Several years ago I met a remarkable young woman named Christine, we met through our faith community and I had no idea that our paths would cross again in the capacity of her looking for a coaching programme. Christine joined my “Make it Happen” Accountability and Group Coaching programme, and like many attendees made remarkable progress. There was however, additional support that was required and so we started working together 1:1. As a coach I do work with some incredible individuals, each with their own story, goals, triumphs and challenges, but Christine was the first client to make me cry! Let me share some context.
In 2022 Christine released her first book ‘Outrunning Fear’ detailing her story of growing up in war-torn
Uganda and literally running for her life to escape extremists. It’s an incredible story and speaks of resilience, sacrifice and a determination to survive, in spite of the harrowing circumstances. I was really honoured to be invited to speak at Christine’s book launch and graciously accepted. It was however, in the context of this story, that Christine also shared how she came to be in a wheelchair, and the details caused me to cry in our coaching session. Not even a gentle solo tear, I was really emotional and visibly upset.
I was moved to tears, because of how Christine shared her story. It was with so much courage and hope, instead of resentment and anger at what she had experienced and overcome. She is truly inspirational because of her attitude, joy and approach to life. Whilst many of us could never relate to having escaped war as a child, moving continents, to then become paralysed following a road traffic accident, would have sent many of us a dark place, and yet there are some principles we can learn for when we find ourselves having experienced something devastating or hard.
One thing Christine exudes is a positive attitude, she has and continues makes a conscious decision to be optimistic and full of gratitude. This does not mean that she ignores situations or her emotions, but does not remain in that place. Life happens, and in the most unexpected way, but to live perpetually in disappointment and frustration is unhelpful for progress and development in all areas of life. If your mind-set has not been in the best of places, remember you can change it and move towards having a growth mind-set and positive attitude.
There is a saying that says ‘show me your friends, and I will show you your future.’ The friends that we have around us, as well as the community can make a huge difference. During her recovery period, Christine had certain people around her who spoke life into her, encouraged her and challenged her to focus on the future, and her capabilities. Community is crucial, and when we are going through tough seasons, or experiencing a loss it is important we don’t isolate ourselves, instead be a part of the right community that will offer genuine support.
The last thing I will speak about is faith! We are all on our own spiritual journey, but Christine’s faith has
been an instrumental part of her story. Rather than go into a theological debate about God, when someone is able to not only overcome but also thrive following such a tragedy, it’s worth paying attention to what in their life has made a difference. For Christine, and many of us our faith in God has and does make a difference, and so if faith is not something you have thought about in a while it is something to consider.
If today you find yourself in a tough season for any reason, let me encourage you to be patient and kind to yourself, whilst also thinking about your mind-set, building a supportive community and also considering who or what you put your faith in. Tough seasons do not last, and yet, we can build resilience and to come out the other side. To learn more about Christine’s story and read her book about learning to live again, search for Christine Glory on LinkedIn or amazon. Take care and have a good rest of the month.
Francesca McDowall, July 2024