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Risk Disappointment And 3 More Gems
17. LEVERAGE THE LEGACY OF YOUR LOVED ONES.
For a daughter, nothing quite compares to a father's love. And when Kimberly Wilson lost her dad, 74, to bladder cancer, it was life-changing. "Not being able to talk, joke, hug or seek advice from him was devastating. Being a woman without her father felt foreign to me," says Wilson. The loss prompted Wilson, a vice-president at Disney and ESPN Media Networks, to work with her mother and sister to create the Chicago-based Dream a Dream (D.A.D.) Foundation. The organization serves youth 7 to 18 years old in the areas of sports, music and entrepreneurship. "We were raised to give back, so this foundation is a continuation and amplification of [my dad and] that lesson," says Wilson. Channeling grief to help others ensures those we love live on.
18. ASK YOURSELF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
It was a few days before my birthday when I prayed out loud just in case God had not heard my request the 220 other times or had forgotten just how old I was: I'm going to be 40. I'd like to be happily married, but in case you haven't noticed, I don't even have a good prospect. And I'm still hoping to be a mom, but the doctor basically told me that though I look young, my eggs are getting old, so if you could fix this situation soon, I'd be so happy. Almost as soon as the last sentence was uttered, I sensed a response: Valorie, there's nothing to fix. I stood dumbfounded. Although my life was good, I'd convinced myself I could not truly be happy until every last dream was fulfilled, including my vision of a happy marriage and motherhood. It was a vision I could not shake. But a profound shift happened that morning. The message was this:
19. Suddenly, I felt compelled to find my happy. As a life coach, I know the power of asking the right questions. Below are a few of the ones that helped me and can help you claim more of your own joy.
20. AM I WILLING TO RISK DISAPPOINTMENT?
Happiness is not the absence of negative emotion. To pursue the things that bring joy—love, purpose, forgiveness—you must often deal with fear, disappointment or insecurity. An authentic life is found on the other side of your discomfort. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Set a goal that excites you, even if it scares you.