maverick

Folks who know John & I currently have erratic income streams & spotty savings WHY I'd shell out $1,200+ to attend a 2-day conference on well-being.  With my goal being to bring change to how our culture views & addresses eldercare, wouldn't scant funds be better used on topics more directed toward the elderly?  

Chalk it up to always being a maverick.  

When I dreamed of being an elementary school teacher, majored in philosophy rather than getting an ed degree, which I considered too narrow.  My philosophy of ed was that those who want to touch minds must do all we can to expand our own.  (Still believe that.)  Technique is important too, which is why I went back for a post-grad year to pick up those crucial Teaching of ... courses.  It wasn't the standard path forward to a career in education, but it was mine & continues to serve me well.
 
Being a maverick didn't stand me in good stead within teaching - shown the door after five years - but proved a blessing in the corporate world, even if I was initially considered a bit of a strange duck by colleagues, cohorts & the powers-that-be.   

But, as they learned, an effective strange duck!  My biggest successes at US Healthcare, Prudential Healthcare & BISYS Financial Services all connected to swimming AGAINST the tide.  Things you'd think would get me in hot water - advising disgruntled clients to take their complaint directly to the top, speaking out against an idea tip top brass loved but I feared would fall flat, spending significantly more time on the phone with frustrated Human Resource heads & insurance brokers than was the ballyhooed norm - instead won me accolades, promotions & hefty raises.    

From my late teens to now, following my instincts instead of prescribed procedures or expected norms has turned out well in the long run. Often in pretty spectacular ways!

It makes sense to attend the 2016 National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) Conference & Leadership Exchange - it bridges every aspect of what I do, brings me into contact with thought leaders, with movers & doers who help shine a light on what calls my heart.  But it seemed lunatic to many friends when I first went, back in 2014, when our finances were just beginning to recover after 10+ years.   

Remembering that first experience with NCCA. Magic!  Didn't know that it was the first time the conference was open to folks who weren't NCCA members.  Had NO idea that it was founded by the late great Gene Cohen, a total maverick!  Can still remember how I felt the connection hit, during the opening comments.  In an instant, my universe shifted.  I knew the rest of the event would be touched with super natural blessings & it was.  

Last year, attendance grew so much, we met in a considerably larger space within Stage Arena.  This year, we've grown into a larger venue!  

Last year, I went to the US Capitol to attend a senate hearing on the issue of how our government, our nation, our people addresses aging.  

The first year, I managed to get there - a huge step forward.  Last year, was invited to a senate hearing.  This year - who knows??

All due to following my intuition, however flaky it might have seemed to others.  

The fact is, I loathe what I experience as dysfunction.  Even when others consider it the okey-dokey norm & me as whacked out.  Was good training for taking on our culture's woeful view of aging, it's abysmal response to the aged & elderly.  Been a maverick all my life - bring it on!