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Are You to Play in a By Carolyn Andrews
Sometimes the lemons in our lives are great tragedies or the unbearable pain of loss. They seem insurmountable but we know we need to find a way to recover. Sometimes lemons are quiet and deceptive. They sneak up on us, disguised as everyday thoughts. They are easy to dismiss or ignore. We make small adjustments to compensate for them or tell ourselves that we don’t really need to deal with them, everything is ok. And then one day, we realize that they are also a very real tragedy. They keep us from finding the joy and success that we deserve. They blind us to the opportunities that exist. They prevent us from living our purpose and finding the success and happiness we deserve. Those are the lemons I discovered, and I want to share with you how they snuck in, how I made them into lemonade and how you might use them in your special lemonade recipe. To be honest, I have a very blessed life. I had a wonderful childhood with the balance of being spoiled with love and learning strong values wrapped in a sense of responsibility. To be completely truthful, sometimes the spoiled side was a little heavier. In my first year of college, I met the love of my life. When he talked with my Dad about getting his blessing for marriage, my Dad confided that he always made sure I knew I was loved and that I got almost everything I wanted. He told Mike he would need to do the same! He successfully took on the challenge and after 50 years together, he still honors that pledge. I am grateful for the love and encouragement in my life. I use the Power of Gratitude to remind me of my blessings and to see the possibilities in my life. Do you feel grateful for everyday joys and for the lessons in life? A key ingredient in making lemonade is Gratitude. 11
It’s important to remember that our growth doesn’t happen through the times of success, it happens when we are challenged. Those are times when we grow stronger and find inner strength to create inspiring outcomes. Are there times when you had to draw on your Inner Strength to succeed? What did you learn from that experience and how did you grow? With extra effort and great support, I had the courage to continue to move forward. My career in the corporate world was for a Fortune 100 company with a positive culture and values that I shared. As one of the few women in technologies, there were some difficult times! I progressed to a senior leadership role, leading the successful implementation of multimillion-dollar projects around the world. An amazing team, successful ventures and worldwide travel was more than I ever expected, and I was grateful for the opportunities and the successes. After more than 30 years in the corporate world, I knew it was time for me to do something on my own. I didn’t know what that meant and yet I knew it was the direction I should follow. My parents were entrepreneurs, so it seemed natural to think about a small business venture. I thought about my skills, knowledge and passion to help others. I saw so many small business owners fail and lose everything. I was sure there were ways to use my experience to help them. Even with business experience in a corporate setting, I was new to the world of entrepreneurs and I knew I needed to add knowledge, tools and processes to the experience I already had. I found a great coaching company, purchased a franchise, became a certified business and executive coach, and started my firm. A coaching FIRM? Of course, after all, I had led hundreds of team members in multiple countries. This would be easy.
