Can It Be?

How often do you think back throughout your life at defining moments.  Moments that were without question a game changer.  Perhaps at the time, the magnitude of the decision may or may not carried the potential weight that in hindsight it so clearly did. 

Throughout my life, I know of several defining moments for me.  Some good, some bad, but all of them have brought me to the place where I am today....which to be honest with you, I wouldn't change for a second.

Here are some game changers in my life.

1.  As a young boy around 10 years old if I remember right, I was sliding on the ice out in front of my house and I fell flat on my face leaving the better half of my front tooth placed in the ice.  I was wrestling competitively and had to wear a mask so I wouldn't break the tooth out again during practice and competition.  It really began to form some of my early childhood personality.  I really started to become reserved and somewhat introverted....I guess the easiest way is to say that I was shy.  As I got older into high school, the tooth began to turn yellow from the method it was replaced.  I sunk a bit deeper into my shyness as I just wouldn't smile.  I was embarrassed.  Interestingly enough, in college I finally was able to afford to have the tooth replaced with a crown.  It gave me more self confidence, but 10 years of introversion has been a process to work through.  Today, I continue to work on it and enjoy pushing my social comfort zones.

2.  Marrying my wife and the birth of our children has definitely been a decision in my life that has created amazing impact on my family, career, health, psychology, and so many other things.  In contrary to the above experience, this experience allowed me to do and be more than I ever thought possible.  To have someone in your life that is on the same page with a common future affirms and reinforces the path that we are on.  My children give me drive.  Prior to my children, I believe that I was a go through the motions kind of guy.  I have been fortunate to live a life that has allowed me have many successes that have come without major input of effort.  Seeing my children and knowing that to drive my life with a purpose has allowed me to stretch and push into areas that previously I did not push into because I did not have a driving purpose.

I have many more decisions that have creating defining moments, and will share more in coming posts.  What sorts of events define you?  Or should I say, what sorts of events do we allow to define ourselves.  We are the some total of the life experiences we have and how we choose to view that.  The choice in the matter brings the empowerment!