Taking time off and exploring the world gave me time to reflect. For as long as I can remember, my identity has been tied to my work. I was “Ted the Techie”, “Ted the LinkedIn Guy,” or “Ted the Marketing Expert,” My sense of self-worth and purpose was deeply rooted in my professional achievements and the constant pursuit of business growth. I realized my career identity has been limiting me. It has prevented me from fully embracing other aspects of my life and exploring new facets of my…

Going on a cruise with 7600 of our closest friends was never on our bucket list. Ellen and I dreaded the idea of getting on a ship for a week or two with thousands of people. There’s no escaping the crowd. Our perfect vacation is relaxing at the beach or hiking in the mountains. Lots of open space. A few years ago some of our friends, who aren’t into cruises, did a river cruise and couldn’t stop raving about it. Small crowds, bucket list destinations and lots of time to roam off the ship. We…