The Ultimate Testimonials

You won’t have seen me much in September, whether online or at in-person events.

I’m rarely someone to focus or dwell on illness or tougher times. I do see it as important, however, to share not just the 24/7 goal-crushing, champions we are the rest of the time. sarcastic eye roll?

Even with Positivity as my number 3 Gallup strength…

1 week of being bed-ridden, getting over a nasty bug, and 2 weeks of gnawing nerve pain in my shoulder has left me needing to just give my body time to rest and recover. Something I struggle with at the best of times when I have so much to achieve!

A marked event this week was the funeral of my cousin Mike.

Funerals are always difficult events for me, but especially so when the person that has left us is young.

Whilst listening to the eulogies, the outpouring of emotion, the stories about a life well-lived from a wonderful man, it had me reflecting during the service, and in the middle of a few nights waiting for pain meds to kick in.

He had clearly gone after things that he wanted.

He was living fully, and on purpose, as a much loved veterinary surgeon.

All whilst giving lots of love, time and attention to his young family, and being the entertaining bon viveur in his social circle.

This tragic event took me back to an exercise I had read in Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People book.?

The task was to visualise our own funeral and to imagine what friends, family and others would say about us.?

Quite a challenging thing to consider.?

What would some of the common themes be?

The ways that you are described?

What have you left this world with? Are you seen as a role model for doing life in the best way?

And what this reflection opens up, is where those gaps are between where we are now and what we envision.

The realisations could be wide-ranging.?

Are you living life on purpose? Is it time to get that application in to continue your studies for a career change??

Did you enquire about volunteering in an area you’re passionate about, but something you’d get round to eventually??

Is it time to plan that business you’ve always wanted to start??

Why not share those ideas, and dreams with someone close that will hear you out?

It may seem daunting, and that the gap feels more like a great canyon.

However, it’s not too late.?

The fear that you might be feeling is numbed by taking action.

As Les Brown, the motivational speaker says (and I'm paraphrasing), the graveyard is the richest place on Earth. As it is filled with all the books, movies, paintings, dreams and hopes that a person didn’t act on.?

So, as we leave Summer and embrace Autumn (at least in the northern hemisphere), I encourage you to take action.

Take some small steps. Chip away each day. Go after what you truly want. And make things happen.

Like my dear cousin Mike did.

And if you need a cheerleader when starting to share things and your direction, tag me in and I’ll throw some likes and comments in there (albeit without the pom poms!).