When the closing paragraph of the story of your life is written, what is the part of the tale that will be most remembered?
What coaching has taught me is that not only do we have a story to tell, we are the author of this story. We either live by design or default.
If we are living by default, it is a choice but it is the choice to have our life happen to us and, at best, react.
When we live by design, we consciously choose our actions and we respond to both planned and unplanned circumstances out of awareness. It is 
the difference between playing the role of the puppet or the puppet master.
If you fully embraced the responsibility of being the author of your own life, what kind of possibilities would open up to you?
If you stood right now at that final paragraph of your life story and looked back, what memories, experiences and people would you want to populate the most important moments? Where would you be investing your time and energy?
When people hear my story, not the story of my loss, but the story of my life I often receive the comment that it seems I’ve lived ten lives already. Sometimes there is an undercurrent of ‘she had it easy’ or ‘she was lucky’.
The reality is I worked hard for the opportunities I received. When a door was opened, I didn’t just walk through…I ran. I didn’t wait for someone to hand something to me. I asked questions and uncovered what it would take to achieve a goal I set, then got down to the business of making it happen.
When the crappy stuff happened, like losing my mother when I was just seventeen or going through Gary’s cancer diagnosis and his death, like most people, I had some tough moments. Somehow, I always managed to pick myself up and get back to living again.
Mostly I drew on my athletic and performance training…no matter what, keep going and even when you don’t feel your best…keep going. Being coached as a child gave me the tools to create a what’s next no matter the circumstance. Being trained in the healing arts helped me honor and work through the emotional challenges. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t luck.
I’ve always wanted an extraordinary life filled with unique experiences. I know that without working with my coach to turn my dream of coaching others into a reality, I would have had regrets. I wouldn’t be doing what I love. I use the support of my coach to keep me on track and in action to living the biggest life I possibly can for however many days I have on this earth.
When the final paragraph of my essay is written, I won’t be disappointed. Will you?
