Thinking about my life journey up to this point and sharing my story with you, I am humbled and grateful for all the ups, downs, twists and turns.
Would I want to do it all over again? Sure if I knew then what I know today so in other words, probably not. All of my life experiences combined continue to offer me the opportunity to learn and grow into the person God created me to “Be”. I am not the same today as I was yesterday. That’s the good news! Each day that I wake up and living this one precious life, I get the opportunity to “Walk in My Greatness and Be My Great”. I am not going to kid you, nor myself, some days are tough but many days are filled with more goodness than I could imagine. There are few dull moments in my life and I am grateful for it all.
I’ve learned what I really control is my attitude, what I focus on, how I want to show up, my actions and my reactions! Each day is a gift to choose again. I believe opportunities as well as unfavorable situations are generated from the start of who I am choosing to “Be”. When I choose to be gracious, patient or kind, the goodness comes back to me in ways I never saw coming. What a gift! Keeping this real, I am not always choosing to be righteous or God-like and in those moments, fortunately I get the opportunity to learn, know better and do better!
At times, life is messy but it does not define us. I think we can all relate to that! I didn’t ask for the circumstances I faced in my early childhood nor do any of us. I felt shame for many of those early years and reacted angrily and bitterly, having not dealt with my issues. I received the best advice in my early twenties to consider going to counseling. That was the start of feeling hope again. I am a huge supporter of mustering up even the smallest amount of courage to face the hurt and pain, doing the hard work to heal, letting go of old stories and showing grace. Not always easy but necessary in order to grow and make better choices. Now I personally have a Life and a Business Coach.
My story is not about a horrible childhood or suffering through terrible circumstances but rather about perseverance, leaning into my faith, being grateful for the life lessons that taught me to judge less and love more. Also to be grateful for the people in my life who encourage me to be authentic, be honest, be dynamic and best of all, be myself. My story is about finding the gifts and the good that come out of all my situations and circumstances.
I have a small family to love in a big way. One of the best parts of my life story is being blessed to be a mother to my son who is now a teenager. From the very day I learned he was conceived, he has been my most precious incentive to be a better human being. He is a gift and the learning from being a parent is forever!
Animals and being in nature is a big part of my life. In 2009 my world opened up to owning my first horse and my life has not been the same. I believe most horse owners will relate but for many different reasons. For me at first it was about a bond like nothing I experienced up to that point. This was different from the bond I felt with my dogs. Horses are prey animals offering different behavior and nature than dogs and their size causes us to be present and aware of our surroundings.
The bond was one of respect but even deeper, a bond of trust and knowing this mare would do everything in her power to keep me safe and vice versa. The first of many unspoken words but a knowing all is well. I was her person and she showed me my heart through her heart. These are not words to sound fluffy or airy but honest and real. I learned more about myself in such a short time relative to my life than I ever thought possible. And so, the gifting continues through Equine Assisted Learning and partnering with horses to facilitate self-awareness, self-discovery and so much more.
I love being outdoors, in nature and exploring the unknown. Being physical and challenging my abilities whether it’s hiking up a 14,000 foot mountain or rock climbing or horseback riding through the Serengeti or snorkeling through dark unpopulated caves, I’m all in. Adventure stretches the limits we put on our mind, body and spirit. I’ve been fortunate to travel and explore many countries and navigate through some of the world’s busiest airports. These experiences and passions are my motivator to offering Life & Leadership Coaching in combination with experiential learning and hence the creation of 3G Adventure of Grit, Grime and Greatness.
My life is dedicated to being a responsible, loving parent, daughter, sister, friend and coach, growing my faith consciously through mind, body and spirit; collectively applying my experiences to add value and to be the very best I can be in this moment. We are all interconnected in some way whether it’s through DNA, faith, education, like-mindedness, writing, music, spiritual practice, etc. Connecting to my story or someone else’s story is always a learning opportunity.
Thank you for allowing me to share and I hope our paths cross either on a hiking trail or by way of a conversation through the ever so vast world of social media.
In gratitude,
Lin Harris