This blog is about challenges and why we need them 
For those of you who me well, it will not come as a surprise to know that I have had challenges in my life… but then, don’t we all? Some challenges have been more difficult to overcome than others, but they have all been lessons and eventually ones that I listened to and learned from.
We need challenges and difficulties, there is little point in going through life with nothing to make us stop and think, learn new things, and take stock. We needed change, some people crave it and without it, life would be dull. The good thing is, that most of my life’s lessons I use for teaching, for instance, my move from a house to a narrowboat.
The Challenge
I had been running a decent business in special software and management consultancy, I had several employees and was running at breakneck speed to keep all the balls up in the air. Then I made a stupid decision, well stupid on reflection, it seemed a good idea at the time, and long story short, I became a victim of fraud and had to go bankrupt.
To say it was painful is not the right word, but I was not ill, I was still capable, so my husband and I sold our home and bought a narrowboat. That got me out of debt, paid my staff and at least I could hold my head up.
What changed my mindset
A narrowboat holiday home had been on our list of things to do when we retired, so never mind, we did it earlier than expected. This took me away from my ‘business’ mentality, gave me some space to think about what I wanted to do and gave me opportunities to make changes where I needed.
The crisis opened a door to a more fulfilling life, I was able to take on further study in all the disciplines I now practise as a business. My new life was filled with learning, wonderful days of travel around the canals, with new friends and so much more to think about.
What I learned
There is nothing in life that doesn’t teach us something, if we take note, even those difficult days are showing us that maybe we are not on the right path, our life and our relationships will change, and we adapt or fail.
Amongst the many books I read, one from the USA informed me that all great people fail, get up and start again, sometimes many times, which was very helpful! Neal Donald Walsh taught me how to love unconditionally, His Holiness the Dalai Lama taught me to be kind and Bruce Lipton and Lynne McTaggart taught me that I create my reality….in a nutshell, I was being educated.
I learned that resilience and caring for others were more important than running a business (for me of course), and that living nearer to nature was empowering and peaceful. Leaning is constant, we never know everything.
It took quite a while for me to get over the trauma of bankruptcy and being defrauded; then my self-empowerment came from self-love, it took several years before I could talk about it, I thought it was shameful that I had been so foolish, and it took time to trust again and even forgive. It took a while to get over being a victim, but I knew that I was better than that.
If you are in a difficult position right now, take heed, life does go on, talk to me if you would like a guiding hand and forgive yourself……never stay a victim, there are better days to come.
To err is Human; to Forgive, Divine.
Diane – reinventing myself just as often as I want to!