Shift Your Life School

Shift Your Life School

I should introduce myself.  My name is Jackie and I am really your average 47-year-old woman.  At least I think I am, except not really.  I'm a mother of two daughters who are young women now. I have an amazing partner in life. I have a dog (the best one in the world).  I own a small home. I have a great career that I am passionate about. And a mind that races nonstop.

When I thought about a name for this blog, it was a bit tedious, however, I kept coming back to this. And when I break it down, I have had some pretty big "shifts" in my life and perhaps that’s what makes it seem so right.  Not just big shifts, but seemingly a lot of them.  Which I suppose is what gives my life some interest and where I can offer an endless supply of stories.  I have had some seemingly never-ending learnings in life.  Which is where the school part comes in.  My life has been like school.  I'm always learning.  I'm always progressing through different shifts (grades).  I've graduated a few times and received some proof of completion (certificates) and I've failed many courses. Many, many times.

I've mostly been a willing student.  But let me tell you, it has taken me a while to view all the shifts in my life in a positive light.  I have actually always thought of myself as a failure, every time I had to change course in life. I mean you see everyone around you and as much as we think we don't compare.  We compare.  Everything.  Our relationships, our jobs, how much we make, our kids and their accomplishments, what we drive, who we hang out with, and our social lives.  The list seems endless. I just always thought there was something that other people knew that I didn't and that was why I was failing.  Or rather why I had to make a new shift in my life. It felt gut-wrenching at times. I look at my list of professional and personal shifts (yes I have them listed out) and it seems like so much.  Honestly,  a bit overwhelming in a way.  I will share them with you eventually, that's another post.

Shifting my life has meant a lot of things to me.  It has meant that I have had to let go of a lot of things.  Most importantly, letting go of worry.  Letting go of personal judgment. Letting go of people in my life that brought a cloud of negativity.  This is a hard one because some of those people have been family.  People I love and care about.  Shifting my life has meant viewing shifts as, not so much failures, but rather a step to success. Shifting my life has meant focusing on the things that bring me joy and give me great health and longevity.  Anyone who knows me knows I say I'm going to "live till I'm 100".  If I want to do that, I need to shift my life in a way that enables me to do that.

I hope you will follow me on this journey of Shifting Your Life.  I look forward to sharing with you my adventures, providing some resources for growth and health, and giving you ideas for shifting your quality of life and staying healthy.  In the end, I want you to come out feeling like you have accomplished some great things (like obtaining a degree in life)!

Life…it's what you make of it

X J