It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Ah December.

The time of year when everyone is rushing around trying to finish end of the year projects and planning for next year is already underway.

There have been a lot of "end of the year" posts lately, and I've been debating whether to throw my hat into the ring.

I've been thinking about this post for a week and couldn't decide what to write about. I wanted to reflect on what I've learned in the last year, but should it be what I've learned personally? Professionally? Through Zen Legal Networking?

Through our lawyers?

I just couldn't come up with a theme.

Until I read this post over at The Bloggess.

And I cried.

Talk about a Christmas miracle. On so many levels.

And I knew what I'd write about.

This year for me has been about relationships. Personally, professionally, and blurring the lines between both. Here's a great example - through social media, I met Nancy Myrland a couple of years ago. First, we were friends on Twitter. Then, we were Facebook friends. And then, we were friends in person. When we met for the first time, she hugged me.

Well, that's great, you might be thinking, but maybe you have enough friends and you're not looking for any more. Why I don't agree with that is a whole other post, but let me explain how any relationship can turn into business development - because I got to know Nancy well, and respect her professional and personal opinion, we're using her to present a webinar in January to our membership. She's getting the chance to show her professional side to decision makers at our firms in a way that most people don't get to do.