What’s Your Life Changing Story?

 A time comes in your life when you finally get it.  When, in the midst of  all your fears and anxieties, you stop dead in your tracks and from somewhere deep inside, a soft, loving, wise voice cries out  – ENOUGH!   — Sonny Carroll

I’ve been doing a lot of speaking lately on the importance of waking up, paying attention, and taking responsibility for living your one true life – encouraging each of us to step up and live a life of honesty, purpose, fulfillment and joy.  I’ve been teaching some of what I’ve learned, personally and professionally, about what it takes to live this way.  

Often people want to know – What’s your story? When did you finally get it?

They want to know my personal story of despair,  inspiration, and transformation. However, most of the time, they are looking for big stories. Stories like fellow life coach, Mike Jaffey, who narrowly missed being at the top of the Twin Towers on 9/11. Now he has a story. In a flash, he saw his life in perspective, and in a flash, he got it.  He woke up. He changed. He began to live his true life.

There are many big stories about people who have been dealt scary diagnoses, heart wrenching betrayals or devastating losses. Stories of despair and disillusionment where, ultimately, they have risen from the ashes, brighter than ever. We love these kind of inspirational stories. They give us hope that one day, we, too, will have our wake-up call and that we’ll finally get it.

I don’t have a big story. There have been no near-death experiences, lightning strikes, or observable tragedies, yet still it is a scary story of a life that was in jeopardy of being lost forever.

Fifteen years ago, I was overweight, overextended, overwrought, and over my life. It was a time when all of my choices were driven by the needs of others, the needs of my ego, and by what I thought were the needs of the world.  I was  so busy, distracted  and tired that I didn’t know who I was — much less know my one true life and how to live it.

One night, I went to sleep exhausted, depressed, burned out, and empty.  I believe what happened next  happens to a lot of us. Have you experienced this? You wake up in the middle of the night in a complete panic. You can barely breathe. You look around and you gasp, “Wait a minute. How did I end up here? This isn’t the life I’m supposed to be living.”

This is how my life-altering, grand life transformation moment happened.  One sweat-filled night, completely exhausted,  I woke up.  Clear as a bell,  I heard the small, wise voice that loves me speak up and say, “Enough! Wake Up. Wake up and know the truth about who you are and what you want. Wake up to your one true life… Now is the time.”

For one brief moment, my entire life came into perspective. In that midnight hour, I could see with a clear heart and humbling awareness all that I needed to see. I could see that the one who betrays me the most in my life is me.  I could see what I needed to start and what I needed to stop. For one brief moment, I completely got it. I could see the purpose and possibility of my life.  I could see the big picture.

Now I’d like to tell you that this experience  hit me like a ton of bricks and that it changed me forever…for the better…from that moment forward. But it didn’t. I very soon returned to old habits and forgot. I still forget. But that’s okay, because now I know how to remember.

I have learned that I am the kind of person who has to wake up to her life every day.  I have to actively and intentionally tune into that loving inner voice  that knows me, loves me and reminds me of what is important.

I’ve learned that, for me,  I must be mindful at all times not to be swept away or pulled into old habits of busy-ness, over-doing, worrying,  denying, or escaping and avoiding. Here are a few of the things I do:

Every day  I wake up to powerful affirmations. I’ve got the important ones memorized so I can begin to chant them even before I get out of bed.

I read and journal every day to keep me awake. I can also go back and reread old journals if I need to remember some piece of wisdom I’ve forgotten or misplaced.

I’ve  learned to stop and take deep breaths and re-center myself whenever I feel pulled away. Just three deep breaths can bring you right back to yourself.

I surround myself with a community of people who know me and who will remind me when I forget. I call them when I’m lost and say, “Help me remember who I really am.”

And every chance I get, I tell my  little story of how I simply woke up in the middle of the night to the truth of my life.

Powerful Question:

 What’s your story?  

 Write about a  time  when, in a flash,  something happened  (big or not so big) and  you “got it.”  A time  when you woke up to  your life.

 We’d love to hear it. Remember we all love each other’s stories.

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On Nov. 12, I will be facilitating a Circle of Women at The Center for Women in Charleston, SC. Please come join us and take advantage of this opportunity to sit together and hold a space for each other as we look at our lives – as we ask ourselves the powerful questions: Who Am I and What Do I Really Want?

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If you’re ready to start your holiday giving, please take a look at this wonderful opportunity.

Tags: life changing stories, Mike Jaffey, Sonny Carroll

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