EYF Alumni Group

A true and wonderful story…

Explore Your Future graduates stay together, keep the conversations going and find mutual support…

At Starbuck’s on North Prospect, the aroma of the holiday special blends and beverages permeated the air and the holiday decorations were everywhere.  It’s the place where Barbara, Nita, Peggy and a couple of others have met monthly since completing the Explore Your Future series last summer.

“We’ve become fast friends.  We really don’t see ourselves as others do.  They gave me confidence I didn’t feel for myself, “said one.

“’Explore Your Future’ was VERY important in helping me take a closer look at where I am and where I’m going at this time in my life.  I’m not the same person or in the same mindset I was even a decade ago.  These sessions helped me stabilize my vision and give me the tools I need to move forward.”

“I liked learning the meditation exercise.  I had never done that before and now I use it all the time – it’s so valuable in helping me to relax, focus and direct my energies to accomplishing my goals.”

Nita wants to write a book about her family, its people and history.  Barbara wants to travel and have more interesting experiences, maybe with others of like interests.  Peggy is seeking a new employment opportunity and is mother to an energetic teenager.

“I had some plans but didn’t recognize or realize that I had such a good foundation laid to go forward.”

“EYF help me put some key things into proper focus.”

“EYF helped me to really get to know myself at this stage in my life.  I thought I knew ‘me’ and yet they taught me more about myself.  I was surprised by that.  It’s been wonderful.”

“The small group work in the class offered lots of opportunity for great feedback.  As we worked through the exercises, we could share our thoughts and ideas and hear what others could add.”

“None of us knew one another when we began the classes.  The facilitator and the way the sessions are set-up made it feel safe to share openly.   And of course, we became so close, we decided to stay together.  That’s how we’ve become such good friends.  We support one another in our goals. ”

“EYF gives you a chance to talk about ‘you’.  It’s a time to explore what’s important to ‘me’.  Rarely has anyone given me the opportunity to do that.  The exercises help to facilitate openness and sharing.”

“We reaped the rewards of a new perspective which we got from others.  I found myself saying, ‘I never really looked at it that way’ – they gave me a whole new perspective.”

Nita’s book is now in full production.  Peggy is proofreading and offering comments to help Nita tell the interesting and poignant story of her sometimes ‘the funny’ and sometimes ‘the sadness’ of her  family’s life.  “Peggy has made suggestions that have made it even better,” says Nita.  “I even shared it with my teenage son and he was amazed and interested in the history – I guess you’d say this has become and intergenerational activity,” said Peggy.

Nita was made aware of an online workshop for beginning writers and she reports that it has already helped to hone her writing skills.  “I may never sell this book, but I’m having great fun writing it.  I’m re-living memories and have reaffirmed that my parents were really good parents.”

In her book she has told the story about the homemade potato salad her grandmother used to make from scratch – it was a source of pride for her.  “She had to make her own mayonnaise – there was no Miracle Whip or Kraft’s which she could just buy at the grocery store.  When those things came available, I remember that they became very ‘brand’ conscious, only the best would do.”

Peggy continues to reach out, network and follow-up on every job lead.  “It’s tough out there and I just have to be patient until the right opportunity comes along.  I have years of experience, I’m sure something good will happen.”  In the meantime, she is filling in part-time at a previous employer’s business.  “I’m optimistic and these monthly gatherings really help me stay positive and reinforce that I have a lot to offer.”

Barbara has already made a trip to California to visit her son, has been to Nashville with friends, and has other trips in the works.  She smiles broadly at how far she has come from just “wanting to travel to actually doing it.  It’s not as daunting as I thought it would be.  I love it!”

The new friends agree that they look forward to these monthly meetings very much.  “I wouldn’t miss it.  We all want to be friends and we can just be ourselves – no pretenses here,” said Barbara.  Peggy and Nita nodded affirmatively.

Then Nita summed it up, “One good thing about aging is the luxury it affords you to just not give a darned about what other people think.  You can do it your way!”

Then they laughed together, these new, best friends!