Reader, I can't believe this happened.

My beautiful gold and diamond ring that belonged to my Aunt Dorothy is missing. 😭

Aunt Dorothy was unable to have children, and she loved kids.

So, for a few summers during my childhood, Aunt Dorothy invited her nieces and nephews to stay at her house for a week.

There were five of us, three girls and two boys.

She took us to the grocery store to select our favorite foods and always planned special treats, like taking us to movies that our parents wouldn't take us to.

She told us girls not to be in a big hurry to get married (and that it was just as easy to marry a wealthy man as a poor one).

One year in college, she drove me back to school after the Christmas break.

I enjoyed spending time with her and missed her greatly after cancer took her life too soon.

She and my Dad were very close. He helped to care for her during her cancer and took care of her affairs after her death.

A few years ago, he gave me this ring that belonged to her, and I wore it frequently because it was a beautiful reminder of their love and kindness.

The last time I remember having it on my hand was New Year's Eve.

A few days later, I left on a trip and thought this ring was packed with my other jewelry.

During the week of my trip, I didn't take my jewelry out to wear.

So it wasn't until my return to Louisville that I opened the jewelry bag and discovered the ring wasn't in it.

I've spent the week looking and trying to retrace my activities. I am still empty-handed and wonder if someone in baggage handling removed it from my suitcase.

I am disappointed, frustrated, ashamed. I feel irresponsible.

Last year, I lost my diamond tennis bracelet, my fifth-anniversary gift from my husband, that I almost never took off my arm.

My inner critic tells me this is why I don't deserve nice things.

Reader, this unrelenting internal criticism is why I am sharing this with you.

The other truth is that I have many other beautiful pieces of jewelry I've had for 15-20 years.

These two pieces have a lot of special sentiment attached, which makes the loss sting, but it doesn't indicate that I am careless or undeserving.

We all have this unreliable narrator who quickly twists the facts and whispers a story that sows self-doubt and is self-punishing.

Perhaps your situation is about missing a deadline, losing a customer, not achieving a goal, or disappointing someone important to you.

When the unreliable narrator spotlights a situation and attempts to magnify it into a character-defining label, it is essential to remember all the examples that exonerate you.

Mistakes, errors, and mishaps are part of life.

Your worst moments don't define you unless you let them. But don't let them.

Remember that the unreliable narrator sounds authoritative and trustworthy, but her view of the situation is skewed and incomplete.

It is your job and opportunity to seek the bigger picture and challenge her one-sided story.

Reader, what is your unreliable narrator telling you?

I'm getting closer to launching my new VOD (video podcast) to talk about this and would love to have you share your experience.

Hit me up if you want to know more, and if you have some good karma to share, send it my way. I'm not giving up on finding Aunt Dorothy's ring yet.

Cheers!

🥰New Keynotes for the New Year 🥰

Reader, have an event in mind for one of these talks?

As a special thank you, please allow me to gift you a 90 minutes coaching or strategic consultation session for each speaking event introduction you make.

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