My Life Story

So I have this management coach. How I ended up with a management coach is a story for another day, but none the less I have one. I see her twice a month and we are working towards the goal of developing in me a sense of "authentic leadership". To achieve this goal, I have taken personality tests, gone through scenarios and talked at length about my strengths and weaknesses. She usually gives me "homework"- to read some sort of article, take a personality test etc, but this week she shocked the hell out of me by assigning me the task of writing my life story. In two weeks. She said it so nonchalantly. "Oh, and by next time we meet I want you to write your life story. It'll help us to better define and understand your passions and motivations."

First of all, the idea of writing my life story was daunting enough, but to know that from said story I am somehow supposed to glean a better understanding of what moves me- that's downright intimidating. That means my story is going to require actual thought and effort. No "I'm Tracey and I was born in Norfolk, Virginia, liked journalism in high school, eeked by in college and now live happily in Charlottesville with my pet rabbit and too much wine."

How do you find focus when you have to cover twenty-five eventful years? I could focus on tragedies. Divorce, drama, death, dismemberment. They make great book to made-to-TV-movie story lines. And are an easy out for finding personal motivations (ie- my parents divorced so I suck at boys). I could focus on the people in my life and how the have shaped me, for better and for worse. for example, I love working with people because both my parents are pathological extroverts. Life story- done!

Somehow, I don't think it's going to be that easy for me. First of all, I am the most verbose person on the planet. I can't shut up, especially about myself. Second of all, I have been in some pretty hysterical situations in my life, all of which should be accurately and fully declared in my life story. I mean, no "Tracey's Life Story" would be complete without a retelling of the "night I got my first tattoo", the "born again virgin part(ies)", the "I almost streaked the lawn during a hurricane", "that one time in Chicago I got everyone kicked out of a dunkin donuts" and of course, the "easter beer hunt". Retelling these gems and others will obviously take some time, and will probably not actually assist in helping me identify my passions, unless my passions include beer, shameless dancing, donuts or blaspheming the resurrection of Christ.

I think perhaps I could tell my life story by mapping out the things I love. Maybe that's the wrong way of putting it. I love so many people and things. Rather, I think my story should be told by the little things in my life that enable my soul to love in the first place....

My mother's often mediocre but best intentioned suppers
The last faint strands of a steel guitar
Smelling the wax of my board, the salt of the waves and the warmth of the sun
Letting wine replace self doubt
A freshly made bed, with extra pillows
Coffee, but only when shared with the best of girlfriends
Cell phone calls that only end with the life of the battery
The air through the windows at over 80 mph
Purrs, of the feline sort, that calm even the most miserable of days
Sudden realizations of mortality, and in turn, gratitude

An open heart. Lots of mistakes. Too much fun. My life story.