Waking Up Together
It may have taken a deadly virus with no cure to wake us up. We have slowed down. Gone inside. Used less pollution. Cleaned rivers and skies. Most important, we have come to see the value of humanity in a whole new way. Seven years ago I had my own wake-up. On June 1, 2013, I was fighting for my life after a near-fatal cycling accident. For three days, doctors did not think I would live. Then they said it would take 3 years to heal my brain. I said, Hell no, It will not!
As my severely injured brain healed, I re-learned to walk and speak. I went to work on honing what I was going to do and think - every minute. And I called out to God /the Universe - I should not be here and I am. Why am I here? Show me!
I knew my life was called to more than getting things done, more than winning, and I realized that my future success depended on my brain and how I mastered my thoughts. Growing up I was told that I was not going to amount to anything, that I was just book smart. Each day was often a fight for physical and emotional safety. The upside of this: I learned to examine my every thought, what I believed, and I made a practice of choosing the opposite of what I was told. Little did I know this would save my life!
This is how I coach leaders now. You see, each of us has a negativity bias as a standard - we are wired this way. Our work is to look at this internal battle and quickly become the chooser of thoughts that support us. The only way to achieve what you truly want requires this work.
My purpose became clear 7 years ago. My 11-year old daughter made a profound observation as we were dropping her brother off at the train to Chicago. As she watched him board with many other affluent people - I heard her little voice ask me, Mama, why does everyone look so unhappy getting on the train going to work? My heart sank. She was right!
I kept thinking about what she said, as I went back home to get on my bike. The bike that almost killed me eight months prior. Now, I was creating the life I most wanted. I was healing faster than the doctors ever believed possible!
As I rode my bike, crossing the tracks where minutes before my daughter shared her thoughts, my purpose hit me! Thank God I almost died doing something I love, and I was excellent at it! These precious people are getting on a train, going to work, doing something they don’t most want to do, thinking they have to, dying a slow death, and don’t even realize it. I am here to wake them up! I was not going to miss my purpose this next go-round! So, I started immediately to find a way to help them wake up to their life...beyond being a CEO, or a business leader.
My journey and the tools I share with leaders around the world, transform the way they do their work, the way they live their life, the way they build their company, and their culture. Their whole inner being changes. Who they are begins to align with what they do most of their days. Drama fades. Clarity, joy, peace, and trust take its place. Revenues grow from relationships being authentic and collaborative. I would not be doing anything else. To see people wake up is the biggest gift I could ever ask for!
This virus is another wake-up. It’s here to teach us, to get us to pay attention. I am here for you if you want to talk about leading your life, your team, and your business in a way that aligns with what is important to you. Mastering your thoughts is possible when practiced.
Don’t wait. You never know what the next minute will bring. We usually only get one go around. Let’s learn our lesson now! I believe that my life was spared to give you yours back. Let’s make a commitment together to create the abundant life and leadership we’ve been called to.
I’ll leave you with this beautiful and timely video. Much love to all of you!
Debra xoxo
Exquisite Leader. Exquisite Life.