Brian Tracy said, “It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.”
Yes, and when you acknowledge where you’re from with love and respect, the impact on where you’re going is profound.
Where am I from?
I am from a home where love and laughter reigned, a place of simple joys and comfort. 
A home that prepared me for a life of connection, contribution and love; living each day fully, someday nowhere to be found.
I am from a woman, compassionate and loving, who chose a man strong and proud.
From my grandmother’s knee, oven-baked bread and rosy cheeks in the crisp wintry air.
A land, where immigrants gathered to start anew, courage and spirit to brave the elements.
A land that prepared me for western shores; where mountains and ocean collide.
Where am I from?
From the school of possibility; the spirit’s edge, my church the mountains and the waves below.
A place of coeur-age where risk and exploration connect.
Birthed in the stories of Jo March, Elizabeth Bennett, and a red-haired girl named Anne.
Where girls have heart, and spirit in abundance.
It’s easy to tell the stories that keep you small.
But right here as you read this, what’s the story that warms your heart?
That’s the one you should be telling.
I am from a family that valued science and math. Creativity and exploration were for not celebrated. I have had a love of reading since childhood. When I look back at the books I read as a child I am amazed. I, like Sandi, loved a red haired girl, named Anne. I also have always read books about peoples lives. Florence Nightingale, Edith Cavill, Beethoven. As a young teen I ready many of Thomas Hardy’s books. I had a lot of freedom as a child and spent hours outdoors. As an adult I made poor choices in the mate department (until a couple of years ago). My children and grandchildren are a great source of pride for me.
I am from the school of life lessons. I get excited as I write those words because those life lessons have made me what I am today. This is where I am from.
This is where I am now. I am a creative, rebel. I love people and I love to hear their stories. How did they arrive at where they are now? My life lessons have been the experiences I needed to become the empathetic coach I am today. Nothing like been there done that to have a greater understanding of where someone is coming from.
Joanna Saunders YES! And hallelujah for life lessons! The coaches I’ve known who make more of a difference for their clients (and in the world) have acknowledged their life lessons and that they still sometimes struggle. Humanity is appealing!