I've been absent on the scene for a variety of reasons. First I went on vacation to a beautiful resort located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I highly recommend getting away, shutting off and shutting down to rejuvenate the soul, refresh creativity, stimulate new ideas, and rest the body and the mind.

What I didn't do was to prepare. Prepare using one of the many social media platforms such as hoot suite to publish pre-prepared blogs, or prepare to take time to write them while in Mexico. (Such a no no if you are on vacation!) The thing about preparation is you can prepare but you can't always count on preparation, such as internet being turned off. So the best recommendation is to prepare the best you can, hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

I also learned another lesson about preparation. We were in Puerto Vallarta during the time that Hurricane Patricia, called the biggest hurricane ever recorded in history was bearing down on Mexico, preparing to hit Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta (where I was.) The state was on such high alert, and lessons learned from Hurricane Odile that hit then unprepared Cabo San Lucas in 2014, that major preparations were made to protect property, residents, and visitors. Fortunately, it tuned out to be a non-event for us in PV and after a few minor inconveniences, we made it back home to the states safely and without incident. Again, prepare as best you can, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. That doesn't mean to be a worry wart or get hysterical in your preparation, but it does mean take reasonable precaution, plan ahead, and pay attention.

xo, jan
@janmccarthy
www.janmccarthy.com

REJUVENATE & PREPARATION