Like a String of Pearls.. - Monica E. Riva

That's Life!

May 8, 2020

Yesterday, a coach-friend of mine, Tricia, took me through a great exercise. It only took 10 minutes, but it was an eye-opening experience with a shocking ending.

Tricia asked me to tell her my life story in 3 minutes. Since I’m not very good at talking about myself, it took me less than 3 minutes to finish, and I had to ramble on for the last 30 seconds.

I almost felt uncomfortable speaking about myself for such a long time (3 minutes can be a long time!). I thought that I was taking up Tricia’s time. (have you ever felt that way when you take about yourself?) But hey, it was a coaching conversation, so I was supposed to talk about myself.

So I decided to let go of that uncomfortable feeling and to play along.

Then Tricia asked me to tell my life story in 2 minutes. This time it was easier. I just had to repeat what I had just said, right? Three minutes was long the last time. Two minutes were just about right, and it felt good to tell her my story this time since I had already gone through it once.

This time, but backward

When I had finished telling my two-minute life story, Tricia asked me to do it again, but this time; Backwards. (in 3 minutes) This part of the exercise was a LOT harder.
I started with today, winding myself backward through my experiences, all the way to my childhood. This time the 3 minutes went too fast. It was hard because it wasn’t in the usual order, and I had to go through my story like a string of pearls, one at the time, like stacking them one below the other.

I thought the exercise would have been over by then, eagerly waiting for her next step.

Tricia said; So let’s finish off with one more round; this time 1 minute forward; From birth to now. By this time, I knew my story at heart but had to go through it quickly to make it all fit in one minute. I finished just on time, and I managed to put all the most essential parts of my life story into one minute.

Then Tricia asks… “How did it feel going through this exercise?”

I felt it was a challenging exercise. Not because I didn’t want to share my story, but because I realized I always try not to take up too much of other people’s time. So I don’t readily share who I am because of that.

Are you doing the same?

Staying invisible because you don’t want to take up other people’s time?

That’s something I’m going to do differently from now; I will share more freely about who I am and what I do.

Through each part of the exercise, some themes came up every time. These are the landmarks of my story that has shaped my life.

Tricia’s last question was:

If you were to assign a word, a sentence, or a mantra to what you have gained and who you have become in this life, what would you say?

Here is what came to my mind: My new mantra. My new direction of life will help me every time a challenge comes up: Everything will be alright. I capable of doing whatever I want, and I am good enough.

It was such a powerful experience; An experience that will shape my life from now on. And it all happened in just 10 minutes!

Nothing will ever be the same.
I now have my mantra.

Like beads on a string

So, today – try it out yourself.

Do this exercise with a friend, and see what comes up for you. What will your new mantra be? What is the one word or sentence that you can hold onto in difficult times?