The Story of Almost

July 6, 2024

If you have been struggling with the things that almost happened in your life, you have an opportunity to reflect, reframe, release and renew. If you are ruminating about what could have been, it is critical to first do the work of acceptance.

For me, this work has meant accepting that things are as they should be. It has also meant accepting that timing is divine. In some instances, it has required me to forgive myself for things I couldn’t change at the time. As a result, I have forgiven myself for not knowing:

-better

-more

-different 

-best

It has required me to forgive others, the process and systems. Particularly challenging were the instances where I questioned why this was my journey, lot, yoke or cross. I have lamented immutable things like the plight of leading while female, black or misperceived. 

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Each of these things has required me to focus on realizing the deferred dream, raising lowered expectations, and turning exceptionalism on its head.

I’ve had to tell myself that my achievements were not a fluke, my opportunities were warranted, and my hopes were wholly feasible. More importantly, I have I have had to reflect, reframe, release and renew:

-Reflect when I am consistently revisiting an event as failure instead of the many other things it could be like a foreshadowing, a prerequisite or practice

-Reframe the event in ways that empower me to move forward, extract the lesson, deepen my skills, clarify my vision, or refine my process

-Release the shame, fear, doubt, guilt or foreboding that ensues when you believe you missed an opportunity, made the wrong decision or took the wrong turn 

-Renew my focus, effort, commitment, intention or the strategies that worked for me

Most importantly, it requires me to resist the “story of almost,” a story about how I almost had the life I wanted.

If you are still living you have an opportunity to make it real! Of all of the things you may choose to accept, don’t accept the “story of almost.”