I was flagged by Sister Helena in 5^th grade; she sent me down the hallway to a dark room, where I sat until a woman instructed me, “Read the eye chart.” I started at the top row and slowly made my way down to the third row, “E, F, P, no, Ummm B, F? no, no E?” The lady told me to stop squinting, making the next letters even harder. “L, uh, T or, wait… E?” “That’s good enough,” she said. “Bring this letter home to your parents. I cringed. What had I done now? I was scared, but did not really know what I’d done wrong. I just want to hug that semi-blind 10-year-old with crow’s feet who’d been stumbling around in an unfocused, blurry world all her short life. Sad face. 😦

I will never forget the day I put on my first pair of glasses. I was not particularly fond of the frames my dad picked out. Old people have horrible taste. Seriously! I really wanted cool wired-framed “hippy glasses” just like John Lennon’s, but he picked out geeky blue plastic spectacles; I hated them. The lenses were so wide they hung over the thick plastic frame. “This sucks,” I thought. “I’m never going to wear these stupid glasses.” As ordered, I put them on, went outside, and was astonished. OMG! I could see the leaves high in a tree, the eyes and individual feathers of a bird, and people’s faces from across the street. It was a miracle!! Sister Helena… a miracle!

This childhood memory came waltzing along after a particularly illuminating personal coaching session with my executive life coach, Arda Ozdemir. With my thick-lensed spectacles, I still see pretty well, and the crow’s feet…..well, I still squint so they are even a bigger problem today. But it’s not about the glasses or the crow’s feet anymore.

Through Arda’s teachings, I realize I have been going about my day, blind to choice, possibility, and insight. My mind wears the pants in my psyche, leaving little room for emotion or self-reflection. I had become an automat living day to day without intent, feeling, or direction.

At first, I wondered what I had gotten myself into with these coaching sessions. The first couple of months were tough. I resisted. We talked about sandbags, anxiety, past events. We talked and talked and talked. Arda encouraged me to feel, but I told him I couldn’t. He asked me to close my eyes. I didn’t want to.

I started to trust. His method made sense. One day, I decided I was ready. I finally took that leap of faith and glimpsed within; I found my heart, bound by layer upon layer of imposed belief systems and rules, which were squeezing the life right out of me. I wanted to break free, but shedding my heart bandages was much too scary; I thought they protected me from past wounds. They did not. Personal growth begs openness, careful introspection, and exploration of deep-rooted fears and vulnerabilities.

Through my work with Arda, I’ve learned that change is not always easy or fast-moving, but it is possible and there is hope! Today, I’m more in tune, trusting my gut and paying careful attention to emotional triggers like anger, anxiety, sadness, and guilt. Before reacting, I try to remember to pause, breathe, work through the emotionally-charged situation, and explore the root cause of my reaction.

I have a secret! Did you know we all have the power to see reality in a multitude of different ways? Life is multi-dimensional. When you look at situations from diverse perspectives, it’s like looking through a prism…….every angle offers a unique view, some more appealing than others. I get more curious than angry and look for limiting life patterns when I’m triggered. Once identified, it’s possible to step out of the old ways and into the new by creating alternative pathways.

 My heart is healing. With Arda’s guidance, I’ve been able to peel off the strips of gauze constricting my life pulse. Today, I see not only with my eyes (and glasses), but also with my heart, which is fluttering with joy. Seeing with the heart opens new horizons, illuminating a path to a happier, more authentic life.

 Join me. Come along for the journey. Empower yourself with Arda’s teachings and lead a more fulfilling, meaningful life.  It works.

For more information on Rise 2 Realize, please visit: https://www.rise2realize.com/

Read Arda’s book: The Art of Becoming Unstuck – Available on Amazon

Take a workshop! Emotional Mastery
When: 5 Wednesdays in June; 6/1, 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29
6 – 7:30 pm Pacific
Where: Zoom, please register to receive the link
Program Fee: $375 ($75 per session)

Now Open for Sign-Ups:

Register now: https://www.rise2realize.com/emotional-mastery?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=newsletter

5 transformative sessions to master your emotions and shift every aspect of your life

WEEK 1: Letting go of Conditioned Reactions
WEEK 2: Connecting with True Inner Power
WEEK 3: Creating Healthy Self-Boundaries
WEEK 4: Honoring Essential Heart Values
WEEK 5: Activating New Rewarding Dynamics