Your Next Best Chapter Awaits

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become” – Carl Jung

I spent most of my life working my ass off trying to advance my career, make more money, make a name for myself, and get the recognition I thought I so deserved. And while I was playing hardball in shark-infested waters, I was also trying to find the balance in raising a family, managing a home, and attending to ailing parents and family members.

I finally got the corner office, the company car, the big house, stock options and perks galore. I made it. I couldn't be happier. WRONG!

I found that I was still unhappy and unfulfilled. On top of everything else, I was confronted with a life-changing event of a cancer diagnosis that left me wondering if all of it was worth it.

My perspective on life had changed. All those years I spent compromising my values and beliefs to stay in an environment that was unhealthy and destructive so I could pay the bills and live the life I dreamed yet now it all seemed meaningless. The thought of staying in that world that no longer served me and be imprisoned by golden handcuffs left me lost and questioning my next move.

There I sat at a major crossroad in my life. I was done raising young kids, dedicated decades of my life to a company that regards its employees as disposable, I shifted from a "me-centric" way of thinking to a "how can I be of service" way of thinking, and heck, I just wanted to finally have some fun. The thought of getting in the car to spend hours in traffic to go to a job that felt meaningless seemed ludicrous.

I volunteered and although that fed my soul, I wanted to feel like all my knowledge, wisdom, and experience could be of value in some way and a paycheck would be a bonus. I dabbled in direct sales and although that brought in some cash, it didn't feed my soul.

But how will I be defined? For so many years, it was an easy question to answer when someone asked, "So what do you do?" "I'm an executive," "I'm a mom," "I'm the president of a volunteer organization," "I'm a cancer survivor," and so on.

"If I leave that behind, who will I be? What will I do? Will I be any good? Will I be relevant? How in the hell am I supposed to start over? What will I say if someone asks me, 'what do you do?'"

So therein lies the question. As in the line made famous by the band The Clash, "should I stay or should I go?" If I stay, how am I going to manage the day-to-day stresses and live a life filled with joy and fulfillment? Is it possible to do both? What am I willing to let go of so I can make it work? If I go, what will I do? Who will I be?

How will I honor the pull of the universe to do something on a soul level?

All those years I invested to become successful and to live a life I thought I wanted, yet, I dreamed of a life that I am not actually living. A part of me thinks that if I leave it behind, I will be throwing it all away and that it didn't matter. But it did. It made me who I am today…the good the bad and the ugly. If I stay, am I denying myself the life I dreamed of living? Am I ignoring the divine call, the universe's pull toward my soul's purpose?

At this point, it's easy to say things like, "I'm too old to start over," or "I don't have the energy or the know-how," and "I'm too busy." And the one question that stopped me in my tracks, "What if I fail?"

A better question might be, "What would you do if you believed you couldn't fail?"

I didn't go through everything in my life to get to this point and ride the rest of it in the back seat. I have a gift that has yet to be unwrapped. We all do. How awful would it be to leave this physical world without sharing it? Keeping it inside would be denying others the benefits our gifts could bring.

Once we are able to get clarity and focus on who we truly are and what we are here to do, we can discover the endless possibilities that are out there for all of us.

I worked with a woman who wanted to leave behind the only career she knew to start her own business but struggled with making her dream become a reality. Once we uncovered and got past some old wounds and the obstacles that kept her stuck, she was able to see things from a different perspective. Through connection, trust, and focus, we were able to tap into what was inside, translate that into a vision and outer goals and develop an action plan. She took the leap and is now the proud owner of her own business where she gets to be creative, have fun, feel appreciated, help others, and spend time in nature every day. She is living in her magnificence.

There is so much life left to discover. What are you waiting for? Now is the time to get back in the driver's seat, focus on the road ahead, and choose how you are going to live the rest of your life. Your next best chapter awaits.

About the writer

Lynn Finley is a writer and life coach who helps her clients bring a sense of well-being, balance, and ownership to work/life challenges and transitions. Lynn has over 25 years of corporate experience, including as a Senior VP at Disney, where she led a 100-person team and is a Certified Professional Coach. Lynn is a contributing author to the personal transformation book series Pebbles in the Pond-Wave Three and the Grown and Flown website. Learn more