Case

Introduction

Thursday, March 1, 2007, 6:17 a.m.:

I’m starting a new journal today because I need a fresh start. I must take my life back! I woke up this morning drained and exhausted—grateful for life—but just exhausted. I’m tired and out of balance, yet my day has not even begun. So, I’m going for a walk. Maybe exercise will give me the boost I need. I don’t even exercise anymore. I’ve felt this way too many times—and why? Because I’m unfulfilled and not living out the higher purpose for my life—doing what it is I know I was born to do. It’s time for a change. This business has consumed my life—I’ve become its slave. If this is what success is—I don’t want it! Or maybe I’m just doing it all wrong—after all these years. I realize I’m the only one who can realign myself and put my life back in its proper order. Taking my life back starts with me.

At the time of this journal entry, I was an exhausted, overwhelmed, over-driven, self-deprived professional woman. As a wife, daughter, sister, entrepreneur, attorney and Realtor, I spent years juggling an overload of responsibilities. I had long “to-do” lists and rarely took time for myself. There were unfinished projects, dreams deferred, family members I wanted to visit, friends with whom I desired to spend quality time, lists of unachieved goals, shelves of unread books, piles of unopened mail and dozens of unread emails. I was totally burned out.

Yet, everything looked great on the outside—from society’s definition of success. Because I was a master at juggling roles and responsibilities, others did not see my struggles. As a top producing Realtor, I served a roster of satisfied clients. My husband and I also operated a multimillion dollar real estate investment company, and we’d just built a lovely home lodged on several acres, in an exclusive community. My external life looked prosperous—but things that mattered most to me were not prospering at all. My physical health, marriage, peace of mind and joy were all broken. I knew the stress would eventually kill me—literally. I’d seen stress nearly take the life of my mother ten years prior. And I was determined it was not going to happen to me.

Background 

I’ve always been a rebel—a rebel with a cause! My cause was/is to live life to the fullest extent possible—to live life with passion, courage and zest. My “aha” moment ignited at the tender age of 7 when my passion for life, exploration and travel burst forth during a family journey from Washington, DC to Niagara Falls in an RV. I was fascinated by nature’s beauty, and desired to live an adventurous life from that trip forward. Another “aha” moment occurred at the age of 14, when I started my first job as a bookkeeper for a trucking company. I noticed how the owners traveled, owned a nice home, and made a lot of money—while the employees worked all the time and complained about their pay. I preferred the lifestyle of the owners! I realized that the life I wanted to live required time, freedom and finances that the typical 9-to-5 job would not allow. I equated entrepreneurship with f