RidingWithTheTopDown.
- whatshesaid2020
- Jan 2
- 3 min read
2025. I'm calling it the year of change.
2026. I'm calling it riding with the top down.
The past fifteen months have been a season of constant change.
I lost my job—and with it, my sense of purpose.
He lost his job two days later.
I applied and interviewed endlessly.
I moved to Florida to start a new job.
He painted our house to be sold in Wisconsin.
We bought our 3rd forever home in Florida.
Moved after 60+ years from the Midwest to the South.
And yes—I even bought a convertible.
At an age when we thought we would be settled—looking toward retirement and growing old together—we found ourselves adjusting, adapting, and starting over. I suppose we can’t complain about being stagnant.
2025 stretched me, bent me, and slowed me down—but it did not break me, even when I feared it might. I prayed. I worshiped. I sought answers and found them in God’s love for me. I cried out in darkness, and joy truly came in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
My leadership responsibilities shifted from managing others to managing myself, yet my leadership style remained unchanged. I am, and always have been, an authentic servant leader. When everything else felt uncertain, this truth grounded me.
Authentic servant leadership is a philosophy rooted in service—prioritizing the growth, well-being, and development of others before personal interest. It is marked by humility, empathy, honesty, and a deep commitment to community. It builds trust, fosters engagement, and creates cultures of mutual respect and high performance. At its core, it is about using power to uplift and ensuring those we lead become healthier, wiser, and more self-directed.
Last year was a year of change—sometimes I even called it hell—but as the saying goes, “Out of the hottest fire comes the strongest steel.”
This year, my theme is riding with the top down.
To me, that doesn’t mean reckless—it means carefree.
Not blameful, but grateful.
Not backward-looking, but forward-thinking.
It means feeling the wind in my face and releasing unnecessary worry.
It means letting my hair grow naturally gray instead of covering it with brown.
It means accepting my wrinkles, brown spots, and wild hairs as markers of a life lived.
It means basking in the sun and not hiding from the rain.
It means loving me, where I'm at, and who I am with.
Most of all, it means appreciating what I’ve been given more than what I’ve lost.
Why am I confident? Because I believe in a God who answers prayers. A God who knows what I need better than I do. A God who grants grace and peace in turmoil and loves me beyond myself. To the God who knew me before He formed me in my mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5), I am deeply thankful for His abundant life.
This year marks the sixth year of What She Said, LLC—an extension of my thoughts and teachings on leadership development and organizational capacity building from a different perspective. It is my space to share lessons learned through education and experience, as well as life moments filled with both hurdles and triumphs.
I share in hopes that someone else finds comfort in knowing they are not alone. Life is meant to be shared.
Interested in my services:
Website: www.WhatSheSaid2020.com
Email: whatshesaid2020@yahoo.com
Cell: 414-306-0727
What She Said
Beverly
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