“If you have a lemon, make lemonade.” – Dale Carnegie
I grew up under a Baghdad roof in San Diego, believing that everyone and everything was designed to hurt me… which meant I had to be very careful (particularly as a conservative young woman).
My dad especially believed that young girls should follow strict rules like – “always return home before the streetlights come on.”
One day after school, I went to my friend’s house, just down the street, to bake a cake for her birthday. We lost track of time, and I arrived home after the streetlights came on.
My dad was furious.
“What is wrong with you? How could you be walking the streets at this time of night? Don’t you know it’s dangerous out there? How many times do I have to tell you?”
And as my mom piped in to calm him down, he said, “Send her to an orphanage!”
His harsh words prompted my angry response. I ran to my room and slammed the door! (And later, I started sneaking out my window to rebel against the culture I was raised with – and experience life outside it.)
We all have seminal moments throughout life that alter the direction we’re heading. This was one of mine.
I had a choice (and I had to decide): How will this childhood experience define me? Will I become a victor… or a victim?
Is this just lemons… or will I make lemonade?
Those pivotal five minutes with my father stayed in my subconscious and turned into a fearless Imposter that started to crave dangerous adventures, to determine whether or not I could escape them (whether or not my father was “right” in his fear).
This is what led me on an adventure to working as an actress in Hollywood, then backpacking to 60+ countries around the globe… to eventually land in my father’s homeland (Iraq), in conversation with kids from the orphanage he talked about.
Those five minutes (and my choices after) changed my life.
I made delicious lemonade! I healed part of my Soul! I transformed my life!
Listen to the complete {47-minute} episode to hear my story, PLUS –
- The difference between “manifesting” and “dreaming” (+ what helped me understand the importance of raising my vibration)
- How to shift from affirmations to declarations (+ why I voice-record mine!)
- What it means to find your purpose (+ why you’re feeling unfulfilled)
