The Tribune

By MICHELLE MILLER

MARIO Cooper lived waiting. Waiting on his father’s acceptance; waiting on his mother’s approval. Waiting on his friends to understand him; waiting for his college professors to validate his ideas. Waiting on his employer to recognise his value and finally; waiting on his wife to respect his efforts.

Indeed at 39 years old, Mario’s whole life was in a state of waiting. And despite all his waiting, nothing seemed to change and nothing was getting better. This made him resentful, discouraged, and emotionally disconnected.

Then one day, Mario caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. In all the years he’d lived in his house and the hundreds of times he’d used this mirror, he felt like he was seeing himself for the first time. He soon realised that he was not looking at his reflection, as much as his reflection was looking at him.

Those eyes piercing into him were so intense. He felt like a deer caught in headlights. He wondered, who was that person staring at him and how did such a gifted, talented individual reach such a low point in his life? These haunting questions hovering above him like a halo.

In this trance-like state, Mario Cooper was looking at himself for the very first time. All of the years he spent waiting flashed before his eye. His entire life was bundled into this single moment. He had no idea who he was, what he really wanted or why he was waiting.

All he had done all of his life,was to please those around him, to gain their acceptance and approval. Yet he was without his own approval. As those eyes burned into him and Mario realised that he never stood up for himself. He never honoured his own confidence or sense of power. He didn’t have the courage to stop waiting and start stepping towards the life he love.

Although he knew the eyes staring at him belonged to him, they seemed so unfamiliar; speaking without words, “Mario, why are you waiting?”

He frantically splashed cold water on his faced. Regaining his composure, Mario looked again at himself. But this time with a new set of eyes. In that moment he made up his mind to stop waiting. He vowed to start living, to get inside his life, tap into his power, stop waiting and start stepping.

This single shift propelled Mario to live his life on his own terms; a life that he loved. He became a more confident, self-reliant individual. More than anything else, he discovered that the opinion that mattered most was his own opinion of himself. By making the decision to step towards something bigger, Mario Cooper transformed his life from inside out.

What about you, are spending your life waiting on the approval, respect and or acceptance of others?

No doubt there’s a little bit of Mario in many of us. And just as he did, you too must each get to the mirror and give yourself a chance to be yourself. Tune in and heed its call to step into your own power.

Every moment you spend waiting is a moment that you lose. Get inside your life. Be willing to accept, respect and approve yourself and the world will meet you in kind.

Leader to leader, make today the day that you stop waiting and start stepping towards living the life that you love.

What do you think?

Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach and leadership expert. Questions or comments can also be sent via mail to PO Box CB-13060, or call 429-6770 and visit www.michellemmiller.com.