They say age is a gift.
As I delve into researching content for a few stories, I find myself reflecting on my own growth. At the ripe age of (insert cough) 52, I never envisioned embarking on the journey of starting my own business that aligns with my purpose of coaching and mentoring women. While my mind and body still crave the excitement of the 21-year-old who set out west after college, my experiences paint a different picture. Like many of you, the chapters of my life are a blend of hope, love, grace, determination, success, and resilience. They have also been tinged with moments of sorrow, loss, divorce, job upheavals, trauma, pain, and yes, regret—all of which I intend to explore in future stories and blogs.
The easy route would be to brush past these experiences as mere footnotes in my personal narrative, ones not worthy of sharing. However, as a coach and mentor, I see it as my duty to extract lessons from these trials and offer a beacon of hope and healing for others. Rumi once said, "The wound is the place where the light enters you." I wholeheartedly embrace this philosophy, believing that while our wounds may run deep and raw, they do not define us; rather, they sculpt us, much like how rivers and oceans shape the stones beneath our feet.
If I were to pinpoint my biggest regret, it would be my reluctance to take bold actions over the years. I navigated life along what I call "the road paved with shoulds," adhering to societal expectations and playing it safe even when my intuition whispered otherwise. This could manifest as staying silent, foregoing a job that ignited my passion, accepting a role for the sake of appearances, or failing to establish healthy boundaries. To my younger self, my readers, and my clients, I impart this wisdom: while taking action entails risks and the possibility of failure, it also presents the greatest opportunity for personal and professional growth, allowing you to script your "happily ever after" on your own terms. Humans crave growth, and without venturing into the unknown, we may anticipate the outcome, but we miss out on the richness of the journey.
My boldest leap was embarking on that journey westward in my car. It was a terrifying yet courageous decision, one that has shaped me into the individual I am today—living a life defined by audacity and boundless possibilities.
How are you denying your true self by hesitating to take action?
With Boldness and Brevity,
Dana
Dana
Comments