Jean plopped onto the couch, dropping her purse and kicking off her shoes along the way. “I hate my life. I hate it!” Tears welled in her eyes as she defiantly crossed her arms, looking around the living room with disdain. Taking it all in, she could hear herself breathing, the hum of the refrigerator in the next room as the only other sound. She continued to wonder Why I am here?? Why do I even get out of bed?! With that she exhaled loudly, stood up, balled her fists at her sides and grumbled in emotional anguish “ahhhhgrhhah!” She walked, defeated, into the kitchen greeted by the continued sound of the refrigerator and almost as if it understood her, the refrigerator stopped purring as she yelled, “Oh shut up”! Her emotional pendulum swung from anger to defeat and back again as she looked around the kitchen. Something needs to change she thought and continued searching the room as though it had answers, and then her eyes caught the passing of a butterfly outside the kitchen window, drawing her attention away from the emotional roller coaster that had just been consuming her. Intrigued, she went outside to see it more closely.

 

 

​

Jean’s story is not the exception; it is the rule. Sadly, most people never find satisfaction in life. It seems out of reach, like the ever-flitting butterfly. However, there are times when it will land on your shoulder where you admire it, and then the hopes, dreams, and happy ‘what ifs’ that you briefly entertain, like the butterfly, are gone. Those represent the happy moments of life; a baby being born, a vacation, a night out with your best friend, a promotion at the job. While those moments are wonderful, they cannot carry us through life. Each day, not just a handful of moments, needs to be a consistent moving toward something, otherwise, you will forever have butterfly on the shoulder moments at best, which isn’t much more than existence. No wonder it’s so hard to get out of the bed each day or why we procrastinate sleep, hoping tomorrow won’t come. 

 

The lifecycle of the butterfly will be our journey comparison and we will also follow Jean as she discovers how to go from hating her life to looking forward to her days. Just as with the butterfly and Jean, the journey for you will not stop there. You will also learn how to continue the cycle of purpose, change, and continued growth and re-creation. 

 

At some point in your life, the laid out for you path of schooling and adults telling you what to do has ended. The problem is that most people get stuck right there. When I say most people, I mean most. This doesn’t happen just in the teens and twenties when one is

'supposed" to be figuring things out. I know many people in their 30's, 40's, 50's and older that have stayed in that stuck place.  The thing is, at some point you have grown up – gotten taller, survived puberty, aged to and crossed the imaginary line of child to adult – and now no one tells you what to do next so you wing it and do what you think you should do, or are expected to do, or have always done. This generally does not lead to life fulfillment. So how does one move out of that stage and into something meaningful? 

 

How do you create those butterfly on the shoulder moments and capture them, keeping them in hand, not releasing them as momentary wonderment? More importantly, how do you have a life full of them? A life of satisfaction, fulfillment, and purpose, which at its core, is who you are. How do you wake up each day in joy not sadness, in thrill not boredom, in excitement not dread, being the person that you were meant to be? That is what you will discover in this book. 

 

What to Expect

•    In the following pages, you will encounter specific, step through it now, things to look at, think on, consider, and do. I encourage you to answer the questions or ponder ideas as you read through the book. There is no need to rush through each chapter to the Action Steps. Imagine that I am across the table or in the car driving along with you having this discussion.

​

•    At the end of each chapter are questions and action steps. You’ll need to answer and do those. Honestly. This is not a magic bullet… Lemme just read this great book and somehow, I will wake up tomorrow in my happy place. Instead, think of this book as a workshop. You learn, then do. Repeat.

​

•    You will need something to write on and with. Call it a journal, notebook, stapled pages of loose paper, whatever works for you, but this is necessary, so get those things now. 

​

Things to Keep in Mind

Don’t let the simplicity of this be deceiving. In fact, embrace the idea that you can follow these steps and write your own script. Think of it, in about the time it would take you to watch a few movies or binge watch a few seasons of your favorite show, you will be empowered to take the steps toward achieving a life that you want. Yes, it really can happen. 

 

Every book in the Ignite and Inspire series is a condensed version of a single topic based on years of mentoring and generally helping people. These subjects have come up multiple times over the decades and are just as valid now as they were 20 years ago.  It would be realistic to imagine them as a one-on-one session with intense focus that open doors, windows, eyes, and the world for you to see more, experience more, and love your days more. 

 

Lastly, like all books in this series, it is not an end all. It is meant to wake you up, unfold the road map, and get you started. Once you are on your way, you will come across resources and people that will help you to grow in that next area or phase of your life. I’ll get you started by providing a resource section for each book on my website. You can also take your journey to another level by sharing your thoughts and questions on the Discussion Page and dialogue with me and others. 

 

This is a journey, and as it has been said, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. So, grab a pen and paper, take a deep breath, and put a smile on your face because the days of hating your life are about to be over. You can do this! Let’s get started!

​