When people first meet me they go into a bit of judgment, shock and adjustment. I look as though I am in my early thirties [thank you God] and am immediately sized up about how I could have enough life experience to be a Life/Leadership Coach. How could I - in my short life - have enough understanding to grant me the abilities to Coach someone through life?
What their sudden judgments don’t realize is from the moment I was born; my life has been filled with difficult adjustments, loss, and radical experiences. As I was pushed through the birth canal the nurse swiftly placed me in a baby crib and sent me off to Foster Care; after some time, I was adopted. My life experiences were beginning and so was the legacy of my life.
Abandonment, rejection, loss, suicide, rape, illness, death, drugs, alcohol, self discovery, financial struggle, bad relationships, victim-hood, weight issues, self image issues, self identity issues, who wants to listen issues…oh my!
Through the navigation of my life I have been blessed with mentors, guides, earth angels, and great moments of clarity to move me forward. With a higher power protecting me, I was kept alive and graced with über understanding, courage, strength and a passion to inspire others. In my early thirties, I would often think to myself…”self…with all these experiences and everything you have overcome, when you hit your 40’s…you’re going to ROCK!”
When I was no longer happy working within the Entertainment Industry, a craze I endured for over 20 years, I had to make a deep change. And where does that begin? Within me. But wait…there’s more: How do I identify the gifts I have been given? How do I use them? Where do I use them? Why do I use them? Where do I put them to work? How do I begin? What do I want in life? Wholly cow, what the heck am I doing!!
With awareness comes great responsibility. With the commitment to change comes change. With new opportunities, comes the courage to endure and insight to keep open and look forward. Once I saw the pattern in my life of being a sounding board to every one I knew, the path I was about to engage was starting to become clearer.
Teachers, bosses, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, clergy, neighbors, friends, pets…who isn’t a Life Coach? Some of us have just decided to make it our passion, our ambition, our motivation to use the title Life/Leadership Coach as a platform. If I can cause a positive ripple effect to make radical changes in someone’s life and encourage them to pass their learned knowledge on to others creating a synergetic achievement…then my life here has surpassed all my wildest dreams.
The gig is this: Identify your fears [F=alse E=vindence A=ppearing R=eal] and bust through them. If you are having a hard time …step back and look outside the box and truly be grateful for what you have in your life. We are the ones who make things difficult; we also have that same power to turn around our life and make things wonderful and abundant. Why choose difficult? Choose love. Choose inner peace. Create a positive vision for yourself. Listen to the words that come out of your mouth and if they are predominately negative, change them. Changing the inner mind frame and set pattern is one of the hardest things you will do in this life time. It all starts with you! And it will only happen one step at a time. And the mother of all doing: LOVE YOURSELF. In our society we define “you and me” by what we have and our place in this world. How lonely and unhappy is that? Let go of attachments and learn to appreciate and love yourself. It is your choice. When you get up in the morning, make the conscious decision to be happy, love yourself a little more today and be kind to you and those around you. Find appreciation for those you dislike. Why? Because they have had a difficult life too and who are you to judge.
Take time to listen. Take time to breath. Surround yourself within a positive environment.
I’m convinced I endured my experiences so I can guide others through their experience in order for them not to feel alone in the process. I continuously gain knowledge through my life and welcome what is thrown my way and with that knowledge I gain momentum in life to achieve bigger and better things. Knowledge is power. It’s up to me how I can utilize my abilities and to make a difference within your world and mine.
As overwhelming as all change can be, it really is quite simple. It takes practice and constant effort and action. Regardless, the outcome [if YOU choose] is wonderful and well worth it.
The NIKE brand has it correct: “Just Do It!” Simple and to the point, don’t you think?
By the way, I am in my 40’s and I ROCK!!! Keep it real.
Trish Lay
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