Like Sideways Rain ~

I recently attended the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame Ceremony & Luncheon.  The inductees and presenters all exude passion and the love of sharing their passion with others.  I considered myself lucky to witness selfless savvy professionals and the admiration I felt was surmountable.  They all cared a great deal about bringing the best of themselves to the table and now to the podium.  I sat humbly in my chair with my heart in my throat as I listened to how they paved their own roads and created bridges where there were gaps.  I respected their words of wisdom, their immense pride and their cumulative desires to inspire and educate every listener and viewer that they were so grateful to reach.  I absorbed the energy from the room like a child venturing out onto a boat for the first time.  I was honored to be among such greatness.  These veteran broadcasters all took chances and followed their hearts desires.  They all took action in their lives where others only saw and cautioned risk.

I saw in them what I have seen in myself.  I am one to take action and follow my heart.  Regardless of the questionable minds that dismiss my dreams or my ideas.  What others see as risk, I am drenched in chance, hope and opportunity.  We all know that some opportunities only come along once in a lifetime.  If you don’t take action, those opportunities can swiftly move into another direction, like sideways rain, and leave you to soak into a beaming alternative.  Somehow, I have been lucky enough to see some of those opportunities and pay attention to when they are clearly pouring down on me.

It was 1992 and I knew that it was time to make a change.  It was not the first shift in my life, but it was definitely a do it now, or forever hold my peace sort of inclination.  My car had been stolen, a smash & grab, and I was temporarily driving a loaner back and forth to work.  I was 24 years old.  I felt like my job was going nowhere and it didn’t look anything like my life purpose.  So I left the stability, the paycheck and the insurance.  I packed up my studio apartment and decided I was going to travel.  With my senses heightened and a pair of scissors tucked into my sock, I hit the road alone.  I was taking action and I was in control.  I felt alive, invigorated and ready to start a new.  My decision to take action was courageous, the journey to my destination was exciting and my new life felt prosperous, wherever I would land.  In hind sight, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made, because at my last destination, I met my husband and then we began our family.  I had found my first life purpose, to give life.  All because I followed my heart and made a decision.  It was all because I saw an opportunity and I took action.

Many years later, I have found another life purpose, to give voice.  My mission is simple with a deep rooted desire.  As entrepreneurs, we want our voices to be heard and most are courageous enough to take action.  When I take action, I feel utterly empowered, to the point where I actually feel quite gitty, like I have a secret that I can’t keep.  Some entrepreneurs are gifted and know their purpose, but can focus far too long on perfection.  Or, even worse, they can focus on the how, which is the greatest enemy of action & outcome.  I believe that if you focus on your passion… truly the why you are doing what you do; all the rest beautifully falls into place.  If we focus on the “how”, we can create obstacles where our path was once clear.

Listening to the broadcaster inductees, I didn’t hear any of them speak to worrying about how they would achieve that position, or how they would move to another state.  They didn’t speak about how to deliver more creativity or how can they pave that road for others.  Down every pathway, they stepped over the rocks shaped in fear & doubt, and around every corner they turned their inner how’s to when’s.  They all took one step at a time, year after blissful year.  They were able to see the opportunities & visualize the road ahead.  They all followed their dreams and they all had a why bigger than themselves.  They inhaled desire and exhaled passion.  They all took action.

Taking action helps me to focus on what’s really important.  Taking action gives me purpose and deeper clarity.  We all need a purpose and we all have a purpose.  Some of us have tapped into our purpose and taken the action steps to get there.  Action is my favorite word.  I think taking action or jumping first creates the best paths, lessons and outcomes.  I have always been a jump first kind of soul, within reason of course.  And what I summarize in my heart collectively from the broadcaster’s that day, is that there is no better feeling in the world, like diving into an ocean of possibilities.