Flat Tyre

Have you ever had one of those times in your life when you look in the mirror and you think to yourself, “Wow, how did I get here?” I had one of those moments recently. Sure, many parts of my life have been constant — being a wife and mother, working on my personal development, running my life coaching business, loving being with the grandkids, etc. Yet other areas of my life seemed to have had the priorities upside down, and I didn’t like what I saw.

I realized when an area of your life experiences a “flat tyre,” it is rarely because you went to sleep completely on track and the next day you woke up a different person. In other words, this “flat tyre” didn’t come from a blowout. It came from a slow leak—slow changes that no one really notices until the tyre is completely flat. So there I was, looking in the mirror realizing I needed to change my tyre. The good news is I realized it and didn’t make excuses. The bad news is changing the tyre was painful. You can’t change a tyre the way it went flat, which was slowly. I had to jump in with both feet and make some drastic changes to be driving smoothly down the road again.

By checking my life wheel, I realized I was neglecting my own daily reading and visualization of my goals, my reading out loud my 100 reasons and personal affirmations. I had slowed down in the very things I was teaching others. Therefore my zest for living had dropped and I wasn’t setting an example of leadership. As a leader I have to do the same work to qualify for excellent living as anyone else.

My message to you is simple. Decide who you want to be and then go to the mirror. Are you this person? If not, you may need to experience a flat tyre before you are willing to make changes (for your sake, I hope not). However, if you realize you are driving with a low or flat tyre, make it your No. 1 priority to become the person you realize you want to be. Decide what changes you need to make and make them today. Driving with a low or flat tyre is dangerous for you and your relationships.

I have plenty of grease on my hands this week, but I am enjoying changing the flat tyre. I’m getting back into the routine of looking after the leader before looking after everyone else. Every time you fly you hear the drill: put your own mask on first before you help others.

Yvonne Chamberlain

Thirty-two years ago the medical profession gave Yvonne 6 weeks to live diagnosing black melanoma. She says “At first the shock hits you between the eyes and I thought "Why Me?" I am a mom with 3 little kids. Can the medical profession guarantee that when they amputate my leg I will live, or will they just bury me with one leg missing?”

This success story isn’t just about her ‘natural’ recovery from cancer. It is about how to live victoriously in all areas of your life. There are three things we all face and must challenge if we are to live a fulfilled life: limiting beliefs, limiting paradigms and limiting ideas. It is about “who am I be-ing?”
Yvonne Chamberlain radiates a super-charged, high-energy presence that immediately involves people and has them responding to her exciting challenge to reach for the best in themselves! With her talent for humour, flair for drama and unique insight into human behaviour, Yvonne delivers solid content in this book, her seminars, personal coaching with practical techniques that can be put to use immediately at work and home.
"Why Me? Kicking cancer and other life changing stuff." is available from www.whyme.net.au.