HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope I am not the first to wish you a Happy New Year, but this has been my first opportunity to express this to you all. Since I am basically an optimistic individual, these 3 little words carry a positive message for me. So, no matter what last year has brought to your door, may this year bring you only the best that life has to offer. 

At the close of each year, I automatically do a personal assessment on where I stand on the expectations I set for myself. Which ones that were accomplished, which are still an on-going work in progress, and then there are those goals that never got touched. Just ran out of time.  A New Year means new beginnings, new goals, along with new challenges to be met, both personally and professionally.  

Even though life is not a do over, each New Year gives you the opportunity to improve upon yourself, set new goals, and make what did not happen, happen. 

As in your personal life, now is the time to set new goals for yourself in your BPW life. Now is the time to decide to become more involved at the next level in your BPW career. Expand your comfort zone and take on a new challenge in an area that you want to know more learn more about. Now is the time to let our Nominations Chair Connie Carroll know that you desire to share your wealth of knowledge in people skills and run for a state office. Now is the time to call me or any current state officer and say that you want to serve as a committee chair or on a committee for the next year. Believe me, everyone is qualified to some area as a mentor to others. The positions available are listed in your Michigan Manual. If in doubt, give me a call or drop me an e-mail line. Whatever works for you, works for me. Now is the time to make a plan, be part of the team. It will be as rewarding as your want it to be. This I can guarantee, you will learn something about yourself that you did not already know about yourself, and you will always be glad you reached out to participate in the process.  

I look forward to hearing from you, I hope sooner rather than later. Don’t let yourself be on the sidelines another year, get involved, be part of the process. Again,   HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!! 

Penny Modlin, BPW/MI President-elect