Inspire Me Today | May 4 2012
Play to your strengths. Don’t listen to anyone who tries to define you by your deficits. Learn how to work around them. ~ Maria Ross
In 2008, I was like most dynamic women: running on life’s treadmill, overbooking myself, pursuing all my passions at once. Ha. Trying to “live my best life” almost stole it from me.
I almost died from a brain aneurysm. It turned out to be a gift: The hectic pace of my life finally caught up and it was time to make a change. My recovery was amazing, according to doctors.
So what did I learn?
Focus. You need to start playing the record of your life at your speed, rather than letting it play you. Stress and change played a major role in my crisis. Forced to reframe my life due to the brain damage, I’m actually happier. I have to focus on one thing at a time, to value quality over quantity, and shut down when I need to so I can keep my mind calm.
Learn to say no. You don’t have to do it all or even try to foolishly pursue work-life balance. There is no such thing. You must prioritize and let go when it makes sense. Not everything may get equal attention at the same time. I now confidently turn things down to proactively make time for the work, people and projects that really matter.