Happy New Year! The Last 10 Have Been Incredible

Can you believe it is not only the beginning of a new year but also a new decade? Why is it I have never looked at life until now in 10-year chunks of time? I typically take life one year at a time and reflect that way, but this year is different. The word “decade” hit me hard. So many things have happened over the last 10 years. Some good, some great, some not so good and some not so great.

My husband and I have sold a business, started two new businesses, purchased and renovated three houses, sold two of them, and moved three times. Our homes have always been open to family. Two of our adult children moved home for a period of time. Our nephew needed a safe place to land to get his feet on the ground and my brother came for a visit and loved it so much he moved here and stayed with us, too.

We buried relatives — parents, an uncle and aunt — plus several good friends. We also welcomed six new grandbabies to the family and an additional three step grandchildren — all of them compliment the nine we already had. Yes, we have a very big family!

I went on my first mission trip to Guatemala and witnessed poverty firsthand. Was smacked with a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Took a six-day road trip with my son from Colorado to Florida. Caught my first sailfish and launched a women’s health and wellness symposium — Unwrap the BEST You. 

I obtained my master’s degree and began teaching college level entrepreneurship courses. I became the chairwoman at the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce. Started EverythingBrevard.com magazine and most recently launched digital Kiosk advertising.

I was nominated as a Woman of Excellence, received The Heart of the Community award from the Business Acceleration Summit, and most recently received a New Initiatives Award from the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce for being a prolific producer of ideas for the Chamber.

What I am most proud of and humbled by is the work that has gone into the EverythingBrevard.com brand. The team of professionals that puts this magazine together is exceptional. They are dedicated and loyal. They are creative and forward thinking. They are entrepreneurial and experts in their fields.

November 2019, marked the 3-year anniversary of our team producing the EverythingBrevard.com good-living publication. We celebrated at the beautiful Rockledge Country Club with a mixer that included live music by Ellen and Friends, a 4-Chamber ribbon cutting, door prizes and amazing food. Edible Arrangements delivered decadent platters of chocolate-covered strawberries, while Sue Ann’s Bakery in Downtown Melbourne provided a variety of sweet treats and a large No. 3 cake to help us celebrate.

When designing this event, it was most important to show the level of collaboration that it takes to put this magazine together. Nearly everyone in attendance has somehow been a part of the journey to create this magazine. From community partners and advertisers to writers, photographers and industry experts who contribute content to local business owners who have shared their inspirational stories of both success and failures, to those who simply champion our mission: to grow people, build community and inspire change for a healthier tomorrow.

Event sponsors Steve and Victoria Martin from Space Age Cooling and Heating, a local, independently owned small business, said it was important to them to lock arms with other like-minded business that serve our community, and that is exactly what they are doing with our EverythingBrevard.com partnership. 

Thank you to our friends who donated door prizes at the anniversary party:

• Absolutely Natural
• Achieve Beautiful Skin
• Bobbi’s at Parkside
• Palm Shores Bistro
• Sendala’s
• Zoey Naturals

Guests were invited to participate in the signing of our gratitude boards. The task was simple: Write something you are grateful for. The messages were then used in our November gratitude social media campaign.

I am most grateful for the opportunity to learn, grow and connect with such amazing people. I am both honored and humbled for the experiences and lessons I have learned along the way. My heart is bursting with joy and excitement as I look into the future and see all that is possible. Thank you for trusting and believing. We would not be where we are today without your support.  

The Joy is in the Journey

Tracy

Read more in our DIGITAL MAGAZINE.