The last four weeks have been one of the greatest growing and learning experiences of my life as they have pushed me to finally "come out of the closet".  Here’s the scoop:

On Feb 17th I learned that my mother, who was living independently in South Florida, had a stroke.  She was found lying on the floor in her pink bathrobe by a concerned neighbor.  

I immediately jumped on a plane from Atlanta to be by her side, be her advocate in the hospital and take care of her living and home management tasks.  A seemingly daunting task but what I found instead of overwhelm and extreme stress was amazing internal strength, courage, and faith that all was unfolding exactly the way it was supposed to and that my mother would be just fine.

I count the many blessings that have occurred in my life as a result of this experience:

1. Spending time that I normally wouldn’t have and connecting with my mother, other family members, and my mother’s extended community of friends and neighbors.
2. Learning how to express myself much more openly and how to give hugs and words of appreciation more readily to all the people who have come into my life during this time, including medical staff, and new friends who have gone through something similar to this.
3. Learning how to tackle life’s challenges with courage and grace.
4. Feeling a renewed appreciation and joy for every moment of life.
5. Feeling a renewed sense of urgency to do the things in my business and life I’ve feared or avoided, as the fear is no longer an option or purposeful.
6. Making new friends like Mike Diamond, an x-NFL football player who had a stroke himself three years ago and pushed himself hard so he could continue to live an independent life.  He is coaching my mom to achieve more than she believes is possible in her rehabilitation. 

These are gifts, lessons, and emotions I’ve connected with as a result of this experience.  I have been awakened with a new sense of life, appreciation, love, and service to others.  That’s how I’ve come out of the closet.  No more holding back. 

MY QUESTION FOR YOU

What are you holding back?  Are you waiting for a life altering experience to allow you to be who you really want to be?   Don’t allow one minute to go by in your life without these insights.  If you approach each day with love and service and honor for others instead of fear, holding your true expression back, I guarantee you will live a very rich life and attract whatever you wish into your life. 

To ponder:  How can you come out of your closet and what needs to come out in order for you to lead a very rich life?  What are you afraid of and what are you waiting for?