Earlier today, Todd Defren posted his recap of the decade over at PR-Squared. My first reaction was: holy shit – we’re ending a decade! My second, less expletive-laden reaction was: where have I been and what have I done since the turn of the century?

Reflecting on a decade with The Redhead

• Started my own personal training business.
• Got an agent. Became an actor. Skipped the whole “waitress thing.” Made some dough. Scored a role on an FX series, was seen in Bed, Bath and Beyonds nationwide.
• Decided to switch from in front of to behind the camera – became an agent’s assistant (everything in Swimming With Sharks is true). Left after months of degradation and a reaming like no other for “forgetting” Harold Ramis’ birthday (between you and me, I wasn’t the one who forgot).
• Became a financial advisor with a major wirehouse.
• Lost my grandfather.
• Bought real estate, sold real estate, invested in real estate, got my ass handed to me by real estate.
• Realized that selling your soul in exchange for six figures sucked unholy amounts of ass.
• Went back to my life-long passion: writing.
• Developed a knack for online content and social media. Became a geek.
• Ended a marriage, nearly started another and spent four years learning the art of removing my head from my ass. Discovered what I want, learned to recognize what I don’t and came to appreciate that life isn’t set in stone but more like a pebble shaped by flowing water, leaves and…life.
• Got a dog. Which did not come with an instruction manual. Decided to get another dog. Which also came with no instruction manual.
• Fell in love with rock, ice and alpine climbing. Camped in the snow. And liked it.
• Climbed Mt. Rainier, Mt. Whitney and Mt. Kilimanjaro – all within 13 months of one another.
• Rode the Tube in London. Giggled.
• Rebuilt old and built new friendships, realizing they’re the toffee-flavored crunchies on my life’s sundae.
• Broke the everliving hell out of two bones, allowing me to emerge from this decade with an extra 8 screws and 1 plate on my left half.
• Learned the value of asking for help.
• Sat down and wrote 6000 words of my first book proposal in 3 days with one of my best friends.
• Moved from Japan to San Diego to Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Denver. And finally – I feel like I’m at home.
• And after all of that, I’m in love. With me, with life, my career…and at present, someone quite special.

For whatever reasons you keep stopping by, I thank you. I’m Erika Napoletano – the voice, inspiration, ass-kicking and f-bomb dropping behind Redhead Writing, Redheaded Fury and little old Dear Redhead at ToyWithMe.com.

I write, I teach, I swear.

And that is what I love.

It only took me a decade to figure it out.

Now tell me, my Pet Monkeys (and there’s something nifty in it for you if I choose your response): what’s your favorite SINGLE takeaway for this decade we’re all about to leave in the dust?