The first time I remember learning to trust my gut was when I attended a camp the summer between Jr. High and High School. There was a counselor at the camp that always made me feel uncomfortable. Each time my gut kicked, my brain tried to explain what I was feeling.
So today I’m taking my own advice and pausing:
When we announced our decision I shared the following goals:
1. I was determined to Turn an Unwanted CHANGE into an Adventure.
As expats we live in a secure compound with high walls, inside those walls we have grass, trees, flowers, beauty and order.
Many local families live in their own high walled “compounds” with their extended families. And although I have never been behind those walls I have heard of their gardens.
Outside of all of our walls is the city we all share. Most of the city is full of trash, partially developed buildings, blowing sand, broken sidewalks – if there are sidewalks at all; narrow streets and tiny parking lots that don’t accommodate all of the cars, and random unmatched street lights that don’t begin to illuminate the dark.
A few weeks ago I met with some local women and they encouraged me to check out a city that is 101 kilometers (62.75 miles) away.
This past weekend, my husband and I rode there on our Harley with several other couples.
Before we left one of the women commented about how much she likes the city we were driving to. When I asked why she said, “it is just like the movies at night, it is all lit up…”
So as we drove into this neighboring city my eyes were wide open…
As I looked specifically for light sources I noticed several things:
A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to interview Seth and Chandler Bolt via Google+.
Prior to the interview I had just a few hours to take a brief look at their new book. I was hooked instantly because:
How it all started: The two of them were visiting one night and realized that the successes they’ve experienced are rooted in lessons their parents taught them. (Lessons they did not always appreciate, lessons they sometimes took for granted, and lessons that many of their friends never received.)
As that realization sunk in, they decided to write a book to share those lessons with others and to give their parents a lasting legacy. What they’ve created is as unique as they are. Half of the book is written on a black background with white text, the other half is a white background with black text. The pages are filled with pictures and doodles and links to music. (They call it A.D.D. friendly and have written it with millennials in mind.)
Several years ago I was in a new role that required me to give a presentation to the largest audience I’d ever spoken to.
I chose to listen to my heart and had fun preparing the presentation. However, as the date of the event grew closer, the fearful part of my mind started raising doubts again.
In the midst of those thoughts I remembered tips from speech tournaments – tips like visualizing your audience in their underwear. (After a quick giggle at that idea, I dismissed it, wondering how anyone could do that and actually make it through a presentation!)
At the same time, I knew that I needed to confront the flashes of doubt that my mind was generating.
