Find Your North Star

I was recently contacted by someone who'd read one of my articles and seen my Take This Life and Live It! workbook. Our conversation left me inspired. A major transition is taking place in her life, one most would consider negative. She contacted me because she wants to move forward in the way most appropriate for her. This is courage in action.

Most of us have to cope with a major life transition at least once in our lives. One where the foundation we believed to be solid, shifts or crumbles and we find ourselves looking for a foothold. Many deal with the accompanying emotions as best they can and do and eventually choose to get on with their lives. Some, sadly, choose to stay rooted in pain. The result of this is either a life not lived fully or a tragic story that makes the news.

The reason I say this woman is courageous is that she doesn't choose to focus on the past. She chooses to focus on the present and strengthen and direct herself so she can better create her future now. She intends to use the workbook (modified recently to include typical questions I'd ask a coaching client) to not only better understand what is happening at an inner level (emotions, thoughts), but to also map out how she wants her life to look from this point on (work, relationships, finances, etc.). She intends to make conscious choices on both levels and do what she can to make this journey easier and focused. Detours will arise; but she'll have her direction in mind and will find her way back onto the path to get where she aims to go. Her choice is to respond, not react. To move forward, not stagnate. To be her own compass, her own North Star.

Courage is not the absence of fear. It takes action in spite of fear. Action sets you free. It's important to make it Right Action, not reaction. Since this woman decided to face this challenging time in this way, I can only imagine she will accomplish whatever she chooses as she heads deliberately onto her path. Whatever she was before, she is on purpose now.