I should have died today....

I should have bled out in the woods with blood spurting out of my femoral artery Quentin Tarantino style, from a gash produced by my Stihl chainsaw’s brutally sharp teeth (new chain today) rotating at 88 feet per second! But I didn’t. In fact, I didn’t even get cut. Kevlar chaps saved my leg from a life-changing accident today.

Safety had no inertia for me on the 4th of July (or any day for that matter) and the fact I donned safety gear working at home cutting firewood on my own property over a hot summer holiday weekend is a testament to the decades of safety toolbox talks drilled into my head by every employer I’ve ever worked for over the past 30+ years. Hardhat, steel-toed boots, eye and hearing protection, gloves, and the now infamous chaps….the question is now, what am I going to do with this life victory?

Said another way, “What is my ‘Why’: aka my purpose, the reason I get up every day, what am I doing with my life, does it all really matter in the end….do you wonder about these questions too?” A friend and mentor recently challenged me to figure out what my ‘Why’ is, and he shared a TedTalk with me that’s helping me focus on an answer; maybe you’ll find it inspiring too….it gets to the heart of what we are doing as leaders, and how we can effectively inspire others to action....check it out!

After I finished watching this video (yes I joined the Simon Sinek Followers community), I thought about one of the core tenants of my life mission / vision, and that’s to: make a difference in the lives of others. So many people depend on me as a mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, mentor, employee, board member, etc. What if I had died today, there’d be no more chances to make a difference, so I need to make my life count. Today. Everyday. With everyone. I am recommitted to finding my purpose.

Today I got a second chance, and I’m making it count by starting this blog to inspire you too! There will be more to come, and hopefully you'll come along on this journey with me! In the meantime, hug your spouse, call your mom, tell your kids you love'em and you’re proud of them, do a random act of kindness and don’t tell anyone, and be safe!!! Figure out your “Why”. Life is short friends, live it well!

Blessings,

Julie

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)