Inspirational moments occur when you let them

I write about divorce a lot here. It happened to be a major obstacle that threatened to change my life for the worst. At least, that's what it does for a lot of people. With conscious and continued effort, I managed and am managing not to let that happen. I'm very thankful, and that's one reason why I share my message here and elsewhere. I know mine was an obstacle that, unfortunately, 50 percent of married couples face today.

It's all too common, but I know it's also just one obstacle out of millions that people deal with daily. So that's why I'm posting this link today about Daryn Kagan. When the former CNN anchor was faced with the loss of a job--CNN chose not to renew her contract after 12 years of service--she didn't let the "rejection" ruin her. She let it take her on a new path--the path of telling inspiring stories, including her own. She has a new book out called What's Possible! that I intend to buy. In it, she tells the stories of people who have overcome impossible odds. What could be more inspiring?!

As I think about my friend who recently committed suicide, I am also thinking: why couldn't she overcome what was disturbing her? Perhaps it was the bi-polar. But when I look back at her life and the 20+ years I knew her, I can see that she had so many other things that didn't go right, including her health. Near the end, she'd just lost her mother to pancreatic cancer and was dealing with a legal issue as well. Perhaps she just gave up. But she left behind a beautiful daughter who now has her own "rejection" to deal with. Luckily, she knows she is not alone. Because of tragedies like these, I look for inspiring moments. I want to see how other people like the Daryn Kagan's of the world overcome their odds. I'm not judging my friend. Not at all. Not ever. I can see that her pain was too deep for her to handle any more. But I do wish, for her daughter's sake, at least, that she could have seen the light. Despite the spiritual nature she believed she had--She left affirmation notes all over her home--she somehow she missed that.

If you're dealing with troubling times, I ask you to look for the light. And realize that there have been difficult days in your life before. We all experience them on various levels. Think of them now. What obstacles have you overcome lately? What was the worst thus far? How did you come out of it? Did you always know you would?

Share your stories here with others so we can benefit from your lesson learned. That's the purpose of sharing. We can all learn from each other.

All my best,
Jackie

Pause for effect...or...affect

Back from my Sedona weekend for several days now, my mind is filled with thoughts about growth, lessons learned, and what they really mean. If you've ever been on a merry-go-round and all you could think of during the ride was, "When is it going to stop?" I'm kind of feeling that way now.

I want to slow down a bit. I want to make sure I'm taking time for thoughtful decision-making. I wasn't always this way.

Before I found BIKE, not all of my choices were chosen thoughtfully enough. I made far too many mistakes, reacting, instead of acting proactively. Still, even my mistakes have paid off, so I'm not judging myself. But it's important to note that my mental BIKE taught me to recognize when to slow down. This lesson might have had something to do with the fact that I came close to getting hit by a car several times. Survival instincts had a lot to do with the learning. I'm sure you can see the metaphor in that. But no matter the reason, I can now recognize when there's need for pause. I'm not always as successful as I'd like to be, but I'm getting there. It's part of the journey.

That's the beauty of having your own mental BIKE; it won't go away. The lessons you learn during your miraculous rides will stay with you for as long as you let them.

It makes me think of the song that includes these words, "Won't you let them?" If you can name that song for me, will you post a comment?

Thanks for joining me today.

All my best,
~Jackie