Flashback to Flash Forward

Spent some lovely hours reuniting with my college roommates this past weekend.

Kathy, Kathy, Heather, Nicki, Denise and Eilene. We missed Lisa. And that in and of itself is interesting. Because that original list of names is how it all started in the fall of 1991. An overcrowded year at then Judson College where they turned rooms that were designed for 4 into mega suites for 6. Year one was the listed folks and then year two Eilene moved out and Lisa came in .

Those were the days. Fun. Rice Krispie treats. Banana bread. Music. Laughter. Tears. Growth. Bonding.

I could go on and on listing what feelings, emotions and actions that took place during those two years. I'll spare you. But I would  like to look at and unpack one aspect of what this weekend meant to me; how revisiting your past really helps propel you into your future.

It is so interesting to be around people who were intensely close before but live pretty separately now. The perspective about yourself is incredible. Not to mention the perspective of those around you. How did it change? How has it evolved? Or has it not changed? Is it exactly the same? Personally, I love opportunities to reflect on my own growth by being around people who knew me in a specific era of my life. I love to have the rush of memories coupled with all the experiences that have taken place since the time those memories were made. Sifting through thoughts, feelings emotions is a great way to gage where you've been and put into light where you are going.

Revisiting your past can help you have benchmarks for your future growth. With each visit to the past, you can compare your past and present. Are you moving in the direction you would like to be moving? Could some of your old friends and contacts get you closer to where you desire to be? Being around people who knew you well at one point in your life and spending time with them in your present helps shape who you are and would like to become. As I listened to myself update them on my happenings, I can see how I truly value and see the experience Ive had since our time together. It's pretty eye opening. I certainly did not spend a ton of time on the front end thinking about this. I was busy getting ready and looking forward to seeing my old best girls. But in the time since we parted, I've caught myself thinking of what I said about something versus what someone else said.

I've thought about questions I did not ask or topics I didn't bring up but now wished I had. I've thought about what is an appropriate time to regroup since it was extremely refreshing and soul nurturing to come together. It's the happy balance. Of course, I do not want to "recreate" our time together now. We were close for season, for a reason. And now it's more of an exercise on what is the right mix of past and present to take us forward. While I am not sure the answer and really don't have time to work it out today, I am certain that the lesson in this weekend is to embrace your past. Enjoy it. Don't rewrite it or attempt to manipulate it. Learn from it. Enjoy the folks who contributed to it. Use it. Use it to propel you into the future you desire.

I'm thankful for my past that came for a quick visit just at time I needed it!

Don't Stunt Your Olympic Opportunity

I have always loved the Olympics!

I can remember as a third grader in Mrs. Irvine's class at Carl Sandburg Elementary School, writing what my goal was for the future; to work at the Olympic Games.

Amazing.

Even at the tender age of 8, I was not already active in nor in love with any particular sport but very tuned in to opportunity. I knew that besides the athletes, there were really important people needed to pull the games off. After that, I did participate in several sports and was a very competitive tennis player through college. However, I never had a desire to be an Olympic athlete. I was married to my third grade dream of working there.

In 1996, at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta - I fulfilled that 3rd grade declaration and worked as an venue media coordinator at the Georgia World Congress Center where we hosted 8 sports. It was an awesome experience that I will never forget. Ever.

But I can't help but reflect on the power of my words over my own life at such a young age. Before I'd ever played any sports seriously, I'd counted myself out of one of the most prestigious sports events.

I can even remember hearing my own words echo in my ears as I lost big tennis matches over the years. I remember when I was in high school in 1988 and tennis was reinstated as an Olympic sport. That was the height of my tennis career. I played year round in tournaments and was briefly ranked in the Midwest as a junior tennis player. I was courted by colleges to play and spent almost every weekend in 1988 playing tennis. Yet I never manifested a desire to play in the Olympics. Not even that announcement from the IOC motivated me to change my declaration of working at the Olympics as an 8 year old.

Do you see the power of what we speak over our lives? How many times do we say stuff, innocently, that could be closing off opportunity in our lives? Clearly as a 3rd grader, I had no idea what my future held but my little proclamation did hold true.  Who knows? Perhaps I could have been an Olympic athlete. Now it does not matter but what does matter is what I say and put out in the universe regarding my life. My future.

I only speak success about my upcoming book release or the opportunities my company bids for or pitches. I speak positivity about my kids and their dealings. I speak love and harmony over my marriage and my husband.

Make sure you, too, harness the power of your own words over your life.