“I am the inspiration that gives people hope and courage.”

 

I found these words on a piece of paper safely folded up in a book.  I must have meant to find them today.  For these were the words I wrote down as my mission statement around 3 years ago and I had no idea how I was going to live up to such a bold statement.

 

After I had made a brave decision to leave a job and team I loved, but hours and stress I didn’t, I worked with a wonderful professional life coach to work out what was in store for me next.  I was floundering, lost and rapidly losing my self belief, confidence and sight of my purpose.  I wasn’t yet ready to be a ‘stay at home Mum’ and ‘housewife’.

 

This mission statement underpinned the values we determined I lived by and the ‘brand star’ I wanted to be known for.  These were the words I said to myself each morning to remind myself to be open to finding the way to accomplish my new purpose and I looked for inspiration around me and opportunities that the Universe put in my path.

 

One of those opportunities was a friend, a group of people and a company that was passionate about developing people, providing them with new skills, transferrable skills, practical and principle based skills that promoted personal growth and influenced transformation on a beautiful scale from the inside out.  It inspired a change in me and a change I was originally closed to, but became ‘project me’.

 

I used to believe, along with many others, ‘that people don’t change’.  But I am proof that they do and they can, if they are open to it.  The Big Man is proof.  People do change, for either better or worse. They change based on influences they are surrounded by – the people they spend time with, the words they read and the stories they believe to be true.

 

We are both proof of the wonderful words by Liz Gilbert, “Ruin is a gift.  Ruin is the road to transformation.”

 

As my career and self esteem was left in ‘ruins’, I opened my life up to a journey of transformation.  Ruin gave me the opportunity to rebuild my own personal brand and in doing so I believe became a more positive, compassionate, patient, abundant, happier person.

 

As our first marriage has been left in ‘ruins’, we have chosen to believe in and see an opportunity to transform our relationship.  Ruin has given us a chance to rebuild, from the foundations up, stronger, updated, realigned and cemented with honesty, empathy and a renewed appreciation for who we are as individuals, together and as a family.

 

‘Inspiration’ or ‘inspire’ is derived from the latin word ‘inspirare‘, ‘in spirit’ and ‘to breathe into’, which I would interpret to do something that comes naturally to you and by doing so you breathe life in to others to do what comes naturally to them.

 

Writing comes naturally to me. I am inspired to do it.

 

And I write about my journey of transformation and so everything has fallen in to place and I believe I am now living true to my mission statement.  I am the inspiration that gives people hope and courage to transform their lives for the better.