SELF-DISCORVERY

This past year was the worst of my professional life; I was anxious, frustrated, and, to be honest, embarrassed. However, I've discovered that the challenge in life is to create a resume that tells a story about who you want to be rather than just what you want to accomplish. Why create a resume that tells a story that's not just a collection of titles and positions but a story that's really about your purpose because when you eventually fall and find yourself in a hole, that's the story that will free you.

No matter how far you may rise, at some point you will inevitably fall. This is because, if you continuously push yourself to reach new heights and raise the bar, the law of averages predict that you will eventually stumble. When you do, I want you to know that there is no such thing as failure. This past year, I had to spoon-feed those words to myself, reminding myself that failure is only life's attempt to lead us in a different direction when you're down in the hole. When that moment arrives, the key to life is developing an internal moral and emotional GPS that can tell you which way to go. Whether you call it Soul, Spirit, or higher self-intelligence, I can assure you that there is a light inside each of you that, if you allow it, it will illuminate your whole being.

It's really okay to feel bad for a little while and give yourself time to mourn what you think you may have lost. But here's the thing: learn from every mistake you make. Every experience, encounter, and especially your mistakes are meant to trick you and force you into becoming more of who you are.

If your only goal is to fulfill the highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being—maximizing your humanity by using your energy to uplift yourself, your family, and those around you—you will find true success and happiness no matter what obstacles, setbacks, or disappointments you may encounter along the way.

What the world needs is people who have come alive, and theologian Howard Thurman expressed it best when he said, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that." If you want to live a meaningful life, you must choose love over selfishness. Love is not just a word; it's a verb that encompasses kindness, grace, cooperation, and reverence for life.

I have learned to choose love over fear, to choose love and peace over choosing to be right. If you can go to that place where I breathe, move, and have my being, I invite you to choose to move just a little bit closer to that which will bring you Grace, that which will honor yourself, and by honoring yourself, you can't help but honor the other person. My favorite law is the third rule of motion, which states that there is an equal and opposite reaction to every action.

"You’re the master of your fate, the captain of your soul." Just because you receive 100 requests a week doesn't mean you have to try to fulfill them all. You have the freedom to say yes because, "you're the captain of your soul." Knowing that truly changed the meaning. I stopped being influenced by what other people thought I should do and instead took control of my own destiny, making decisions based on what I felt was the next right move for me from time to time. You may stumble and fall, but you can definitely count on this. You will also undoubtedly have questions and doubts about your path, but I can assure you that if you're willing to listen to that still small voice, which is your inner GPS system and helps you discover what brings you joy, you will succeed, be happy, and you will leave a lasting impression on the world.