| Wishing you a Joyous Easter, a Blessed Ramadan and a Happy Passover! The Spring season is one of renewal, rebirth, and blossoming. It’s such a relevant time to tell the story I wanted to share. I had the opportunity to get to know someone recently and the conversations we had were inspiring and thought-provoking. My new friend – let’s call her Audrey – had a crummy upbringing, very difficult parenting situations, was in & out of the juvenile justice system and locked up at age 18 looking at life behind prison walls. I didn’t hear all the details of this period in her life – and she probably sensed that I was not quite ready to hear them – but, as you can imagine, life was pretty much hell. She continued to use drugs & alcohol in prison and carried a ton of resentment and anger inside. Me – with my curious sociologist hat on – was intrigued with the social structure within the prison – who had power & why, how could one become part of an in-group and was that necessary for survival. But Audrey’s story wasn’t about all that. It was about a transformation that happened for her – a transformation that led her to take full accountability for her actions, get clear on her WHY, and begin building toward some sort of (uncertain) future. She worked on her mindset, her assumptions, and her own growth. This was years in the making and fortunately a few angel guides showed up to support her along the way. She was finally released from prison. And, with a humble and grateful spirit, is thriving. Audrey’s experiences are very far removed from my own, and perhaps yours as well. I’m sharing her story because it speaks to the power we all have within us to change. Audrey’s story is a dramatic story of renewal. Somehow, she found the courage and fortitude to rewrite her script. She refused to accept the old stories of “your life is a mess” and “there’s no hope for you.” We have the ability to change our story line. We don’t need to accept the stories we’ve been told, or those we have chosen to believe about ourselves. I get it though – the unwelcome gremlin appears at those moments when we need the most confidence. That voice laughingly tells us we’re not all that and we will probably fail. How do we move beyond those gremlin voices and our self-doubt? Here are a few suggestions on where to start: Imagine the life you want to have. Imagine it with vivid detail – colors, textures, people.Write this down. Take the time to capture this vision. When we imagine something, we can more easily bring it to life. Think of three concrete simple things you can do this week to begin moving toward your vision (e.g. talk to someone who does what you want to do, sign up for a class).Do those things. Take action – don’t wait for magic to happen.Rewriting your story begins with you taking action. That’s the magic. |
| Wishing you health and happiness, Molly |
coaching for personal and organizational excellence 