Greetings from the frozen Canadian tundra!
I’ve spent five days in hibernation while the temperature insisted on being -28 degrees Celcius for a HIGH. That’s -18 Fahrenheit for any Americans reading this. Oh, and knock off an additional 10 degrees for windchill. Such weather doesn’t dampen my plans to ring in the new year with a bottle of Moet and gourmet cupcakes. ‘Tis the final NYE of my 30s, and I want to celebrate! December is a reflective month for me, having both a birthday and the ending of a calendar year. 2021 highlighted the need for childfree conversations and made me aware that I’m more comfortable breaking an ankle than being romantic. How was it for you?
There are no resolutions on my list for 2022. I’m not pledging to cut out sugar or increase my portfolio, although both can happen organically. What I desire is to continue to experience the evolution of my life. Even now, as I think about specific things I wish for ( a trip to Palm Springs, a plot of land to build a house on), that’s not what I want. I know I’ll get them in due time, but that’s not what I must have in 2022. What I want is to feel content. Content with who I am, what I have, and what I’m doing. Ambition is my constant companion, but I want a relationship with contentment.
Childfree Convention
A year ago, I was approached by two childfree dudes I didn’t know and was asked if I’d consider helping out with a conference for childfree people. I said I was too busy, but I could speak at it. A short time later, I volunteered to help with social media. They asked if I’d make a logo. Then, we had a Zoom meeting. I officially joined the team as PR manager and became a co-founder.
The 2021 Virtual Childfree Conference went live on July 31 and exceeded our expectations. It was one of the most incredible days of my life. I was deliriously happy, running on two hours of sleep, and it was sweltering. I kept slipping out of my office chair while on screen. I’d been practicing my moderating skills for months leading up to the event, and I’m glad I did because that practice carried me through nine hours of live stream. I’m excited for 2022 because of what we are building for the next convention! The moral of this story is: be careful what you ask for because you may have to make it from scratch first!
Childfree Girls Podcast
We celebrated two years and 65,000+ downloads in 2021. We wrapped up the year strong with this latest episode featuring Jody Day, arguably the most prolific advocate for the childless community. She was so lovely to speak with, generous with her answers to our questions, and I’m very proud of this episode. Her work inspires me to continue with mine.
You can watch the episode here or listen to it on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, etc.
Isabel, Kristen, and I did not meet each other in 2021. Possibly in 2022?
Childfree Morning Chat
The reason I wake up in the morning. Although, last week, I overslept after hosting a Christmas party at my house and woke up 30 minutes late. Huge shoutout to my crew for starting without me, and I’ve been waking up in a panic ever since. Haha.
We’ve had some incredible conversations here. Nothing is recorded because it’s a safe space for people to share their experiences. This began as an experiment to help me learn to moderate live conversations. Now, it’s my morning coffee.
If you’d like to experience it for yourself, download the Clubhouse app on your phone, it’s free. Search Childfree Club and request to join.
Final thought
I love what I do, meaning all of the things above. Consistency isn’t easy, but teamwork, passion, and a message that is bigger than you will push you forward.
I’m wishing you all the childfree best in 2022!
Chat soon,
LeNora Faye