I was living someone else’s truth and I didn’t even know it. I was happy doing this until one day I realized that I was not as happy as I could be. It wasn’t until I went through the Master Key Experience (MKE) that I truly discovered what my truth really is.
What does it mean to live your truth? Start with a few questions:
Why do I do the things I do?
What drives me?
What am I missing?
What kind of impact do my choices have on the life I want?
Source: Healthline
My History
I grew up overseas in India. My parents were Medical Missionaries. My Dad was an Orthopedic surgeon and my Mom was an Occupational therapist and prosthetic and orthotic practitioner. I am the youngest of 6 kids. The oldest 3 were born in the United States and the youngest 3 (myself included) were born in India.
Once my parents traveled to India, they were Missionaries there for 23 years. My parents lived their truth and lived their lives according to what they believed in. They dedicated their lives to something that they felt deeply about. They took a big risk going to a different country with 3 kids under the age of 10 years old!
What I Discovered About Living Someone Else’s Truth
I followed in my parents footsteps and made a career in Prosthetics and Orthotics. My reasoning was that I wanted to feel closer to my mom. With my upbringing, I was raised to be “of service”. Prosthetics and Orthotics fit the bill perfectly. I thought that this was what I wanted to do for the longest time.
But, every year on my birthday, I would question what I was doing and if it was what I wanted. What is my true purpose, I wondered?
In 2017, I signed up for the MKE course. It was during this time that I realized that I was living someone else’s truth. This was the first time that I really sat down and thought about what it was that I really wanted.
Was what I was doing for a living wrong?
Absolutely not!
My motives were good and I did feel closer to my parents because of it.
What I discovered, however, through MKE was that there was a way that I could be happier and more fulfilled.
Society and, often, our families, program us to conform to their values and to answer to someone else’s agenda. The result is that we go on a journey of living their truth, not our own.
Refuse to do so. Follow your own heart and passion, not someone else’s. And importantly, believe in yourself.
The Iceberg Effect by Dean Holland
A great question to ask yourself is…Would you rather regret the things you didn’t do or…the things you did do?
I knew that I did not want to go through my life regretting that I didn’t go after what I really want. It can be scary changing the path of your life. You have to give yourself permission to be the type of person that you want to be.
There have been many times in my life that I have regretted not taking action and going after what I wanted because I was scared.
I was scared of what people might think: what if I failed, what if I succeeded? I got so caught up in “what-ifs” that opportunities would pass me by.
I knew for me that I would regret things that I didn’t do MORE than I would regret things that I did do.
Are you feeling stuck?
Are you afraid to make a change in your life? Are you tired of watching others succeed and get what they want in life while (to borrow from Thoreau) you are living a life of “quiet desperation”?
You are not alone and I have been there with you. If you are ready to make a change, do it now and commit to MKE.
Deborah, wow, what a great blog, I could so relate! I am in Week 4, of MKE and I too was scared of what people would think and regretting not taking action. I have taken action and have some fear, however, not of what people think!
Thank-you!
How wonderful Ken – mahalo for sharing and commenting!
Hey Davene, Thanks for commenting.
Awesome insight Ken. Thanks for commenting.
Hey Ken, Thanks for reading, and congratulations on taking action.
I love that question: to ask yourself if you rather would regret what you didn’t do or what you did do. I have done so many things and not everyone turned out the way I had hoped for, but so many insights and wisdom I got from those mistakes! I am very close retirement now but I think that I have 30 years or more to learn from new mistakes and wonderful experiences. Life is a magic journey and I’m so grateful I went thru the course 2017-2018. That was for sure not a mistake 😄, but so much insights and personal growth in only six months.
What a fantastic comment – you’re just dazzling my friend!
You’re amazing, Monica. Thank you for sharing your gifts with others through the MKE.
Beautiful comment Monica. For sure life is a magical journey!
Wow Deborah what an amazing story you just told – Mahalo for sharing so much of yourself with us! #MasterKeyExperience
Deborah,
Great story of how you came to your path to your bliss. Bravo!
Deb, what an amazing perspective — living life on your own vs. someone else’s truth. And I’m with you – let’s live life without regrets! AND with this marvelous community of support unlike any other!
When you head down the path of (re)discovering your true nature and identifying what YOU truly want (vs what you think you should want), there is no going back. It’s been an honor witnessing your journey, Deborah… and thank you for sharing your story here.
This is a great blog! Thank You for sharing your story. Regrets? Nah… just lessons learned. 🙂
There is nothing more powerful than a personnal story to illustrate such a challenging obstacle in life as the “River of Dream”…Many thanks Deborah for your beautiful post which looks like a precious gift to me!
Thanks for sharing your amazing story and perspective.
Deborah’s parents taught her the importance of being authentic and doing something you believed in, the power of gratitude, giving value, and being of service to others. She thought she was doing the right thing by serving people, yet every years on her special day she questioned herself.
One of the many things she LOVES about being a guide is the ability to be of service to others on a daily basis and living her and assisting others live their definite major purpose.
After I retired from 35 years in the airline industry, I found myself asking what do I want do with my life? What did I really want? A year or so after retirement I came across the MKE and found the answers by taking the 6 month class. Each day a new adventure and loving it.
You passage on living someone ele’s truth, stunning!
Deborah, wow! Amazing share. For sure, I definitely would regret the road not traveled because I was scared. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing! ‘What would others think?’ is a thought that plagued me. A mentor showed me how egotistical that question is… because ‘NO-ONE is thinking about you, they are thinking about themselves.’ So true and I was set free! Blessings!
Thank you for sharing your story and your quest for truth. I love how you are teaching others how to follow their passion to find their bliss!
Deborah, your blog was inspiring. I agree with you that it’s easy to live someone’s else dream especially if you feel you need to please them to find happiness. Your question of- Would you rather regret the things you didn’t do or…the things you did do? This is a question I need to contemplate on or perhaps do a sit. Thanks for sharing your inner-thoughts. What does a life of “quiet desperation” look like?
That’s so great Deborah, you asked the right questions, took the right steps to uncover the answers. Well done!
Thanks for this wonderful blog. I believe that many people aren’t living their heart’s desire. I am so thankful that the Master Key Experience gives all of us a chance to recapture the joy we were created to live.
I so appreciate how you wrote this, Deborah. Not only did you have super dedicated gifted missionary parents but had 5 older siblings so had lots of examples to keep on the path you were put on and saw 7 people on it! No wonder it was hard to think about moving on the path in a different way or switching paths for one YOU thought might be a truer purpose. Thanks for challenging us to have courage to ask those questions. 💜