My friends would say I am a bold and courageous woman. On a good day, I would say they are right. If I look at my life objectively, which is of course, nearly impossible, I notice a pattern of doing things on the bold side. If you ask me why this is so, I couldn’t say really. There is no question in my mind however; I am a woman who goes after what she wants in life.
My favorite 5th grade teacher, Miss Hayden gave us a homework assignment to write a short essay about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I remember having a hard time with the assignment, unsure at age 11 what I wanted my future to look like. Actually, things haven’t changed that much since 5th grade. There are days I’m still unsure of what I want to do with my life. Having been the “take school seriously” type and struggling to sort out my future, I went to my dad to get some advice and help. My dad has always been a great resource to help me see something from a different angle and think more deeply about key issues and topics.
Forty years later, I still remember that moment clear as a bell, …..where we were, what time of day it was, who was in the room… Every detail about that moment is etched forever in my memory. My dad said, “You can be anything you want when you grow up, honey. You can grow up and be a garbage collector, a teacher, even the President of the United States.” “Wow”, I thought, “Dad’s are so smart and know everything, so I guess what he said must be true. I can do and be anything I want in life, isn’t that great!” And so began my journey towards figuring out what I want and how to go about getting it.
I like this part of me. It’s one of my gifts and talents, this assuredness that if I want it badly enough, I can figure it out. I feel strong, powerful, and, on a good day, in charge of my own destiny. Thanks dad!
Over the past few years, my friends began asking me to help them become more courageous in areas of their lives where they felt blocked and stuck. I love helping people get what they want. I love seeing their results. And most of all, I love how they seem newly transformed into powerful, self-confident individuals, as they find out things that make them happy and delighted with a part of their life that previously felt miserable and frustrating.
I've decided to put down on paper the secrets to my bold moves. Maybe those reading this blog will benefit somehow in their own lives. Stay tuned.
