How To Overcome Unexpected Storms & Stay On Your Purpose

Storms in life are challenging -

the lightning flashing, thunder clapping, pelting rain and wind kind, as well as the emotional ones raging inside you.

Do the challenging storms of life paralyze you or derail you from your desired direction?

Read on to learn how to turn your challenging storms into action towards your purpose.

My Story

Both external and internal storms converged on me over the weekend.

Friday night’s storm in northern VA (and surrounding areas) ripped down entire trees and thousands of branches, seared electric poles and wreaked havoc on the area.

~ No power on days and nights when the temperatures were reaching 100+.
~ Pools closed, so no cooling off there, because they couldn’t run the filtration systems.
~ Businesses closed, losing revenue.

~ Every stop light, at every intersection, wasn’t working in town after town in Northern Virginia and into Maryland, causing another type of havoc.

I found myself surprising discombobulated.

Since I couldn’t use my cell phone to check on my son and his family in Falls Church, I drove in the traffic madness to make sure they were alright. I felt my body tensing.

When I was out, my cell phone worked in some areas and the woman whose dogs I was dog sitting had been calling and texting me. She’s a self-proclaimed fretter and it was obvious. I internalized some of her anxiety.

I wasn’t able to follow my normal routine (prior to that day, I didn’t even think I had a routine).

I wandered from one room to the next. Lost. Not sure what to do. I felt unsettled.

Because the fabulous  WHAT’S  NEXT? teleseminar series starts July 25, I wanted to be focused on launch activities. All of those things are done on-line.

The external storm was becoming my internal storm.

I was tense. Very tense, even though I knew my family, friends and I were safe.

Everything, everyone, every animal annoyed me.

I started creating stories in my head about myself, other people and my life. None were positive and uplifting.

I had to do something to stop the madness.

The answer was suddenly obvious:

How would I coach my clients in a similar situation?

Hmm…it wouldn’t be alcohol, although the beer that was getting warm (since there was no power to the frig’) was calling my name.

“Cherry, get us while we’re still cold. We promise you endless relaxation. Maybe even a nap. And you’d be saving us from losing our cool.”

You might be surprised how beer that’s losing its cool, at the same time you’re losing your cool, can sound like Odysseus’s two Sirens.

But nix that one, I’d never tell my clients to drink alcohol to reduce their fears or anxiety. Decidedly not one of the tools of confidence-building.

#1 Take action, no matter how small the steps may seem

I would, however, tell clients that taking action, no matter how small, helps relieve fear/anxiety and steadily builds confidence.

So that’s what I did.

I took my own advice and acted on something related to my purpose of launching my seminar to help middle-aged women figure out what to do next in their life.

I started writing my newsletter in long-hand. That’s consistently been a powerful way for me to both tap my creativity and better remember what I’ve written. In fact, my last free teleseminar on Overcoming The 3 Big Mistakes That Keep You Stuck & Feel The Joy Of Moving Toward Your Purpose, was all done in long-hand and it flowed out of me.

#2 Remember, you have a choice.

It’s difficult to remember you have choices when you’re riddled with anxiety or fear.

But you do. Always remember that. Get a tattoo on the back of your hand that says ” you have choices”. (Or choose not to get a tattoo.)

Things that relieve stress include choosing to take long, deep breaths and going for a walk. Or, again, choosing to act on the very thing that you’re anxious about.

This weekend, when it felt as if I didn’t have a choice (the storm had taken away my choice of writing on-line) I initially resisted doing anything besides pacing. But I did have a choice, in fact many choices.

#3 Acknowledge Resistance

Resistance can be a powerful foe. She digs in her heels, crosses her arms, gives you the evil eye and dares you to try and take her down by changing your ways and doing the very thing you want and need to do. Like with me this weekend.

I want to do this launch.

I want to facilitate WHAT’S NEXT? and help women move past their resistance and lack of clarity to both determine and take action on their purpose.

And, I know Resistance when I see her but sometimes she still trips me up.

Not this time though. I looked her in the eye, said hello, and stepped forward to take action. She backed off immediately. Triumph! I showed her.

You can too.

You can weather your internal storm of anxiety and self-doubts.

Anxiety, self-doubts and procrastination are only different faces of Resistance – different forms of excuses to keep you stuck in an unhappy place and not fulfilling the purpose driven life you want.

You may be thinking, I’ve tried to take down Resistance before but I couldn’t.

#4 Get Support.

If you can’t overcome Resistance on your own right now, then get help to do it. The end result is very worthwhile!

Join a small group of like minded women and me when a new round of WHAT’S NEXT? starts on July 25th. It’s a supportive small group environment. You will be shored up AND held accountable for what you say you’ll do.

I’ll be direct when I hear you making excuses. If that approach doesn’t work for you, then it’s best not to join us on the 25th.

Why don’t you lay out your excuses now and I’ll respond to them in the comment section.

I really want to help you through the storm to the calm. The calm that is part and parcel of knowing you’re doing exactly what you want to do to. That you’re leading the life you crave, which is to make a difference in the world.