5 LIFE ALTERING MOMENTS & LESSONS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE!
I had an amazing conversation with the sensational blogger Majesty Acheampong on her podcast “Ignite Your Influence” and shared 5 pinnacle moments and lessons for me that have been life altering.
Check out my inspirational “ignition” right here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ignite-your-influence/id1521305415?uo=4
#1 “Manifest the Dream No Matter What”
Born and raised up until 3 years old in a Sudan refugee camp, after my parents escaped a civil war in Ethiopia, my Dad would always say, “One day we will go to America.” And against all odds, this dream came true, in part because my Dad never lost faith in the dream for us to pursue the best life possible.
#2) “Choose to Live No Matter What”
6 days after having my first child, I had a heart attack at only 23 years old. When I realized what happened, I asked myself countless times “How could this ever happen to me, this young and healthy? As scary as it was, I’m somewhat glad it happened because it forced me to re-evaluate my life and determine what’s most important. Nothing will make you get your “ish” together like facing death.
What I decided was most important was LIFE. I chose to live no matter what…for me, and my family. I ignited a lifestyle pivot that started with choosing to do more consistent check-ups with the doctor and starting a 5-day a week workout regimen that I’ve maintained 10 years to date.
#3) “Find & Amplify Your Voice”
When my son was diagnosed with non-verbal Autism, it was a life altering moment. I had to adjust to being his voice and becoming one with his every expression, emotion and experience. In my frustration and anger during what I consider a necessary grieving process all special-needs parents must go through, one of my prayers to God was “Please do something with all these emotions I’m having. Please help me navigate the space that I’m in.” I then came to the realization that my job was not to make him fit into the world, but to shift mountains so that the world adjusted to him.
In that realization, my voice was born, in all my vulnerability, which in essence became my strength and biggest point of connection to other Moms. As I leaned into this powerful calling as a Supermom that became my son’s biggest cheerleader, protector and advocate – I grew out of my introverted shyness, and discovered my calling to become an influencer that helps other women and moms discover their superpower and voice too.
#4) “Put Up or Shut Up”
Most women have a difficult time processing what they see in the mirror and what happens to their body after a pregnancy. Becoming a Mom and having my body change due to kids had me in a funk – but when my husband told me at the time to “Put Up or Shut Up,” I chose the former. I choose to not only transform my body in dropping 60lbs, but also share my newly found “hourglass” transformational story, tips and best practices to inspire and recondition the minds of so many other Moms just like me who needed to know that its ok that their bodies didn’t snap back in 2 weeks. It doesn’t mean that you quit or give up, you must always keep striving and shining.
Fitness became my lifestyle savior, and it’s become a powerful realm of influence for me to inspire others. Whenever I can touch just 1mother to look at herself and feel good, in a way where she gains a deeper love for self, and consequentially her kids, I’ve done my job!. If I can have a heart attack, be a mom of 2, be genetically pre-conditioned to extra thick-um-ness, and still find a way to hit the gym and turn my body into what I want it to be, as well as my life, so can any Mom!
$5) “INFLUENCE!”
I used to hate the word influencer, in part because I didn’t have a true understanding of it. But as I evolved into my calling to inspire, I realized being an influencer can mean touching just one person. The one testimony you receive of changing somebody’s life, actually is reciprocated when it moves you and in turn changes your.
When a special-needs Mom DM’d me and told me I helped her overcome the guilt of putting herself first in doing self-care activities that rejuvenated her spirit – I sobbed like a baby. And soon afterwards when I received another DM from a mother who lost 75lbs due to my fitness inspiration and workout challenges, I realized the magical power of true influence – one-to-one. Whenever I can move just one person to being more healthy, happy, confident, encouraged, prosperous, and more in touch with their very own Lovestyle…then I’ve done the right thing! That’s influence baby!