Goodbye September!
Each year I indulge to buy The September Issue in late August, and I consistently find that I do not get to enjoy it until October! September is typically packed with commitments and a flurry of activities I succumb to the whim to pursue, since the indoor-bound winter approaches. This year was exceptionally eventful, as I successfully tackled some of my long held Bucket List items.

√ The “M” designation for my driving license. I can now legally operate a motorcycle since passing a week-long course at the community college.
√ The dream of biking along the shoreline of Lake Michigan to enjoy the views of downtown Chicago as well as the beaches, boats, and beautiful part district facilities going towards Irving Park Road.
√ Learning to sail too, thanks to one of my sons who initiated the search on GroupOn for the experience to do it also on Lake Michigan. He is in love with water and nature in general, and our outing helped galvanize his career direction; or so we think, knowing how college students often shuffle their majors.

Along with packing in these activities were some personal and professional milestones and meet-ups which I anticipate will culminate in strengthening my entrepreneurial growth and finances.

True to my promise, I am surprisingly doing quite well so far in my Coursera MOOC, Introduction to Financial Accounting with Professor Brian Bushee of the Wharton School of Business. Another course, Introduction to Business Finance (Stanford) starts next week, and I’d better speed read through the Foundation Trilogy in order to accommodate juggling two courses while also planning for 3 educational events and prepare to emcee for the AMCC in mid-November.

My schedule typically runs in spurts. At a recent luncheon meeting with some of my favorite female entrepreneurs, we talked about how crazy busy we often are, but one of them said, “Sue, you make time for LIVING.” True, but it’s only because sometimes I bury myself deep in focused work, to the exclusion of my exercise, and that is why I’ve decided to take a walk in the sun, swing on a swing in the park (good core toner), and write today. I have two appointments scheduled later, but I know that the work will always be there, nice weather will not.

Besides, without a bit of self-care, the body feels miserable and blood pressure issues rise, literally. Health must be respected, and with it comes empowerment and the ability to conceive marvelous things. Many folks out there have job commitments that seem to torpedo their hope for fitness and balance; but take my advice and do get out of the building for fresh air and exercise. Do not plop into sitting at a restaurant that exacerbates the sedentary lifestyle many settle for. Take a walk, bike, swing, and dream. It’s a beautiful world out there, so make your plan to greet it to do something beneficial.

In this time of shifting economies and globalization, make yourself more valuable. There is always something new to learn and do, and MOOCs are a great way to take advantage of this. It was revealing for me to learn that in my accounting course, 33 percent of the enrollees were from the U.S., but 11 percent were signed in from India and 10 percent from China. The demographics indicated 104,000 people enrolled. They were mostly between the ages of 20 and 40, and most were working full-time jobs. With that knowledge, there is no excuse for anyone to stagnate. Even in regard to many who feel they are underemployed, the call is to level up higher because it is becoming increasingly apparent that single major subjects for college degrees are not sufficient for the highest paying jobs. That is the message I will deliver to high school counselors next week at Northwest Suburban College. They secured their accreditation, and now we hope to expedite enrollment of students in the fast-track basic science courses that also transition students toward potential MD degrees within 5 years.

In regard to college enrollment and international students, it should also be noted that the highest percentage of foreign students in U.S. colleges are from Korea, followed by China, and then Saudi Arabia. It would be interesting to explore the perceptions of U.S. schools at this time from the perspective of people from these countries. Write to me if you have first-hand knowledge of this as a native from outside the U.S., as many colleges are ready to welcome foreign students.

Agh! I hear a motorcycle, as I pause to find the next topic and relish the green grass and sunshine around the picnic table at this park, but it is time to hike back to my office, post this blog, pray, and get ready for my next two appointments.
–Goodbye September! You’ve been great!