I was 43 years old, single - never married and without kids. I was CEO of an organization and had built a good reputation as a business leader. To the outside world, my life looked pretty good. But from the inside, it was a different story. I felt empty and unfulfilled; lifeless and uninspired. I’d done all the things you’re supposed to do in the pursuit of happiness. I’d gotten a good education, had a great job, a nice house, a reliable car, a few weeks vacation to a sunny destination. But deep down, I was really unhappy. None of these things gave me purpose or meaning - the ‘down to your soul’ kind of purpose and meaning. In fact, they just left me wanting ‘something more’. I didn’t know exactly what that was, but I knew there had to be more to life. I felt selfish and guilty for wanting more. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just be content with what I had. Afterall, I had it better than most. But yet, I felt so lost and empty. I felt adrift with no direction or destination. I felt defective - like there had to be something wrong with me. I was in my 40’s and still hadn’t found my ‘pot of gold at the end of the rainbow’. Even worse, I didn’t know what it looked like or how to find it. I had no idea what would bring me the fulfillment I craved. I was petrified of making the wrong decision - plagued with ‘analysis paralysis’. I was standing at a crossroads with nowhere to turn. I was dangerously close to frozen indecision when the unexpected happened. My job became redundant. Now I had no choice, I HAD TO make a decision. Against all advice, I decided to begin seeking my ‘something more’. I just couldn’t settle for the familiar, even though it wasn’t so bad. My heart and soul sought a much deeper existence and I didn’t want to die with that yearning still inside me. I knew I had to do something different because doing the expected wasn’t working. My family and friends thought I’d lost my marbles. I made a risky decision, but I can honestly say that it was the first true decision I’d ever made totally for me and only me. I didn’t know it at the time, but it led me to exactly where I was supposed to be. I returned to my original profession of teaching - a profession I didn’t like in my 20s, but this time I signed a contract to teach English as a second language in a University in Saudi Arabia. To all who knew me, this was as unexpected as you could get! Normally it wouldn’t have been an option, but at the time it felt more right than anything else that lay before me. That single decision to follow my gut instinct, intuition, inner wisdom, or what I’ve since come to call my soul’s compass, has transformed my life. I felt my passion ignite from within. I discovered a deep thirst for culture and adventure. I became more and more empowered and confident. I started making choices grounded in intuitive wisdom. I developed a greater sense of certainty and began reshaping my self-concept. I stopped comparing and judging myself to others. I began trusting, forgiving, accepting and even loving myself. Since then, my journey has taken me to three more continents; reconnected me with my one and only true love after 20 years of being apart (he is now my husband); helped me access a deep well of creativity as a visual artist, author and recording artist; and has led me to becoming a certified life coach. The biggest lesson I've learned is that the path to happiness comes from within. It comes from following your soul’s compass instead of following everyone else’s path. I had ticked off all the common landmarks of the map and it had left me feeling lifeless, void of purpose or passion. When I tuned into the calling of my soul and began trusting my inner guidance, everything turned around and the real me came alive. I’m no longer plagued with fear and doubt. I no longer suffer from ‘analysis paralysis’. I’m completely guided by my soul’s compass. I know how to access this deeper wisdom and trust it wholeheartedly. Now I dedicate my life to teaching others how to do the same. This is my purpose. This is my passion. This is my legacy. This is my ‘something more’. I learned all this through ‘doing’ and you can too. You can rediscover and reconnect with your soul’s compass through creative self-discovery. You can learn how to control your thinking through practical mind management principles, so that your thoughts work for you rather than against you. Once you get your mindset straight, all other areas and aspects of your life begin to align. You can eliminate stress, anxiety, fear and doubt by getting clear about what you truly want and then developing a plan to achieve it. This is what it means to live a life full of purpose, passion and meaning. I spent the majority of my life doubting myself and doing what I thought everyone expected me to do. What I didn’t know back then was that self-belief isn’t something you take in from outside. It’s something you awaken to and nurture from within. Happiness really is an inside job.
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For more about my work and to access my free 45-minute workshop" "Using Art to Embody Awareness", go to www.MichelleMyrick.com and enter your email details. To access resources and free coaching, join my FB Community - "Heart of the Matter": www.facebook.com/groups/HeartofMatter/
