What Would You Do?

Normally I am the type of person who says too much in a situation.  I'm that annoying person who gives you advice even though you didn't ask for it.  My friends are used to it and either take it, or blatantly ignore it.  Each of you know which category you fall in.  LOL.

Tonight's blog is about what I should have said.  Have you ever been presented with a chance to say something and you didn't seize the opportunity?  This afternoon I witnessed something that has stuck with me.

Chris and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful afternoon.  We picked Delaney up early from the day home and went to the spray park.  During our initial lap around the park I noticed that there was a young dad who was walking across the park carrying a small pair of shoes and keys.  I also noticed a 6 year old girl playing with a mounted water gun that sprays and swivels around.  As she was having fun with the spray gun she managed to get the young dad wet.  I continued to watch to see what his reaction was.  It was far from pretty.  He was aghast that he got wet.  I mean the absolute nerve of a 6 year old spraying him with water.  How dare she get him wet.  Didn't she realize that he was simply there to watch his child play.  He of course was just there to watch his son play, not to play himself.

What would you do if you were walking through a spray park surrounded by no less than forty children and water spraying everywhere?  I for one, expected there was a high risk of getting wet.  He on the other hand started yelling to his girlfriend that this kid soaked him.  Then, he proceeded to grab her by the arm and pull her in from of the gun and sprayed her from chest to ankles and back again.  I am sure that he meant this to be a form of punishment.  The girl just laughed and ran to the next spray area.  I looked to see if the girl's parents had witnessed this act of manliness but alas they were nowhere to be seen.

I should have said something to him.  Part of me would like to hid behind the excuse that I was simply too shocked to react instantaneously.

We continued to play at the spray park.  Delaney was running back and forth while Chris and I watched from our perch on the retainer wall.  A few minutes later an organic smell wafted across the park.  Chris snidely commented that he suddenly had the munchies.  I told him that I sincerely hoped it was an actual skunk. The smell continued to get stronger.  I decided that we either had to leave or move up wind.  As I stood to investigate the source was instantly clear.  It was Mr. Manly Man from the earlier. I am not sure that this surprised me.  As I looked closer I realized that him and his girlfriend were smoking the joint in the van WITH HIS CHILD IN IT!!!!When they get finished smoking their joint they sauntered back to the spray park.

I wanted to say something to him so very badly.  I couldn't tell you what would have been the exact words I would have chosen but they would have been scathing.  Lucky for me I had my voice of reason by my side....Chris.  He was telling me that I needed to stay out of it. And truth be told I have no way of determining how he would react.  Chris also told me that the joint could be keeping Mr. Manly from beating his girlfriend and his child.  Maybe that is the case.  Maybe it is not.

What I do know for sure is that the next time I am presented with a situation that sets off alarm bells I am going to follow my instinct and react.

What would you have done?  Have you ever faced a situation like this?  How did it turn out?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Much Love,

Lisa

I Used To Be Bound But Now I Am Free....

I absolutely love how life comes together.  As I have mentioned in several posts I am taking part in a 30 Day Bravery Challenge.  I have been quite lax in completing the exercises because I was partaking in a slo pitch tournament and I was too impaired and distracted to be able to focus.  Not to mention that there was never a quiet moment to string two thoughts together.

So tonight I sat down to follow through on the exercises.  One of the challenges asked us to comprise a list of five things that we have overcame in our life.  We were to choose one and journal about how it is that we felt when we were in it and also how it felt when we rose above it.

I was able to come up with five challenges that I was able to overcome in a matter of seconds.  The hard part was to chose one to journal about.  In the end I chose the experience of when I was sexually assaulted by an authority figure.  I have mentioned it briefly in a previous blog post.  And the exact event details do not need to be discussed here.  The events that followed are the ones that needed to be overcome.

I am not certain if you can relate to my story.  This event happened in a small community.  In a community that was so close knit I was the new kid because I did not attend kindergarten in that school.  The event occurred in Junior High.  A young girl accusing a school principal of something of that nature rocked the community.  Everyone instantly had an opinion and very few opinions were forged on facts.  My life and the life of my family was turned upside down.  When I returned to school the day after the incident I was filled with trepidation.  I had hoped that no one had found out.  That life would somehow be normal.  Instead what I met was a bunch of angry junior high students who were not mature enough to form their own opinions.  They were only able to repeat the opinions of their parents.  These opinions were steeped in fear and an unwillingness to believe that a principal could ever do such a thing.  Rather than consider it being a possibility it was easier just to slander a young adolescent.  I went from being a tall, skinny, awkward tomboy to a slut and a liar.  Everyone felt it was their right and obligation to tell me that.  Even the teachers were cold and unwilling to step in and stop the running commentary.  The comments only gained more fuel as time went on and we inched closer to the trial date. At the end of the day the courts determined that I was indeed telling the truth.  This did nothing to repair my reputation.  Since I was still considered a leper in the community my parents thought it was best to allow me to complete high school in a different school district in an entirely different town.

It wasn't until I sat down to complete this exercise that I realized that I continued to be a victim of this situation for many, many years after it was over.  My confidence and belief in myself was bruised and battered.  I lived my life based on the opinions of others regardless if they were supported by facts.  I acted out and attempted to live up to whatever label society decided to place on me.  There were times that I didn't see fit to respect myself just because others wouldn't.  It took years for me to realize that I first need to respect myself and then others would in turn respect me.  The way I felt in that moment and in the years that followed is not anything that I would like to feel again.  I can however, say that as I reflect back on the place I was in then and I compare it to where I am now...I have certainly rose above that challenge from many years ago.  And realizing that I have rose above that feels fantastic.  And even though that experience was a painful one, I am grateful for it.  It has brought me to where I am today.  And today - I am Beautiful, Courageous, Strong, Loved, Loving, Lovable and Worthy.

I used to be bound...But now I am FREE!  Free To Be Me!

Tomorrow I will post an article that I submitted to a magazine.  As I reread the article that I wrote a few months ago I realize that it was this event inspired the article.

Do you have any challenging experiences that you have lived through?  I am sure you do.  We all do.  Spend some time reflecting on how you felt in the moment.  And then think of how you felt when you rose above the challenge.  Remember all of the strength and courage that you need to face the challenges in your life already lives within you.  You only need to give it permission to be set free.

I wish you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

The First Of August

Today is the First Day of August.  It brings with it a clean slate, fresh promises and the beginning of a new challenge.  I will get more into this new challenge in a moment.  But first I would like to say that today also marks my Father In Law's Birthday.  His 65th Birthday to be exact.

So this August 1st marks his 23, 741st day on Earth.  He is 3391 weeks and 4 days old.  Or 780 months old. The reason why it is that I broke that down into such detail is because my FIL is a details guy,  It is one of my favorite things about him.  He carefully weighs and measures everything before making a decision.  When I am seeking advice and I want to talk to someone who is going to give me sound advice...I go to Robert.  Not that I don't think others in my inner circle possess good advice.  They do.  But Robert doesn't make decisions from an emotional standpoint.  He looks at all the sides. He gives advice based on years of life and work experience.  And he certainly is not afraid to disagree with me or play Devil's Advocate.  And I appreciate and value that greatly.

Robert, I am so proud and blessed to call you my Father In Law.  I am wishing you the happiest of birthdays.  My wish for you is that you find that this will be the best year yet.  May it be filled with adventures, much love and laughter and pleasant surprises.

Now back to the new challenge.  I am partaking in the 30 Day Bravery Challenge.  Our first day of the challenge asked us to determine the one thing that we want to be courageous about during this challenge and to journal about it.  I was wanting to see exactly how far it is that I could push the limits.  Something that would cause me to stretch beyond my comfort zone and make me work every day.

What I came up with is...I am going to grow my business more in the next 30 years than I did all year. I am going to gain major momentum and become an unstoppable force.

The voice in my head says - You can't do that.  You are crazy. You will fail.
The voice in my heart says - Worst case scenario you only grow for 20 out of 30 days.  It is still growth. If I think of it from an abundant and positive mindset...anything is possible.  And when you are living out your purpose and staying out of your own way the Universe opens all sorts of doors for you.  So...I am going to bring it on.  Look out world...Coach Catalyst is on her way.  

I have also joined forces with my friend, Angela.  We have been compiling a list of items.  Brave things for us to do every day.  Some we will do together and others we will do on our own.  But at the end of the month we will be...BRAVER!!!!  More Confident!  And Better versions of our already amazing selves.

So I ask you...are you willing to get brave? Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone?  If you answered yes....Get Ready! Get Set! Grow!!!!!

Wishing you a Day as Beautiful as You!

Much Love,

Lisa

Fear? Or Faith??? Victim? Or Leader?

Day 23 of the #31 Day Blog Challenge.  Woot Woot.

As I was standing in the shower ( I do my best thinking there) I started to question where I make my decisions from.  When I am making a decision do I make it from a place of fear?  Filling the role of the Victim?  Or do I make the decision from a place of Faith? As a Leader of my Life?  Do I stand in a position of Power?  Or crouch in the corner and cower?  

We are always presented with choices.  There is a flip side to every coin.  I am not saying that there is always a choice that is filled with sunshine and rainbows.  Sometimes we have to choose between two outcomes and neither of them seem very good.  That is what life is like at times.  It is our mindset that determines the outcome.  If we make choices as a victim we will never be pleased with the turnout.  We will always be looking to fix blame on someone.  Even if the outcome was good...we will be looking to blame someone for why it wasn't even better.  And that someone we will fix blame on will never be ourselves.  It will always be others.  When we make a decision from a place of power we are focusing less on the problem and more on the solution.  We can see the current choice as a springboard or stepping stone to move us further ahead.  When we act out of fear we are unable to move ahead smoothly because we are dragging the past along with us.  All that baggage makes it hard to move forward with much momentum. 

When you go to make a decision ask yourself...fear or faith...where am I acting from?  If it is fear...call a time out.  Take a deep breath and look at how you could tweak your mindset to make yourself feel better about the decision. Do YOUR best.  That is all that matters.  And remember...you are exactly where you should be. After all you have spent your entire life getting to this very spot.

"Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear." - George Addair

Have a Brave and Beautiful Day!

Much Love,
Lisa