Wake-up Calls
Have you ever had a wake-up call? The kind of moment that stops you in your tracks, and fundamentally changes how you see the world?
Maybe you’ve had lots of these moments. Certainly, the pandemic served as a kind of global wake-up call, though what exactly the call said to us (and how we received it) is entirely individual.
For me, one of those wake-up calls happened when I was 20 years old and had my first pacemaker surgery, when the device was first put into my body and connected to my heart.
The surgery itself was rather traumatic (that’s a story for another day) but a key moment occurred in my recovery when I passed out in the bathroom of my parents’ house.
As I came to, I remember hearing my dad say, “Oh shit,” as he rushed to call the doctor. And I, too, thought, “oh shit.”
Was everything OK? Would I recover as hoped? Or was something else going on, some kind of complication, something bad?
It was one of those moments where things could go either way.
Fortunately, everything was fine. I did indeed recover as hoped and went on to become healthier and stronger than ever. But I remember the moment and its impact very clearly.
When healed, I returned to school just in time for exams. My life was the same as before: same tiny apartment, same studies, same schedule. But now, everything looked different.
I thought, ‘what a luxury to worry about something as trivial as exams!’ How fun to only be concerned with school and grades and getting stuff done.
I felt a lot like how Anna Quindlen describes her “before and after” in her wonderful little book A Short Guide to a Happy Life:
“Before” and “after” for me… was the dividing line between seeing the world in black and white, and in Technicolor… And I went back to school and I looked around at all the kids I knew who found it kind of a drag and weren’t sure if they could really hack it and who thought life was a bummer. And I knew that I had undergone a sea change. Because I was never again going to be able to see life as anything other than a great gift.
In time the euphoria faded. Life became more normal. The novelty of studying for exams, unsurprisingly, wore off.
And yet, I never lost that keen awareness that life can turn on a dime. I’ve carried with me a vivid sense of wanting to make the most of things for as long as I’m here. That “oh shit” moment added fuel to my fire.
Bad things happen to all of us, there’s no avoiding that. But these wake-up call moments can heighten our perspective. Sharpen our calling. Nudge us into moving with more urgency towards the things we really want to be doing with our lives.
And so, I hope you’re able to spend your time on the things that are really important to you. And if you have a gift you want to share with that world, that you’re giving it.
Personally, this is why I’ve written two books and why I’m working on a third. And why I’m hosting my podcast. And why I’m writing this to you today! I don’t want to miss the opportunity to put my work out into the world. And I don’t want you to miss your opportunity, either.
If that resonates with you—or you want more inspiration—check out my latest podcast featuring Janet Omstead.
In this episode, health coach and play expert Janet Omstead shares how a near-death experience changed her life, and her career. We explore:
How she found her calling as a coach and play expert after her first brush with death.
Why it’s worth remembering how you loved to play as a kid (and how to bring that energy back into your life.)
How you can adopt a playful approach to marketing yourself and defining your own brand. (Hint: Don’t be afraid to make up a title for yourself!)
Janet’s experience writing a self-published book and how it’s helped her in unexpected ways. (And why you should plan to have patience when writing!)
How you can play more and bring more playful energy into everything you do: your movement/exercise, your work, and life in general.
This is an uplifting episode that will fire you up to take on whatever goals you have for yourself.
As usual, you can have a listen here: my website, Apple, Google, Spotify, or Amazon.
Whatever it is you have to give the world, don’t wait. Get after those things you want to do. I’m here to help if you need me.