I woke in an unfamiliar place and for a split second I felt fear. Then, I quickly realized that I was waking up in the penthouse. I stretched, stood, pushed the button to open the curtains and watched the sun rise over the treeline. Off in the distance the skyline of Atlanta, Georgia greeted me as if to say, “Good morning!”
Somehow, I found my way to the kitchen in a very dark hallway, made coffee and walked back to the bed to finish watching the morning sun take over the crystal clear sky. The day prior was my dad’s birthday and he would have been ninety years old. I could feel him with me.
It was the first day of my annual conference, Behind the Power, and the excitement in my body was hard to contain. I stood and danced in the silence of my room picturing the faces of the people I’d see downstairs. My heart was pounding with joy and love. I felt more home in that penthouse than I’d felt anywhere in the weeks leading up to the event. That morning I was able to finally take a deep breath knowing that everything was working out for me and everyone attending.
Behind the Power felt very different this year. The power of the people who took the stage sharing their journeys with us was palpable. My soul was bursting with hope and enthusiasm for each speaker because I see what’s available for them now. Sure, some of them cut their talks short while others forgot their words, but it didn’t matter because the power came through anyway - in every single experience on our little stage.
As for me, I felt more inspired this year than ever before. My purpose is to help others heal. Those that are willing to show up for themselves during my programs and after they leave are the people for this work. And, yes it is work. Why? Because it takes discipline to meditate daily, set goals, be held accountable, be coachable, apply the instruction, and be vulnerable. It takes courage to try new things when they feel weird, to open yourself up to a community of others who have no idea who you are, and to convince those in your personal life that you’re not crazy, you’re just upleveling.
What unfamiliar place is waiting for you?
What dream are you willing to fight for?
Believe me, my nineteen-year-old self didn’t want to walk downstairs that first morning. Seeing the skyline always reminds her that we were put out like trash by the people who were supposed to care about us the most. It sinks her every time. That morning, she had no interest in dancing, but I held her, showed her around the penthouse, reminded her that she helped me build it all, and that more than anything, and regardless of everything, she is safe with me.
You cannot take your pain into your future and build something new. It doesn’t work - it never will. What lies behind the power is you. You are that powerful. It’s time to own it.