When it came to my career, I was digging a million small holes all over the place and never got anywhere. I always felt lost and stuck and like I was going nowhere. If you can relate to that, don’t worry, the Universe has a funny way of letting you know it has your back. I was cheerleading for the NJ Nets while teaching dance, personal training, choreographing and doing all the costume design for middle and high school plays while coaching a high school competitive dance team.
At a sold-out Nets game, I was performing, and doing crazy amounts of flips across the court and sick dance moves when I pivoted to run off the court and felt my knee snap. I fell down. I often felt snaps like that so I tried to stand up when I realized to my horror, nothing was holding my knee together and I fell down again.
I was brought into the trainer’s room and the Net’s doctor took one look at my knee and said, “You tore your ACL (a major ligament in your knee that takes at least nine months to heal). People call this injury “the career killer”. I was devastated. I burst into hysterics and I remember Nets basketball players all running out of the room to leave me alone. I thought my life was over. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I didn’t know the following at the time and I probably wouldn’t have believed you if you told me.
What I thought was a tragedy was actually one of the biggest blessings of my life.
Why was it such a blessing? After that injury I did a lot of soul searching and one day a friend told me about this amazing school called The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. While at school I realized in order to be great at what I was doing and to use my genius, I had to put my energy into digging one big giant beautiful hole. I realized I was meant to shine (because we all are) and I was to use my genius to be of service to the world. In order to do that I had to focus my energy. I put two feet in instead of one foot in and one foot out like I had in my past. I went ALL IN!
Sharing and experiencing joy with others is my life’s purpose. Providing a safe and loving space for people to feel free to be the truest expression of their authentic selves is my genius. My goal is to shine as bright as possible because the brighter I shine , the more I allow everyone I come in contact with to see their light too. I’m excited to see how I can be of service to them on a daily basis in many ways including coaching, writing and speaking.
Once I got really clear on what my genius was and how I could put them into use and be of service to the world, the rest fell into place.
I realized everything I’ve ever done–the good, the bad and the ugly–was what led me to accept my genius and to turn them into a career. When I was sweating my butt off in a Daffy Duck costume and dancing in a show in the 110 degree Atlanta heat, that was a part of it. When I was a disgruntled dance teacher, that was part of it. When I was a tone deaf singing telegram scratching people’s floors with my tap dancing, that was part of it. When I was a cheerleader for the NJ Nets, that was a part of it. When I fell and tore my ACL, that was part of it too. Everything was a part of it.
It was all a part of me finding my genius. It’s my journey and my journey is perfect. So is yours.
Everyone wants to be able to do work that uses their genius and it’s their birthright to do so. We all want the Universe to be like, “Yo! You are doing the right thing and here are the signs to let you know that’s true.” You will get the signs. Be patient and trust. It all unfolds with Divine timing.
This quote from the The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy says it all.
“The happiest man is he who constantly brings forth and practices what is best in him. Happiness and virtue complement each other. The best are not only the happiest, but the happiest are usually the best in the art of living life successfully. God is the highest and best in you. Express more of God’s love, light, truth and beauty and you will become one of the happiest persons in the world today.”
The world is craving for us to rise to the occasion and be the best versions of ourselves in this very moment so we can be of service. We must never push or force this. We must be present with every step we take and grateful for it. It’s all happening right now!! As my friend Cora Poage so eloquently stated, “It doesn’t matter how big a step you take, as long as it’s in the right direction.”
Where do you thrive? What is your zone of genius? Having trouble figuring out exactly what that is? Let me help. Leave a comment. Answering your comments is in my zone of genius so I would be honored to coach you through this.
Great reminder that our path may not always be clear but part of the journey is getting there