The Real Truth.

Mom,

I'm thinking of you tonight!!
I wish you were here!!!

I just did a speech for Community Futures Development Corp, the organization that I've been teaching those business programs for, the past 10 years! I can't believe so much time has passed! I felt so honoured to be invited to speak for the organization that really gave me my start in consulting/speaking and teaching so many years ago! I hope the offices I teach for were proud. I hope I was good (enough). As usual, all those thoughts of "Was I good enough?" ran through my head after the program...but I think it went really well. The audience laughed! They cried! I think they saw themselves through my stories. They had such bright eyes and all seemed very engaged. I did my best. I was myself. I was prepared, genuine and...me!

Wendy was there. I'm sure you remember her...she was my boss when I first started at CFDC and was a manager at the BDC when I worked there as well. She's been like an older sister to me all these years. Like a mom at times too...giving me solid advice, suggestions, guidance and encouragement. I remember picking up Wendy when I would go to work in Penticton (she lived in Westbank) and we'd chat or she'd sleep and the drive would go by so fast. Wendy always had something positive, constructive and encouraging to say. It was always the truth and she always meant well.
Always.

This is a photo of Wendy, her husband Don and I at the event tonight.
Wendy always had my best interests at heart and she wasn't afraid to tell the real truth. Once, I remember Wendy telling me, "Crystal, you need to go out and get some new clothes." I did (need to) and I went. I wore the same few dresses for speeches or teaching...and she had seen them all (too many times) before! Another time she said, "Crystal, you need a hair-cut." And she was right.
How amazing - that someone can love you so much as a person that they are able to tell you the truth and the truth doesn't hurt...b/c you know they mean it with only the very best of intentions.
That's Wendy.
She was always there for me. She has the biggest heart. The most brilliant mind and the fastest wit! I could never keep up to what she was saying...
...But she saw something in me. She saw my spirit. She saw what I could be and what I what I was capable of, even when I didn't see it. And most of all, she believed in me.

As I look back on my career thus far, Wendy was one of my first mentors and isn't only a mentor now but also a friend. Tonight, she looked at me, gave me a big hug and said, "Look how far you've come." It's true.

And I know it's because of Wendy, Mary-Ellen, Laura T., Kyleen and a few other amazing people who not only gave me a chance but cared about me so much that they'd give me the real, honest truth when I needed it.

(You know all these ladies, Mom - you met them at one time or another when you have been out visiting.)

My speech was about "3 Secrets to Joy and Happiness...that I learned when I was neither joyful or happy."
I had 3 main points...lessons that i learned when i was going through some tough times...
1. 98% is a bitch. 100% is easy. So...get passionate about something! During this point, I shared my favourite quote about commitment (commitment = doing the thing you said you would do long after the feeling you made the commitment in has left you) and I mentioned your blog and how passionate and committed I am to writing it.

2. Find someone that believes in you was my second point. And I shared the story of my first triathlon and how I didn't believe in myself but Pete (that guy from England) said he believed in me...they all laughed a lot during this, which was great.

3. My last point was to Start Something. and I talked about how "the miracle isn't that we finish. The miracle is that we have the courage to start" (George Sheehan) and I spoke about the Ironman race that I almost finished, getting just 10km to the finish line before passing out in the ambulance due to dehydration. That was my favourite race b/c it was there, when I wasn't joyful or happy...that I really learned what life was all about...having the courage to start. I shared my other favourite quote, "Sometimes courage is that tiny voice inside at the end of the day that says, I will try again tomorrow."

My closing thoughts were clear and simple....
If you want more joy and happiness in your life, get passionate about something, find someone who believes in you and find the courage to start something today.

As I get ready for bed tonight, I feel so grateful for all the people who believed in me and who were willing and able to tell me the real truth when I needed to hear it, whether it was to go buy some new clothes, get a haircut or get on with my life (years ago).

Mom, thank you for believing in me and for telling me the truth when I needed to hear it. My favourite line from you, when I've cried the blues, is "Well, dear, if there's no one else attending your pity party, why don't you leave?" I think of you and this when ever I am feeling down or sorry for myself and it picks me up, kicks me in the butt and always helps me to move forward.
I love you.
Crystal