of the year—January 8th to be exact—I sent an email titled ‘Connecting With What’s Possible’. In that email, I stated that my word for this year would be ‘possible’, and in which I very professionally declared:

“In a responsible, thoughtful, and intentional way, I’m totally ready to fuck around and find out. Let’s goooooooo!”

I didn’t exactly know how that might translate into tangible outcomes. I already loved my work and things were fine. At the same time, after years of keeping to myself, I was ready to become awake and alive to my work, my life, my community, and my potential in new ways.

So, I made it a daily practice to believe that anything was possible—and, more so, that anything could be possible for me.

There were many times, especially in the first half of the year, when it was difficult to hold on to this idea. It often felt like just as something became possible in my little corner of the world, something destabilizing or disruptive would happen at the higher levels.

Still, I was committed to finding new paths. On the challenging days, I kept my chin up, my heart open, and kept exploring.

Anything is possible. What’s over here?
Anything is possible. What’s over here?

👆At least, that’s how I said it in my LinkedIn post.

The truth is, in order to keep my chin up, my heart open, and my exploration moving, I needed to learn and embody many new practices and tools. I addressed this in my January 8th email, as well:

“To support this exploration, I am also committed to:

• Bringing discipline and consistency to the practices that keep me connected to presence and aliveness.

• Acknowledging and showing gratitude toward all that is possible for me now or has been possible for me before, whether I could recognize it at the time or not.

• Courageously putting myself in the path of possibility and aligned opportunity.

• Using my voice in whatever ways I can to help others expand and elevate their ideas about what’s possible for them.

• Directing my curiosity and willpower toward using the concept of ‘possible’ as a tool for creating positive and sustainable change in my life and the world around me.”

I absolutely remained committed to these tenets every day, all day—to the best of my ability—throughout the entire year.

And that was absolutely great, because it allowed me to lay a solid foundation for two things:

1. Recognizing and being able to receive possibility

2. Finding and connecting with the right support to pursue possibility

👉 The truth is that anything *is* possible — *if* you have the right support at the right time.

Over the past year, I’ve worked with several coaches who each helped me unlock different parts of myself, deepen my skills, and build real confidence. Most importantly, they helped me trust that possibility is available to me—and develop the grounded confidence to throw my hook out and try to reel it in.

Additionally, in March, I saw a LinkedIn post offering free support for women-owned businesses to become certified in New York State. This type of certification in New York State opens up aaaaall kinds of possibilities. I had been thinking about getting certified for nearly two years, but the process was very confusing and difficult and it seemed, well… impossible.

I reached out immediately. It was March 19.

The very next day, I had my first call with my guide. I asked her, “Is there even a place for a business like mine in the government ecosystem?”

She replied, “Let’s get you your certification, and then let’s find out.”

With her help, I submitted my application in April and received my Women-Owned Business Certification exactly three weeks later. Three weeks! Anything is possible!

As the certification process was unfolding, an ad for *exactly* what I do appeared in the NYS Contract Reporter. (🤯!)

“Should I go for this?” I asked.
“Absolutely!”

With her support, I submitted my first RFP bid in May (this is Crazy Hard btw and I’m Crazy Proud of it…another impossible thing that was made possible).

Shortly thereafter, I was invited to my first call with New York Power Authority(🤯!)

There were 5 people from NYPA on the call, and me. (🤯!)

“You are our first call. We are vetting a lot of vendors but we wanted to speak to you first, because your approach is so unique.”(🤯🤯!!)

Uh..hold up…not only was anything possible…and not only was anything possible for me…but anything was possible specifically because I was me.

Ultimately, I was one of a small handful of vendors chosen for this project.

I signed my first 5-year state contract in September.

(Side note: I was in Vienna, Austria in a top-floor restaurant overlooking the entire city with 17% battery when I signed the contract from my phone. That, however, is an entirely separate story to tell—but also a situation that came to pass because I dared to believe that I, too, am deserving of possibility and opportunity, and strong enough to meet the moment.)

“Slow down, you’re doing fine
You can’t be everything you wanna be before your time”

“Vienna”, Billy Joel

Sunset over Vienna

I think probably the main reason that I was able to embody Possible as my word for the year—and take all these steps—is actually this:

I was finally ready. Like really ready.

As I mentioned in my January 8th email, I had to do a lot of inner work just to get to a place at the beginning of this year in which I could even think of any kind of expansion:

“I’ve spent every moment of the past 4 1/2 years healing my trauma, releasing fear, rebuilding my sense of self, and laying the foundation for a confidence cultivated through deeper self-awareness and more conscious communication. 2024 alone was a year of immense transformation for me, for which I am unbelievably grateful.

I’ve mentioned all of that before, so forgive me for repeating myself, but it’s a fundamental part of how I got to the word possible.

It sounds incredibly cliché, but I feel like I’ve been waking up from a deep slumber. Or like I rubbed my eyes and can see more clearly. Choose whatever metaphor that describes for you the feeling of:

“Oh wow, I’m actually here now. I don’t know where I was, but I’m here now.”

As I prepare to wrap up the year, I’m incredibly proud of the steps I’ve taken and the outcomes I’ve reached. But mostly, I’m proud of the work that I have put in to take ownership of my life in so many new ways.

Life is always gonna throw more life at you. What makes it more comfortable—and even fun—is how you step up and take responsibility for what’s yours:

Your power, your dignity, your purpose, your intention…your joy, your presence, your inner world.

At least, that’s how it works for me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

So then… over to you. (As usual 😉)

If so, what structures, commitments, or practices did you have in place to support you in exploring and embracing that word?

I’d love to hear what you’ve been working on in your life this year. Feel free to share in the comments, or reply directly to this email.

Also…this year ain’t over yet, baby! There is plenty of time to drop into *your* version of Possible.

As ever, I’m here for support as a friend and/or a coach.

If you want to explore how coaching can help you unlock what’s possible for you, book a 100% no-obligation call here.

If you just need to chat with a friend and get an opinion on something, book a call here.

You got this. I got you.

Happy Thanksgiving, friend! ❤️