Live A Great Story

Sometimes, we lose someone we love.

This month, my sister-in-law, BJ, passed away after several years living with a particularly aggressive cancer.  During those years, she showed many, including me, a different way to look at how to live life and honoring yourself.  I want to share with you some of her wisdom.

Don’t Wait for the Crisis

BJ was rarely sedentary, and lived what most would very much consider a full life. However, her illness was diagnosed only a couple weeks after she retired from her regular job, when she had planned to do more travel, enjoy herself more, and ‘live more’ (as do many of us… waiting for that time).

Amazingly, she did manage to pursue many of those things we dream of (travel, learning new skills, doing exciting and adventurous things), but she also did many, many quiet things.  Asked what her ‘favorite’ Saturday would be, it wasn’t about jumping out of plane, or rescuing animals; it was about having that cup of coffee, sitting on her deck while watching the sunrise, and being simply quiet and watching nature, and maybe later in the day, going to an estate sale with her husband to just browse (okay, and buy stuff).  Of all the things she did… she shared this as being something important in her life and her happiness.

When asked what advice she had for others, what she shared with her church (where she spoke openly about her illness and her faith) was “don’t wait for the crisis”.  She didn’t elaborate, but she didn’t need to; it was enough.

In that simple statement, I heard volumes:  be aware of your life now; enjoy, when and how you can, now; be kind to yourself, and appreciate who you are, now; find trust in love, in spirit, in God, now.  Don’t wait for the crisis.

Live a Great Story

Shortly after her diagnosis, BJ was gifted with a banner that read simply “Live a Great Story”.  It fit her very well, because it wasn’t about living a ‘great life’ but instead it was about what you do with each day, and how you create the story that lives within you, and maybe, with others, too.

Her most significant impacts were very little about her job or work she did – and she said the same. Instead, it was in her sharing the story of her faith, her doubts, and her fears, while she dealt with the ups and downs of her treatment and health.

Many of her acts were not large, but she still managed to have a large impact, well beyond just her family.  This is the amazing thing.  She simply shared her story.  But hundreds have followed her story, and they have grown and learned from her and her faith.

Your Great Story

So, where does all this come to for you?  What is your story going to look like?

We are, on our own, mostly not able to go beyond what we believe is possible for ourselves right now.  Sometimes, we are pushed, and we find out that we are stronger, more resilient, better than we know, but that push often comes from a crisis.  (Remember, don’t wait for the crisis.)

It’s not (necessarily) about you quitting your job, or planning a trip to Europe next month, or setting off on a new adventure.

What it is about is being kind to yourself, and putting aside a bit of the worry, the hurry, the ‘I’ll do it later’ mindset, and making time to do it for you, and to do it soon/now.  Changing the habits we have of ‘they need me’ or ‘I can’t because’ is the first step.

If we don’t look at what we do, we will continue to do the same thing without thought.  We live lost and automatically.

What does Your Great Story look like?

Great is not always large or loud.  Honoring and loving who you are; acknowledging what you want in your life, and then moving towards that; trusting the next steps are worthwhile – that is a Great Story.  It doesn’t have to be saving millions.  Saving just one will open the door for others to see that it can be done, and gives them the courage to try as well.  That is a Great Story.

Will you change overnight?  Unless you are really ready, I honestly hope not. Radical change can be scary, often hard, and pretty uncomfortable.

To make it work, to have it persist, small changes, small steps, mistakes we learn from… that is where growth is best and most resilient, and truly how you change.  Move towards your goal in steps, not by leaping off the cliff.

I challenge you, when you wake tomorrow, and each day after, ask yourself:  what choice can I make today that will help me Live a Great Story?

(If you are interested in the banner like the one that inspired BJ, here is a link to the site: Live a Great Story)

If you want to connect with your lost loved ones, or want to explore what a great story might look like for you, please connect with me.

Love, and until next time