This is my friend Kelly Simants. . . riding a bull, while pregnant. I was going to tell you a story about all the things I love about her, but I think we can probably just go ahead and stop right there. That will suffice. We’re becoming close friends as of late because she’s taken over the role of planning our monthly Girl’s Night Out events with me. (you don’t want to miss this Thursday!) We met because her husband had a debilitating brain injury and her community showed up.
They showed up so big.
I saw updates in my newsfeed every day. So I started praying for them. One day I felt compelled to reach out. . . a total stranger, just to let her know we were praying too. A little tiny seed was planted and we talked a few times sprinkled over the year. Then one day, at a summer camp drop-off, we hugged for the first time and sat down to chat.
That was the day we became friends.
Kelly told me about her current situation and the choices she was facing. She’s a highly successful, serial entrepreneur (this, she did not tell me, I already knew) with a passion for creating incredibly memorable experiences as well as teaching and training others to do the same. What I remember most distinctly about that day, is her clarity and confidence in the middle of such a chaotic time.
She had so much peace.
She was facing monumental changes to a dream she’d been building for over 10 years, through no choice of her own. But instead of self-pity, moping, or complaining, she was empowered. She saw her next step as a choice and she was bold and hopeful about choosing. In our short time as friends since then, I’ve seen her repeat that practice over and over again.
Someone doesn’t do their job? My choice to decide what I will do next.
Someone just puked all over my kitchen? (happened to her this morning!) My choice to decide how I react.
I’m unhappy with my behavior while getting the kids ready for school? My choice to reach out to my tribe for help.
Someone doesn’t hold up their end of the deal? I will delight our customer in a surprising new way.
These are just the tip of the iceberg of how I have seen this girl show up in life. Everything in life is a choice. And Kelly is so well-practiced at deciding to choose. Let me say that again.
Everything in life is a choice.
So often we miss it. We think it’s someone else’s fault. We think we have no choice or no control over a situation.
But the truth is, in every situation, you are a chooser.
You choose your attitude. You choose your reaction, or better yet, your response.
You choose what you will do next.
You’re not a winner or a loser, you’re a chooser.
What will you choose today?
to more love,
Crystal
“You are not born a winner. You are not born a loser. You are born a chooser.” ~ Zig Ziglar
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