Hello, I'm Mary Harvey Gurley, and I'm thrilled to invite you to join my email community. As a multifaceted content creator, I aim to empower and inspire older women, especially those navigating life transitions and reinventions. My content is focused on “women of a certain age. By subscribing to my email list, you'll unlock exclusive insights, resources, and inspiration tailored to your unique journey. I'll share personal stories, practical advice, and the wisdom I've gained from overcoming life's challenges, including aging, career changes, widowhood, and significant health transformations. Expect diverse content, from articles about reinvention, finances, health, wellness, and bird and wildlife photography to gardening tips and delectable recipes. I'll also provide spiritual nourishment through my angel paintings, reflecting my spiritual beliefs.
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July 2024 Newsletter
Published over 2 years ago • 4 min read
Welcome Back to the Journey
July 2024
It’s been a while since my last newsletter, and I want to share some of my recent journey. The past couple of months have been a time of healing and resetting for me. As many of you know, I lost my friend Mike and my beloved dog Maizy in late April, eight days apart. Their passing left a massive hole in my heart and life. I’ve had to step back, reevaluate my priorities, deal with some health issues, and begin writing the next chapter of my life.
Reinvent vs. Reset:
Reinventing your life for the future and resetting your life after a loss are both essential yet distinct pathways to personal growth and well-being. Reinvention is about embracing new opportunities, discovering passions, and setting goals aligning with your values and dreams. It's a proactive lifelong learning and self-improvement journey that ensures life remains vibrant and meaningful.
On the other hand, resetting your life following a setback or loss involves prioritizing, reorganizing, and rebuilding. Both processes are crucial: reinvention keeps you forward-looking and engaged with life's possibilities, while resetting allows for healing, emotional renewal, and reflection and enables you to move forward with resilience and strength. Together, they foster a balanced, fulfilling life, enriching your journey through change and growth.
How I Cope When My World is Upside Down
My first step in resetting was tackling the clutter in my home. During times of stress, staying on top of house projects isn’t a priority for me. I was paralyzed and at a loss on how to start clearing and organizing. I hired a home organizer, a contact from my corporate days. We’ve been working diligently, starting with my studio and bedroom closets. The studio had become ground zero for too many art supplies, craft projects, and photo equipment that I no longer used. There was no way any artistic creativity was being created in that space! It’s now open and airy, and I am having to refine the layout to support how I like to paint.
Purging and cleaning your home are powerful rituals for resetting life, especially after experiencing a loss or setback. This process isn’t just about decluttering physical spaces but also about clearing emotional and mental pathways. Letting go of items that no longer serve us allows for new beginnings and fresh perspectives. Each drawer organized, each closet cleared, symbolizes shedding the weight of the past and embracing the possibility of a lighter, more intentional future. The act of cleaning becomes a meditative practice, allowing us to process grief, reflect on cherished memories, and ultimately find peace in the order we create.
“Clutter is a relic of a life you no longer live.”
After clearing out the studio, the bedroom and closets were a breeze. We just needed to purge clothes and shoes I no longer needed. We’ve agreed this will be a slow and steady process that we will work through the end of the year. We are working three hours a week and being deliberate with the purging and cleaning. The changes are bringing a sense of calm and order.
Embracing Travel and Health
Beginning in June, I have returned to travelling and travel photography. I ventured to San Juan to celebrate a niece's achievement of her nurse practitioner certification and her daughter’s high school graduation. I celebrated my 66th birthday on Route 66 with friends in New Mexico. These trips were about celebrating achievements, seeing new places, being with old friends, and reclaiming a part of myself that had been on hold.
I quickly learned I am out of shape! I MUST prioritize my health and fitness, rebuild my strength, and return to a consistent workout routine. Some of the travel I’m planning requires you to be able to walk up to six miles a day with your camera equipment. This chubby girl has to get back to the gym.
The Birds and Gardens
My garden is my sanctuary. Usually, I have my planting done by the last week of April. This year, I didn’t get everything in until late May. It is finally coming into full bloom, thanks to the help of my long-time landscaper, Kenny Payne. We design the garden each year to attract birds, bees, and butterflies, creating an outdoor studio for my photography. I select an annual color scheme, and each segment of my outdoor space flows into the other. It was a bit tougher this year, but the result is beautiful and therapeutic. Now, in mid-July, my herbs and flowers are taking over. The hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are enjoying their habitat. For the first time, the garden has attracted a series of juvenile birds I’ve never seen before. See some of this month’s photos
Looking Ahead
I’m back now, ready to share this journey with you. I hope you’ll join me as I explore new paths and embrace this next chapter. As I’ve been resetting, I’ve been thinking about you.
How have you reset your life following significant events? What steps have you taken to find your way back to yourself?
Let’s support each other in creating beautiful, intentional lives. I’m excited to hear your stories and to continue this journey together.
Losing a Friend: Loyalty, Loss, and Lasting Promises
On a quiet Sunday morning at 8:59, Mike, my boss, advisor, and closest guy friend for over forty years passed away. His death marked the culmination of an intense six-month period that tested the bounds of our longstanding promise to care for each other at the end of our lives.
A Heartfelt Goodbye to Maizy: Remembering My Best Friend
My beloved West Highland Terrier, Maizy Gurley, crossed the Rainbow Bridge early one recent morning. I held her in my arms as she peacefully departed, surrounded by the love and care of her friends and co-caregivers, Alan Vosburg and Rebecca Rowland Barnes. Her Uncle Larry Hendricks, our vet, neighbor, and dear friend, was there to help her cross over, ensuring her transition was serene and filled with love.
Discovering Puerto Rico: A Memorable Journey in San Juan
My first venture back into travel was to celebrate my niece’s nurse practitioner’s license and her daughter’s graduation from high school. I was invited to join them, and my niece asked for my help planning the trip. They wanted to go somewhere in the Caribbean that wouldn’t require a passport. After much deliberation, we decided on San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Hello, I'm Mary Harvey Gurley, and I'm thrilled to invite you to join my email community. As a multifaceted content creator, I aim to empower and inspire older women, especially those navigating life transitions and reinventions. My content is focused on “women of a certain age. By subscribing to my email list, you'll unlock exclusive insights, resources, and inspiration tailored to your unique journey. I'll share personal stories, practical advice, and the wisdom I've gained from overcoming life's challenges, including aging, career changes, widowhood, and significant health transformations. Expect diverse content, from articles about reinvention, finances, health, wellness, and bird and wildlife photography to gardening tips and delectable recipes. I'll also provide spiritual nourishment through my angel paintings, reflecting my spiritual beliefs.
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