Welcome to Part 2 of Life Reimagined: What Now? 

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In this Lesson: Trigger Moments (periods of uncertainty), we’re checking in on our mindfulness practices. Trigger Moments are those events (good or bad) that come along when our lives are on a plateau (a state of little or no change) and knocks us into limbo (an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution). It’s in these moments that lessons are learned. These are the opportunities to reflect on how we engage in the world around us.

Evaluation is a big part of this series. Exploring the concept of introspection as it applies to your daily life. My goal for this blog and sharing this course, Discover What’s Next: Living Life on Purpose, is to serve as a conduit to begin the journey. Sharing my beliefs in faith and positive energy is a daily goal of my Purpose, which is to bring others along on the road to self-discovery.

Third Trigger Moment

 After Cancer Treatment. What Now?

With my decision to choose Mindfulness in my cancer treatment and not assuming what that would entail, I had an incredible and empowering experience. Because being Mindfull means living in the moment, I didn’t think into the future about what would happen after treatment ended. I wanted to live each and every moment as if it were my last because I understood tomorrow is not promised.

Now that I’m a survivor and my life is settling back into a non-treatment day to day routine, I continue my efforts into self-discovery that I started before the colon and breast cancer diagnosis. Hence this course, Discover What’s Next: Living Life on Purpose. Through this work, I further understand my Purpose is to share my testimony of faith by authoring this blog and reaching out to others.

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Reflecting back on those early decisions on how to approach life, I guess I’ve always had a risk-taking personality and a belief system to take on doubt and fear and go for it. 

In Part 1 of this Lesson, I described my first Trigger Moment, being cast in the theater production of “Bye, Bye Birdie” scenario. In that Trigger Moment, I made the choice to turn uncertainty on its ear by bringing my own accompanist to the audition to increase my odds of an exceptional performance and getting the part.

In the second Trigger Moment, I described the move from Chicago to Minneapolis example, in which I pushed my relocation assumptions aside by deciding to reach out to the acting community to negotiate my way back into an acting career in community theater. Letting go of assumption taught me I’m capable of anything if I really want it and there is no obstacle that can stand in my way. Those experiences brought growth and faith in the possibilities.

I continually discover that all things are possible when living a Mindful life. I cherish every moment by moment so that when my physical existence in this world is over, I can say – I didn’t just live, I was alive!

As you follow this series, hopefully, you’re starting to explore the concept of introspection as it applies to your daily life by using this blog and the course Discover What’s Next: Living Life on Purpose as a starting point. Sharing my personal development with the blogging community is an effort I take seriously and honestly because my revelation led to my Purpose, which is to bring others along on the road to self-discovery.

The overarching theme of this project is to focus on our humanity; being reflective and motivated by our Purpose. The force that energizes us to greet the day guided by our goals. Even if this is your first time joining us, don’t worry, feel free to jump in and start to assess where you are on your life’s journey.

In this Lesson: Trigger Moments (periods of uncertainty), we’re checking in on our mindfulness practices. Trigger Moments are those events (good or bad) that come along when our lives are on a plateau (a state of little or no change) and knocks us into limbo (an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution). It’s in these moments that lessons are learned. These are the opportunities to reflect on how we engage in the world around us.

My assignment was to reflect on 3 Trigger Moments in my life and what got me through. What were my practices? 

Part One

I had to walk around and really think about those moments. The first to come to mind was being diagnosed with Cancer but I thought I’ve discussed my reactions in previous posts plus, I wanted to dig deeper. Not just immediate moments but taking an assessment of my life as a whole.

These are 2 of my 3 Trigger Moments. I’ll share my 3rd in Part 2 of What Now?

1. Acting role in “Bye, Bye Birdie”.

This moment takes me way back to the 80’s. I’ve written about the movie “Fame” on my blog iheartfilmblog.com and how it changed my life by reminding me that I love performing and expressing myself creatively is at the core of who I am. Being a wife and mom shouldn’t be an excuse for not realizing my dreams.

So, after a small role in my park district’s theater production of “Pal Joey”, it felt like the acting God’s were calling my name when an opportunity presented itself to audition for a role in one of my favorite shows, “Bye, Bye, Birdie” at Music on Stage, a major and long respected community theater group in the Chicago area.

I worked through the anxiety of auditioning with a levelheaded approach. Even though I wasn’t a girl scout, I did understanding the importance of being prepared.

So, I devised a plan enlisting the support of the music director at my children’s school to be my accompanist, as a song was required for the audition. I didn’t want to chance an unknown pianist messing with my nerves or screwing up my arrangement. When my name was called, I felt confident and proceeded to belt out a number from the show, “A Lot of Livin’ to Do”.

Impressing the director, I was hired for a specialty role and took on the challenge of learning to tap dance. I had the time of my life performing the “Ed Sullivan” song and wowing with my tap dance routine in tandem with the main character, Albert in “Put on a Happy Face”.

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2. Transfer move from Chicago to Minneapolis.

My Number 2 moment is directly influenced by the events of Number 1. After my performance in “Bye, Bye Birdie”, seems like I was either in a show, auditioning for a show, or rehearsing for a show. My acting career really took off and by the time my husband was transferred from his position in Chicago to Minneapolis, I had built up a body a work so that directors were calling me for specific roles in shows they were casting.

Suffice it to say, I was not happy with the announcement of the relocation and found myself crying like a baby driving down Michigan Ave. lamenting what this move was going to mean to my accomplishments in Chicago. Even though my husband kept reassuring me that Minneapolis had theater as well, in my head I kept thinking – “but it’s not Chicago!”.

After the initial poor me “pity party”, I decided to use my resourcefulness and experience to sign-up for an acting class to get in with the local acting community and learn about upcoming auditions. My networking paid off as I ended up scoring one of the best and most memorable roles of my community theater life – starring in the Neil Simon play “Proposals”.

I had made the move work for me by shifting my mindset and choosing a positive attitude. Because of accepting the circumstances instead of fighting it, I was able to recreate myself in a new city and take my passion of acting to a whole other level.

I’ve discovered all things are possible when we live a Mindful life. I believe in cherishing every moment by moment so that when my physical existence in this world is over, I can say – I didn’t just live, I was alive!