Twist and Turns

Life brings a lot of twists and turns. "Experts," also known as coaches, self help gurus, counselors, therapists, and even friends, tell us to have a long-term plan.

A PURPOSE.

And I suppose they are right.

But even when you have identified your purpose, sometimes life throws you a twist you didn't expect. I first defined my purpose in 1999. That's when I recognized that wellness was always going to be a part of my life. That's when my husband, Gino, and I decided to take the Body-for-LIFE Challenge. Since neither of us commit to anything without being REALLY committed, we won 2nd Runner-up, Couples Division, losing a combined 30 pounds and 11% body fat. Our purpose, once defined, allowed us to achieve greatness we had never before imagined.

A few years later, we had a son. Had I incorporated that into my purpose? Not really. We had been married 12 years and while "family" was important to both of us, it had meant sisters, parents, nephews and nieces. NOT children. As you can imagine, welcoming Dominic changed my purpose and priorities. The woman who had been a Type-A, 80-hour-a-week business owner had found something more important. MUCH more important.

Purpose changed.

Raising my son was instantaneously my most important job. Nothing mattered more. I still ran my business, but it always took a back seat to my son.

Just when I began settling into life as a part-time business owner and full-time mom, Gino was attacked by a devastating disease that left him paralyzed from the eyeballs, down. Guillain-Barre Syndrome was not nearly as wonderful as I had found motherhood to be, but it impacted my life in a similar manner.

Purpose changed again.

Now I was a full-time caregiver. Not only did my 2 year old son count on me for every thing he did, everything he ate, and everywhere he went, my husband had the same demands.

As Gino graduated from power wheelchair to manual wheelchair to walker to canes to walking on his own, I graduated as well, finding a part-time job that allowed me to incorporate the things that had become most important to me: Teaching kids to love being active and helping parents realize they already ARE perfect ... all the while being able to guide my husband through total body rehab, keep my son close to me and teach HIM to live active, too.

Just as life was settling in, I discovered that we are expecting our next child in September, 2010. Along with these changes, I'm no longer allowed to do some of my coaching.

Another change in purpose.

Do I regret dedicating so much of my life to defining and redefining my purpose? Absolutely not. It has helped me direct and redirect throughout my life so I continue to move forward. Never get stuck.

But I've also realized that the purpose isn't something that remains constant. It will change as life changes.

So I revisit my purpose often. Usually iI find it totally on-track. But once in a while, I know in my heart it's time for a re-direct.

I wonder where this baby will take me?