On Friday, April 24th at 9 p.m. EST, millions of viewers were glued to the TV to see one of the most highly anticipated interviews EVER on ABC-TV, hosted by Diane Sawyer. And I was one of them.
I will admit that I was asking myself a series of questions as the time approached:
1) Why was I so interested in seeing this interview?
2) What did I think I was going to get out of it? (I value my time and I knew it would last beyond my normal bed time, LOL)
3) What would the world be thinking?
4) What would be appearing on social media?
All those questions and more were going through my mind as I settled on the couch in my PJ’s to spend 2 hours glued to the TV set (all the while monitoring social media, too).
Well, I determined, as the interview was underway, that Bruce Jenner and I were actually more alike than different. Did that mean I had ‘gender issues’? NO. What it did mean is that, in my opinion, as we get to a certain point in life, we make decisions that significantly impact the way we want to continue to live our lives.
I did that, too. Bruce Jenner is 65 years old. I am 63 years old. Hmmm, there’s one similarity right there! Birthday milestones tend to get you thinking about your life – how you’re living it, ……or not. Are you living your best life? Are you being sincere in the way you are living your life? Are you happy with who you are and what you are doing?
Bruce Jenner spoke to these questions and much more. And I could relate every step of the way through the interview.
He mentioned how he KNEW, for many, many, many years that he was not living a genuine life. I, too, for many years in an unhappy marriage knew that I was living a life of compromise. I had ‘settled’. I had become the Queen of Compromise! I put everyone else’s needs, wants and dreams ahead of my own.
CAN YOU RELATE?
I felt myself leaning in as Bruce honestly, openly and, at times, with great emotion answered Diane Sawyer’s very pointed questions. I was glued to the TV! I found myself nodding my head often, in agreement with all his statements about how he, too, had compromised and settled for less – because he cared more about how other people felt. Geez – me, too!
How many baby boomers feel the same way?
Fortunately for me, I had some great mentors in my life – two, in particular, come to mind. JoLove Beach and Lou Tice – who always had my best interests at heart and from whom I learned many lessons with respect to:
1) Holding the vision of my best life
2) Controlling my self-talk to be positive, forward thinking and up-lifting
3) Making the difficult decisions (in the moment) for the rewards that would last a lifetime
4) Surrounding myself with the right people who would love, nurture and support me in the tough times (my Lord, Jesus Christ; my pastors, my brother, my girlfriends!)
I felt Bruce’s heart-ache as he talked about the family dynamics. When we make life-changing decisions, it changes the world around us – and has a major ripple effect. You’ve got to brace yourself for this. It’s a lonely journey. When I made the decision to leave my 22-year marriage, leave a J.O.B., move across the country at age 55 to start a new life in a new city – it was all very lonely and difficult. But that was all temporary. As is the case for Bruce Jenner.
I do believe now that the interview has aired, it is like bursting the pressure in a pimple. (awful example, but true and one that you can all relate to) The news is out and it was all in his own words and in his own time. Social media blew up with tremendous support and caring for this very courageous and brave action of appearing on national TV.
That’s how I felt once I made the decision to start to live my true, genuine, authentic and happy life. Once I decided to stop caring what other people thought or felt. What about you? What’s holding you back? Who is holding you back? How much longer will you wait before making some tough decisions? (you will be surprised at how many people can actually relate to what you are going through and will support you – and you, in turn, will inspire them to take action)
In my new book, “Stop Compromising and Make All the Money You Want! A Do-It-Yourself Guide For Starting Over and Starting UP!”, I give you the steps I followed to not only create the very happy personal life I now have, but for entrepreneurs to ‘get in the game’ and do what you really love.
IT.IS.NEVER.TOO.LATE!
I am living proof of this. So is Bruce Jenner. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? We believe so.
We all think that we have time……..we don’t.
Stop compromising and start living……today!
You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging. – Dr. Brene Brown
