Year of the Wild Woman Review

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It’s the end of the year and the start of a new one. Unbelievably, the pandemic continues. In spite of that fact, 2021 brought many incredible experiences and opportunities. 

Check out Year of the Wild Woman Review, to see what 2021 taught me.

Year of the Wild Woman

This year I embarked on a journey to unleash my inner wild woman. The moon was my symbol for 2021 and “This Girl is on Fire” my song. The books Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Women Who Run with Wolves provided valuable information and guidance.

Stated simply, becoming a wild woman is more about living out of my untamed heart than living in an unruly, out of control way. All of our hearts start out innocent, pure and untamed. As we grow into adulthood, we allow ourselves to become domesticated for a variety of reasons. The primary one, for me, was so that I would not disappoint others’ expectations of me.

Reconnecting with the wild woman within reconnected me as well with my truest self. That freedom to be me shifted my whole world, from my business life to my relationships to my personal life.

My Business Life

Interestingly, unleashing the wild woman within helped me to narrow down my niche in Cindy Goes Beyond, especially on social media. What I offer to others is the tagline I adopted several years ago. I help people live life beyond the edges…of fears, comfort zones and limiting beliefs. I do that by encouraging them to live as their truest, most authentic wild selves, by my example and via my writing. Right now that manifests as inspirational, motivational posts and travel posts.

On social media, I almost exclusively focus on travel as that is how I best go beyond and discover new experiences to try.

It’s no surprise to me that my top post for 2021 was The Adventure Challenge Solo Edition. It continues to bring in new readers every day and the Challenge scratch off book is foundational to this Year of Adventure.

Collaboration Opportunities

Knowing what I want to offer to others helped me to also narrow down what brands and companies I work with. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with working with a wide variety of brands initially. It’s good experience and I learned much about how to create good content.

Last year I became more selective about working with brands that closely align with who I am and the direction I’m heading. As a result, I turn down many more opportunities than I accept. Doing so, however, strengthens my own brand and attracts companies and readers that are in alignment with me.

Two of my favorite paid campaigns this year: Missouri Tourism and Splendid Spoon, a plant based meal delivery box.

The success of 2021 encourages me to really challenge myself for 2022. I’m no longer timid about reaching out to collaborate with brands that I align with. And I’m excited to already have several collaborations lined up for this year.

A Greater Focus on Instagram

The majority of collaborations come to me via Instagram, encouraging me to focus on that social media site in 2021. I began the year taking a class that helped me tremendously.

If you want to learn more about working with brands and building a genuine Instagram account, I highly recommend Insta Success by Christine McEvoy. Bonuses from taking the course, beyond the vast improvement in my Instagram work, are: the course continues to update with new, pertinent info (such as creating Instagram Reels) AND there is an extremely supportive Facebook group.

While the course focuses on the travel niche, the class is helpful for anyone who wants to build a successful Instagram account and work with brands.

The Insta Success Masterclass is free. Click this LINK.

Or enroll in the Insta Success course HERE. The lessons are all available online and you can move through them at your own pace. Plus Christine offers a convenient payment plan, making this course affordable for everyone.

Please, if you enroll in either class, type in my name in the referral box at check out.

Favorite Experiences as a Blogger

My favorite experiences this year involved travel. I chose to stay in the US, while the pandemic continues. However, I am discovering wonderful places to explore here.

The solo trip to Charleston is definitely the highlight of the 2021. It was my first big solo travel experience, to a city I’ve never visited before. I not only learned I can handle solo travel, I enjoyed everything about the experience. That trip is paving the way for many more solo adventures.

I also enjoyed a solo weekend in nearby Springfield, Missouri and day trips to places in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

My Personal Life

The Year of the Wild Woman changed me…or rather, it allowed me to become myself in deeper ways.

I spent much time delving into the experiences I enjoyed as a child, for therein lies clues about who I am made to be.

It’s not a big surprise to me to discover that I am, indeed, a solitary person. I love people and enjoy spending time with family and friends. And…I adore spending time alone. As a child, fear drew me away from my true self. Fear caused me to seek out others because I was afraid when I was alone.

I am no longer afraid.

And that brings me the freedom to explore new cities or new regions in my heart, on my own.

The trip to Charleston was so much more than a travel blogger’s dream. It was an important trip that allowed me to fully embrace solo travel and fully cater to that part of me that craves solitude. I loved every moment of that trip. And, for this year, I have a list of cities that I’d love to experience as a solo traveler. I’m excited to see which of the 15 manifest as trips in 2022. Two are already planned, with comped stays. I am grateful.

Becoming Untamed…and Adventurous

During 2021 I also learned to listen to the quiet voice of my heart and follow the deep knowing there. I used challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. I updated my manifesto. And I continue to honor the woman I am and the woman I am becoming while shedding domestication.

Like 2020, 2021 offered unique circumstances and experiences that provided “go with the flow” life lessons that I embraced. The only alternative was resistance and I know that pulls me out of the flow of life and out of alignment with myself.

This year is all about adventure. I’m excited to see where adventure leads me and what I learn as I stay open to all that comes to me.

Thank you for journeying with me. I hope you will enjoy my upcoming adventures and accept encouragement from me to live life beyond the edges…in your own magnificent way.

 

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