I hope you all had an enjoyable Fourth of July holiday. Whether fireworks are your thing or not, it certainly has a noticeable way of reminding everyone what day of the year it is. The fireworks in my community echoed throughout the night for about six hours. I love continuing many of the traditions of this holiday with my family, including BBQ, specific foods, the park, the beach, visiting a family or friend’s house, or hosting at home. These traditions can evoke nostalgic memories of good times past and are also opportunities to reflect on how and where to invest our time to create new memories.

As we pass through mid-year 2023, I find this a great season of reviewing what’s working well in your own career journey and what, if anything, you’d like to work on changing. I’ve found this exercise valuable at all phases of my career, from student to professional, and it’s really a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. The most valuable way I’ve exercised this self-reflection is by connecting with others in the profession. Some connections have lasted longer than others, but every connection is valuable.

The most valuable benefit I get from our state society is community. I find so much inspiration from my connections, and my hope is that we can inspire you to get connected to others through one or more of the many offerings, like state events, chapter events, online discussion groups, in-person events, or whatever fits you best.

Wishing you a great summer, and I hope to connect with you at a future chapter event.