It Was Meant To Be

Synchronicity is a big word but it has a relatively simple definition. It is the occurrence of two or more events that are related. The concept of synchronicity was first defined by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung in the 1920's. Jung explained synchronicity as a "meaningful coincidence." I have seen this many times and have experienced it in my own life.

Do you ever get the feeling that some things that occur in your life were meant to happen? Synchronicity implies that, while events may or may not be connected by causality, these events are connected by meaning.

From 1981 to 1992 I had immersed myself in horseback riding. I thought I had found the meaning of my life. I was going to be a world famous competitive show jumper. Everything was how it should be!

My world turned upside down on a snowy day in November 1992. The reason I am bringing this day up is that on that day I was forced to stop competing on my horse, and crazy as it may sound, my life made a very worthwhile turn.

I believe that the fact I had to quit my long time love of horseback riding and begin to share my message of hope and inspiration, was meant to happen. I feel I was chosen to spread words of encouragement to "never give up" or “never give in”, to those that need it most. I feel I have transferred my hard work, practice, and dedication on a horse, into my drive and commitment to recover from my traumatic brain injury and to share that journey. Today, I win my blue ribbon, not by jumping high fences, but by standing in front of a crowd of people and infusing them with the same level of accomplishment that I have found since my accident. I love being in front of an audience as an inspirational speaker. Now, my goal is to motivate my audience to win their own blue ribbon.

I hope everyone can believe what I am certain of, that I was given a gift. I truly have confidence that I am on a better, more meaningful road now than I ever would have been had I stayed on a horse.

Today's world might appear to be in a state of chaos most of the time. It is hard to keep moving forward, and keep a positive attitude given all that you read in the papers. The key to synchronicity is accepting the ebb and flow of life. If you always try to keep positive expectations, you will find that beneficial things seem to come your way. At least that is what I believe.

The secret of drawing synchronicity to you is gratitude. Try to be grateful for even the smallest gifts: a sunny morning, a long line that moves quickly, a beautiful sunset, an article on sale just when you realize you need it, a special song on the radio that brings back great memories, etc... These are only a few small gifts in our daily lives we can be grateful for. A trick that I use, is to keep a picture in the back of my mind of what it is that I want to happen. One door closes and often another door opens or takes its place.

Remember when you have been hit by seemingly bad news, don't go straight to the negative side. If you believe a lot can change, the view of your life seems to open up and become clearer. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Believe that you can always solve the problem, maybe by yourself or maybe with help. Be thankful for the opportunity to learn from everything that happens to you and believe that you can always make your life better.

“Gratitude teaches us…
and the Storm.”