4 ½ years ago I
was a sorry sight.
Three of my most important relationships were in the crapper…my
sister and I weren’t speaking, things with my best friend were going downhill
fast, and my husband and I were ready to kill each other.
My sons were 13 and 16 then, well into
the” I’m embarrassed I even have parents” stage.
I was in my 7th
year of working at a job that was low paying, and challenging only to my nerves
rather than my skill set, because I’d spent the past 16 years raising my
family, not pursuing my dream career. I’d sacrificed my own personal goals to
support my husband’s career, run our household and be a mother.
I was banging my head against the wall
every day trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.
Why couldn’t I figure
out what I wanted to be when I grew up?
I was depressed, confused and pissed
off.
One day I did
something “selfish”.
I went to an all day Oprah Magazine seminar that featured
experts in their fields who write for her magazine.
I saw Martha Beck speak
about her love of training life coaches, and a flash of possibility jolted
through me.
What if I could be a life coach?
I usually was the one who had my shit together.
I loved helping my
friends, family and students make brave steps, define boundaries, and helped
them believe in themselves.
I took a huge personal risk and enrolled in Martha’s
program- full of terror and self- doubt.
The economy was in shambles, financial
institutions collapsing daily, President Obama had just been elected and the
fear in the air was palpable.
What a great time to start a new business!?!?!
Jumping forward
into today where I am happier and more fulfilled than I ever thought possible.
I have wonderful new and different relationships with my sister and my friend.
My husband and I just celebrated our 22nd anniversary, and Alex has
been inspired by my success to throw off his corporate shackles and start his
own business.
My boys are now young men who’ve proudly watched me build a
thriving coaching practice from the ground up.
I have the most amazing group of
people in my life now, none of which would have happened if I hadn’t made that
huge leap in the darkness in 2008.
The universe has conspired to assist me
since I made up my mind, and got out of my own way.
Here’s what I’ve stopped doing that's transformed my life….
- I stopped living in fear.
- I stopped trying so hard.
- I stopped trying to fix other people
- I stopped thinking that success has to be difficult.
- I stopped thinking I have to work first, and play later to be successful.
- I stopped strategizing and being so damned logical.
- I stop and rest when I am tired rather than pushing through.
- I stopped hiding from my gifts.
- I stopped watching the crime blotter, otherwise known as “the news”.
- I stopped playing small so that other people would like me.
