It all began…
Dana with Bill and Gail Cohen
Eighteen years ago. I was desperately searching for the meaning of my life. I’m sure you may have felt that way at one point in your life as well. We all have times when we question why we are here and what we are meant to do with the time we have.
Did I find the meaning of my life 18 years ago? Maybe not completely, but I am happy to say that, yes, that’s when my discovery began. Here’s how.
I was scanning the bookshelves in the self-help section of a bookstore when a pale-yellow book cover caught my attention: Life Mapping. The title stirred my curiosity and immediately struck a chord with how I envisioned living my life: in complete alignment with the reasons I believe I’m alive in the first place.
Bill Cohen, the author, offered a clear and easy-to-follow system for creating goals—a meaningful way to map out one’s life and it was much more than just making the simple lists I had seen in other books. In fact, for me it was a powerful method that greatly increased the odds of achieving my goals.
What drew me in were the three basic, yet very complex questions Bill asked:
“What do you believe about how it all began—our universe and humanity?”
“Why are you here living this life?”
“How do you want to show up in life?”
Bill insisted that the answers to these questions should be known before we write down our specific goals. His reasoning for this was simple:
We should only be pursuing goals that
are in alignment with our fundamental belief system.
Life Mapping transformed my life. It helped me reach for my full potential. It awakened me to the conflicts that prevented me from becoming the person I wanted to be—and was created and put on this earth to be.
I came to understand that these conflicts exist because there are inconsistencies in what we believe, the way we think, and, ultimately, in our actions. These incongruencies confuse us, give us uneasy feelings, and prevent us from living authentically.
For me, the book was a journey of self-discovery that allowed me to truly let my light shine. I learned who I was, who I am, and how I want to show up in this world. To this day, Bill’s process calls those of us who are stuck, afraid of failing, or have played it safe to try something different—because if we don’t, we know we’ll continue to die inside.
When I discovered Bill Cohen’s book, I knew I had found the means for charting my authentic life. What I had to discover, however, was my authenticity—that spirit unique to only me. I had to discover how to live in alignment with my values, how to honor my intuition, and I had to discover my gifts.
And I did. One of those gifts is sharing the principles of life mapping to help others who might be struggling as I was 18 years ago.
Using the lessons Bill offered—and with his full cooperation—I founded the Life Mapping Institute, which today serves to help those seeking lifelong personal growth and development. Through this blog, I will be sharing tips on discovering your authentic self, planning your life journey, and overcoming limiting beliefs that might be holding you back from living the life you desire.
Welcome to the Life Mapping Institute!
NEXT WEEK: Finding Your Gift