The story. It was 1989 and I was a skinny 90 pound girl sitting in a darkened room at an old supper club. Yes, in North Dakota (the place I called home for many years) the 'ol supper club is a go-to for meetings and wedding dances. So, there I was at a Rotary Club meeting with men 30 years my senior. Rotary...what is a rotary? I didn't know but I was about about to receive an optimist award from these "rotary men". An optimist award...for me? Yes, it made perfect sense. I was the energetic giddy girl that found the joy in anything that crossed my path; an eternal smile plastered on my freckled face was my trademark.
So, a mere 20 years later I heard a friend saying; "why are you being so pessimistic?" Me? Really? No, I am the eternal optimist. I have the certificate to prove it! What had happened? In a nutshell--I had lost a piece of me. What does that mean? Well, I had stopped using my natural talents (the things that have always been a part of me). When? How? After leaving my corporate job that came with a big title, much responsibility, and constant interfacing with people, I moved to a small town and began to work out of my home (where I had minimal interaction with people). That is when it happened, me (the coach) got stuck...stuck in a feeling of being too grounded with too much time with my own thoughts; believe it or not; I was too peaceful. I had sacrificed a significant natural talent in my life; meeting new people and winning them over with my positive energy. I have always been able to talk to anyone (yes, a parent's nightmare when the time came to teach the concept of "do not approach strangers"; because no one was ever a stranger to me). And, there I sat...sat in a quiet house by myself with minimal activity. Remember the title of my business? adrenazen; the adrenaline (or action) had gone missing. So, I picked myself off the couch and finally turned off the television after realizing I was engrossed in a rerun of Law and Order. Red flag! Red flag!
So, I began my yoga practice again and started networking. I made calls, walked into offices, and my diligence paid off. I was glowing with energy teaching adrenazen classes to groups of 30 eager Dartmouth graduate students and employees. I was coaching and guiding others to refocus their intensity and live "an intensely peaceful life". I had made it out of the rut by re-finding my intensity and I was me again. Whew!
Time for action. Do you have any red flags flying? What natural talent are you leaving on the table? Are you living an optimistic life (truly optimistic) or are you just wearing the cool rose colored sunglasses to mask what is really going on? Take 10 minutes and write your responses in a journal and then tomorrow, tell someone you trust what is one change you need to make. And, might as well smile and breathe a sigh of relief. You have started your journey to rediscovering you.
