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I Dodged a Bullet

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love – then make that day count!” – Steve Maraboli

A few months ago, I had first-hand experience of knowing how one’s life can be changed with one small piece of information. It only took a few small moments to receive unwanted news for me to begin to have a different perspective.

Back in April, I had a medical scare involving the big C – breast cancer. I went through many doctor’s visits, exams, and biopsies, and while I worked on staying positive I did wonder what was in store for me next.

If my tests were poor what course of treatment would I have? How long would it take to treat the problem? How will this affect my family? What plans would I have to alter short term? What goals and plans would have to be ditched? Would I ever be able to go back to my regular life? The unknown was what scared me the most.

Now, I’m happy and blessed to tell you that my medical results turned out negative… I had truly dodged a bullet! Of course this was an immense relief for my family and I, but it taught me something more than just to focus on my health.

During my “unknown” period, I was ever so grateful for those around who opened their hearts and gave me the time and space to just be. Friends, colleagues, and family jumped in to support me in beautiful unexpected ways. From flowers, cards and plain old phone calls, my life was filled with knowing others cared.

After I took “me” time to allow myself to recuperate from the scare (think self-care – spa time, shopping therapy, meeting friends for afternoon tea, etc.), I realized I had let some relationships in my life slip away. While at the same time, I was positively taken back by the amount of love and support.

I often advise my coaching clients to find the positives even in difficult situations, and for me, this was my opportunity to walk the talk and I did this in two ways: reconnecting with people and finding magical moments.

Through my ordeal I found myself wanting to reach back and reaffirm connections or share thoughts that were left in the land of the unsaid. When I began to reach out, people reacted so positively with their warmth and love. I soon discovered a newfound appreciation for keeping in touch with more people in my spheres of influence.

At the same time I began to notice magical moments. The moments have always been there, but I just hadn’t noticed them. Now I find myself smiling and feeling warm-hearted at small everyday occurrences. For me, this was spending my time with my grandchildren and watching their faces. The way their eyes light up in such an innocent, or humorous way is the epitome of my magical moment. And I remember myself thinking that I sure hoped I would be around to watch those faces graduate from school or even get married.

I also began to notice more magical moments in other everyday occurrences. Beautiful sunsets, the way the moon shines on the ocean, an elderly couple holding hands, and even a special eagle I’ve named Fred who lives in the tall pine tree next to my home.

Often times, we forget to stop and relish in these magical moments, as we are easily swept away by the busyness of the everyday.  

Here are 3 tips to help you join me in uncovering more magical moments.

Pause and Smile. Be willing to be fully present more often and pause. Look around and notice what’s surrounding you. What do you see, hear, or smell that makes you smile or warms your heart? These moments are happening all the time. Magical moments are something different for each and every one of us. Most of us are glued in doors… we go from home to the office and office to home. Make an effort to go outdoors to a park or somewhere that’s green. Nature can do wonders for our soul and our health! Or go for a short walk during your lunch break or after dinner and discover the amazing people and sights in your neighborhood. Even the feel of a fresh breeze on your skin or the delightful aroma of fresh bread from a nearby bakery can become a magical moment. Cut

Down and Disconnect. We are all creatures of habit. From kindergarten to the work world we are taught to live by a timetable. We jam as much as we can (and even sometimes double book) but we tend to leave out time for what’s most important – the special people in our lives. Instead, schedule in your “me” time, fun events, and get-togethers with these special people before scheduling in business meetings. Likewise, call up your aunt who has probably been waiting for months to hear your voice. Or bring out the board games one evening when everyone is at home. Whatever it may be, the most important part of doing this is to be present and to enjoy and appreciate those around you.  

Inspire through Connecting. Its easy to pick up the phone and have a ten minute conversation… but was it meaningful? Did either you or the person on the receiving end of that phone call feel more fulfilled after the call… Did you find or create any magical moments from it? Aim to inspire. Aim to connect with people in a more profound way. I was more motivated than ever to inspire others during my health hiccup, but even more so now that I’ve dodged the bullet. I accomplished this by sending at least one greeting card everyday and one book every week. I know that by connecting with those I care about, I can build on and sustain those special relationships in my life. While at the same time, creating a magical moment for someone else as they open a beautiful greeting card or book in the mail. And I love thinking about it a few days later when someone is opening up their unexpected package. Mailing cards seems to be a rare occurrence nowadays!

An organization I have to thank for helping me to connect with those I care about and whom I want to help find magical moments is SendOutCards. I had signed up for this service nearly 3 years ago, but didn’t start to take full advantage of it until my health hiccup. SendOutCards is a web-based platform that allows you to entirely customize greeting cards and send them anywhere in the world! The best part of it is, it’s much more cost and time effective than going out to the store to buy and mail a card. If you’d like to know more about the organization and how to utilize their great service, we’d love to help you learn more! Feel free to email or phone Luvania at luvania@beyondthepage.ca or 778-836-7818 if you’d like more information. I encourage you to find at least one magical moment a day for the next week and we would love to hear back from you if you’re comfortable with sharing your magical moments.

PS – On August 14^th, we are hosting a complimentary SendOutCards information session and those that attend will receive 50 FREE greeting cards!  

PPS – Stay tuned for details on our upcoming Campaign School webinar!

Posted by Margaret Page in A Page of Insight.