[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]By Jennifer LaFrance
When I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I followed the script of what I thought my life was to be; or should I say, I was living the way EVERYONE thought that I should be living. I graduated from college with a degree to please my parents, found a “good” steady job to pay the bills, and worked hard for that perfect furnished single girl’s apartment and cute car.
From time to time, I would survey my life and think, “Is this what I want? Am I fulfilled?” I would then think about how OTHERS were pleased at my choices and figured I was doing the right thing.
That is, until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged my hometown of New Orleans and my home soaked in 8 ½ feet of water for weeks. All of my material possessions were gone; the THINGS that demonstrated success were soaked in dirty, mold infested filth. Now what?
I realized that the script I was living was not me; I wanted to please everyone else and didn’t have a clue as to what I wanted. I played my mental tapes over and over about the many obstacles to be the person that I wanted to be.
I continued on in this disillusion until 2011, when my company went through a reorganization and eliminated my position. Finally, I can focus my energies on my passion and embrace my authentic self; but what is that?
As a corporate trainer, I loved educating and inspiring; as a leadership facilitator, I enjoyed motivating individuals to change their perspective for a better purpose and outcome. I then realized I wanted to help women who have traveled similar paths as myself; I wanted them to tap into their inner strength to increase their clarity and focus in order for them to live their best life.
There are four key things that are crucial to flipping the script of life you have lived for others and begin living the life you want:
1) Daydream
Remove the excuses, the details and logistics and think about what you would do if you could achieve your passion. I started to daydream with unlimited abandon and I kept coming back to a life of purpose, abundance, and freedom. I wanted to be of service to others and release them to live a life of their desires and not a status quo life
2) List your dreams
There is so much power to writing your thoughts on paper. The energy that I felt from ideas in my head to writing my vision was powerful. It helped me to see that this is doable; if it was something that was created in my head, it can be achieved.
3) Find a support system
While these dreams are incubating, you will need the support of a trusted individual to be supportive to help you move you toward your true self. Family and friends are good, but they can unintentionally sabotage your dreams. I actually hired a life coach to work with me to build my practice because I wanted someone to support and hold me accountable every step of the way.
4) Start doing SOMETHING today
“A year from now, you will wish you had started today.” So many of my clients and people in general say, “Oh, I’ll get to it.” A year later they have not done a thing. My “start” was the list of dreams I made. Putting pen to paper was the baby steps that led me to the realization that I thrive to help people connect with themselves again. I encourage you to get back in touch with yourself and trust your gut, not just your logic. Are you ready to find out where your passions will lead you? Are you ready to connect with your authentic self?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][text-with-icon icon_type=”font_icon” icon=”icon-lightbulb” color=”Extra-Color-1″]
Jennifer LaFrance is a life coach who works with women who feel stagnant and trapped by their life choices to change their way of thinking and live with more clarity in their lives.
Her strength, according to her clients, is guiding them to the answers they have within, and prioritizing themselves to achieve their best life.
Jennifer is a Martha Beck-trained life coach with a M.S. in psychology. She currently resides in New Orleans. Sign up for Jennifer’s 3 Day Declutter Challenge: http://www.jaelynnconsulting.com/[/text-with-icon][/vc_column][/vc_row]
