Nearly three years ago (to the day), my best friend sent me an email that changed my life.
She simply wrote, “I think you’ll like this! xoxo” with a subject line that had a link to the website of someone called Marie Forleo.
I copied and pasted the link into my browser – oblivious to the fact that this was about to be a life-changing moment.
I ended up spending hours on her site, watching her videos and checking out her signature program B-School. At at one point, I started to cry.
Marie’s words, her essence, her brand and her mission ignited something in me and gave me the clarity I’d been searching for for years.
You see, Lovely, up to that point, I thought coaching was different.
In my mind, as a coach, I’d have to wear an unflattering grey pantsuit, go to different corporate offices every day to lead trainings that no one actually wanted to be a part of (but put up with it to get out of actually doing any work!), and carry a bright blue three-ring binder that had “COACHING” written in block letters; not exactly my dream.
But what Marie showed me was different – it was modern, feminine, fashionable and all online.
Her world of coaching encompassed everything I was looking for: making a difference in the world, creating a personal brand, designing programs that would enable me to make far more money than I made in my 9-5 job, the chance to travel and so so much more.
She showed me what was possible, and I knew that that type of coaching was the “something big” I had been looking for my whole life.
This past Friday, it happened again: Marie relaunched her website and as I explored it, the waterworks started once more.
Now I gotta tell ya, I’m not as much of a crier as I was during my quarter-life crisis, so this time, the tears surprised me, and at first, I didn’t know what they were about.
After all, since discovering Marie three years ago, I’ve created the business I dreamed about – I’ve made over 7-figures in sales, I have the world’s best clients, my husband has been able to leave his job and we now work together – and the list goes on.
I’m doing coaching in a way that’s modern, feminine, fashionable and all online – everything I wanted.
So why the tears?
As I sat with my emotions, one word came to mind: movement.
Marie reminded me of my original mission.
She (once again) showed me what was possible and stirred something up inside of me: the desire for not only a coaching business, but for a movement.
After all, when I came up with I Heart My Life in September 2013, that was what it was about; a movement of women who loved their lives and themselves.
And although I believe that’s there in the essence of I Heart My Life, I know there’s so much more in store for the brand – a true movement.
So today, I’m grateful for that reminder – the reminder of not only why I started, but what’s truly possible, because Marie has created a movement.
She’s done it.
And for me, that means I can too.
That’s the thing Beth, we’re often unaware of what’s possible until someone shows us.
Maybe it’s the same for you.
Maybe you see other women out there doing what you want to do – starting businesses, working with incredible clients, changing lives (all while not in pantsuits carrying three-ring binders) and something inside you wants to know more.
Maybe tears stream down your cheeks or jealousy creeps up when you least expect it.
During those moments, I encourage you to check in – don’t let that opportunity for clarity about your own purpose or the chance to seize an opportunity pass you by.
Instead, get curious and ask yourself…
What’s the spark about?
Where’s the curiosity coming from?
What’s resonating?
Why are the tears streaming?
Why am I jealous?
What do I want?
And then take action.
I didn’t discover Marie and then put my dreams aside – I took action.
After discovering her work, I researched other coaches and got clearer on who I was meant to serve.
In September 2013, I purchased my URL. Weeks later, my website was in the works. Then I signed up for training programs to support me in my mission and reaching my goals. I learned from those who had come before me.
I took massive action on behalf of my dreams.
And now, Lovely, my life and business has become better than my dreams.
So if my story (as well as Marie’s) inspires you, follow that, and please don’t wait to start your own movement.
I can’t speak for Marie, but just know that I’m just a girl from Ohio with really big dreams, and if I can do it, you can too.
