Own Your Personal Story

I was running down the road today and got to thinking about owning your personal story. (Yeah, don’t ask. I daydream while I run, don’t you?)

Your story is your story. Embrace it, appreciate it, love it, own it. So many folks are ashamed of where they came from, of the mistakes they might have made on their journey to where they are today. Why? Isn’t that what MADE you who you are today?

Why don’t more people create great stuff out of the story of their journeys?

Could you even go so far to say that without your mistakes and whoopsies and stupid decisions you would not be in the position you are today? That you wouldn’t have come up with that business idea or you wouldn’t have met the person you did or you wouldn’t have appreciated what you now have or you wouldn’t have been open-minded to that new idea that transformed your life?

If I hadn’t spent 7 painful years working against my personality in corporate, I would not be where I am today. Hands down. Not professionally, not financially, not personally. In fact, you could even say that I wouldn’t have met my husband. And I know for sure that I wouldn’t have met the gal who I first went into business with and failed, and then went into business with again and succeeded, which in turn allowed me to financially be ok with leaving that job.

(Side note: Life is scary-cyclical sometimes, yeah?)

Whatever your beliefs – that everything happens for a reason or part of a master plan or whathaveyou – you are who you are today because of your experiences. You might think you’re better off because of them, or perhaps worse. Or maybe it should just be a neutral balance. Better just meaning stronger – more experienced, more lessoned.

Whatever the label you choose to identify its impact, use those experiences and share them with the world. Embrace your story. Because if we aren’t a better person today because of what happened yesterday, what was the point?

What say you?

Tagged as: attitude, inspiration