I’m starting 2025 as a year without a category, chapter, identity, or whatever it is you want to call it… I’m walking around in the land of the unknown, yet everyone is sitting on the sidelines cheering me on, waiting for the announcement of my next chapter, my next big thing. So let me take this time to say that there is no grand plan, no calculated release, no new product; it's just the year of finding out who I am and what I want to be when I’m a grown-up at almost 53 years old.
2025 is the year that I’m leaning into my faith more and asking God what He wants me to do for Him, through Him, and with Him. It’s the year that I leave fear behind by classifying it as the devil. Have you ever tried calling out Satan when you think you can't do something, when you are overcome with doubt? I encourage you to try it next time you feel it building up inside. Scream, “Go away, Satan!” The devil just wants you to feel bad, blame others, and leave you trembling in doubt and immobilized mentally and physically. This knowledge helped me make some big decisions and have the strength to close Vented In Brooklyn after 7 years of business. I felt I was letting God down as He gave me the idea for Vented while I prayed in church 8 years ago, but as I have shared, God's words came to me and He said, “I gave you Vented as a gift to help you through your cancer journey,” and that it truly was—a gift.
Daily journaling has been a source of comfort and relief for me these past few years leading up to and after my cancer diagnosis. I loved getting up before everyone, enjoying my coffee, sitting in the quiet, and penning all that I am grateful for. In October, however, I switched up my routine after deciding to further my education and understanding of God. I wanted to be a better Catholic, and honestly… I wanted to understand my daughter more and the beautiful connection she has to her faith. She is an inspiration at just 24 years of age, leading multiple youth groups at church and inspiring us all to be and do better.
So in October, I started with a little 30-day devotional St. Therese prayer book that my Mom gave me to pass along to Cate. I decided at that moment that it was a perfect way to start educating myself, and it lived on our coffee table for my daily inspiration. Let's be honest, the thought of reading the Bible can be overwhelming, and this little intro book was the perfect start to my new morning routine of trying to find my true purpose and the WHO I am supposed to be when I don’t let in the doubt, the WHO I am supposed to be when I remove how others portray me, the WHO I AM supposed to be when I let God lead.
The past 30 years, I feel like I have been identified by what I was doing or creating. I don’t think I have ever just been Chrisie Canny. This is probably true for many of you who are also post-menopause. You may be searching for who you are and where you’re going; me too. I’ve been Mike's Wife, Michael's Mom, Cate's Mom, I’ve been the Candle Lady when I owned my gift store Wixx, the Bubble Lady according to my nephew from our many vacations together in the Catskills, the Fortune and Key Chain Lady from years of owning FortuneKeeper, and of course, my most recent title, the Bracelet Lady from gifting thousands of bracelets to cancer patients... oh, I almost forgot the other one, Chrisie the Breast Cancer Survivor. I have worn all of these titles proudly, but I wanted to make sure that I am here to live who I was born to be, to live the intention and purpose that I was created for. Am I the only one who is on this quest?
So I’m living 2025 with an open heart and mind while trying to listen, ask, and take the steps to be just me, Chrisie Canny. I needed to remove the daily pressure of posting on social media for Vented and myself. After 7 years of daily content, I realized that social media was frying me mentally and that I wasn’t putting out my best content for my brand. 1/1/25 was very freeing for me in a way I didn’t truly understand. After a month of not worrying about who likes my post, did I respond to a post, did I tag everyone, did that post work, did that post suck, why didn't people like my post… the list went on and on… I am relaxed and have been able to sit, continue to pray, and to listen. I’m not consumed with every comment; I read them, smile, and move on. So if I haven’t responded to you in some way, please know that I am healing from the demands of owning a business and the constant need to look and be perfect.
In the quiet moments of the morning when I’m reading the Bible (yes, I moved up to that) or just a page from a little prayer booklet from church, while I drink my coffee and work very hard to stay focused, I listen, I ask, and I hear. I am not sure where 2025 is taking me, but I do know I hear one thing constantly. This girl here, who would have to go to the resource room all by herself to relearn her they, there, thems, has been called to write even though for years of my youth I was told I couldn’t. I will ignore the devil's voice of doubt and will allow God to guide me to be my best, my best version of me in 2025. I will help others, ask others to join me, all while trying to LIFT others to be and do their best along with me. Will you join me? Will you live your purpose? Ask God and listen. Who will you be in 2025? What is your next chapter?
Maybe by the end of writing this I do know what 2025 will be for me, stay tuned.
 |
| Are you a breast cancer survivor and would like to join us in Lifting a recently diagnosed woman and help her with her journey? Reach out to me at chrisiecanny@gmail.com! |
Your words are healing on many levels. You eloquently put into words what so many women are feeling. This should be shared by everyone who reads it because it resonates so deeply. Thank you for inspiring others to simply be.
ReplyDelete