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21 Aug Learning to Love Life
I have never given much attention to success stories, as I had always believed they were short lived: the person who got thin ended up gaining weight again; the poor person who found success, but was still unhappy. I never really thought there was such a thing as “true success”. I am honored to write my story, as I feel it represents living proof that my belief system was flawed.
A year and a half ago, it would be true to say that I was depressed. I was overweight (though not ‘fat’). I lacked energy and found that my kids had become a burden to me. I was in an emotionally damaging relationship and had terribly low self-esteem.
I was blessed to experience Lifebook within the four walls of the San Diego location. Surrounded by nine others just like me, I listened and cried and wrote until my hand was numb.
I walked out on the last day of my Lifebook Session still overweight, still harboring self-esteem issues and still tired. Only this time I held a tool that was going to change my life, but like any tool it only works if you USE IT. I felt that if a doctor had handed me medicine and said that I would get better if I took it every day, the smart thing would be to listen. So in a way, that’s what I did. I just took the medicine. I acquired recommended courses and began learning. I read, I wrote, I envisioned.
In my Health and Fitness section, I added a picture of a model that resembled me (though obviously she was thinner and with perfect abs). I wrote down my goals and would tell myself that I was 130 lbs (a weight that I hadn’t been since I was a teen). Within 6 months of attending Lifebook I shed 30 pounds, putting me at 128 lbs.
While I was losing weight and gaining knowledge, I started to feel different about my life and myself. With a healthier outlook on life and the loss of immense weight (physical, emotional and spiritual) I became emotionally stable and was able to walk away from one of the root causes of my sadness – my emotionally abusive relationship. Without one tear shed for that relationship, I am now empowered by the thought that I climbed that Mt. Everest of self-esteem and had the strength to do what it took to get there.
With the newfound freedom of being single I quickly discovered the burden of financial necessity. Since I had married young, I was entering the work force with no degree, no real job experience, no trade, and hadn’t worked in 8 years. These months were challenging and tested my newfound self worth. I reviewed the Financial and Career Categories in my Lifebook over and over again. I read every book I could get my hands on about business psychology, sales and business management. I knew something was going to work, but I was getting deeper and deeper into debt. In complete deflation of my vision, I started looking at $10 an hour jobs. My problem was I had no idea what I was looking for.
Here is how my Career Vision read:
“My vision for my ideal career is one that deals with people of different backgrounds. Interesting and extraordinary people. I see myself having the freedom to work from home or in an office if I choose. I see myself traveling places for work. I see being in-charge of myself and a few others…”
One year after Lifebook I finally got a break and was asked to join a sales team in an up and coming company that dealt with travel. Within 2 months I was promoted to review luxury destinations all over the world. With the goal of travel on the top of my list and an empty passport in my hand, I happily accepted. That empty passport now bears multiple stamps from countries and continents on the top of my travel list, including my #1 destination – an African safari. When I am asked how I got the best job in the world I answer that it is because I wrote it down and dared the universe to make it true.
I am still amazed at how close the attributes of my current position are to the Career Vision I wrote in my Lifebook more than a year ago. I will always believe that writing it down had so much to do with making it happen.
It has not even been 2 years since my Lifebook experience. Before Lifebook I was a depressed Mom and emotionally abused wife just hanging on. I am now a 30-year-old corporate executive that travels the world. I adore my kids, I’m passionate about my work, and I love my life. I am blessed to be surrounded with amazing people and opportunities everyday.
This is not my story… I would like to consider it only a chapter. I look forward to writing again about the company that I will own, the house that I will buy (it is already picked out), and the many experiences that will manifest in the years to come.
Thank you Lifebook.
Kinds Regards to All,
Bethany