In 2019, my dear friend, a man who fiercely loved his family and friends, died by suicide. Everyone who knew him was shocked at his choice. He had the biggest heart and wanted to help others be “real, raw, and authentic.” His choice to end his life propelled me forward in sharing my own story to help others live, ask for help, and be honest in creating an authentic, joy-filled life.In 2020, under the guidance of a writing mentor, I began reading over thirty years of my journals and then writing down my memories chronologically. It's not a light task with over fifty years bouncing around in my brain. At times, remembering was painful, but I did it! As I reviewed my timeline, I noticed a clear trajectory of my evolution from surviving suicide in 1989 to living an authentic, joy-filled life in January 2020.Seeing the growth pattern that had worked in my life, I believed two things. First, the universal principles I had employed could work for others dealing with similar issues like confusion, grief, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thinking. Second, in front of my eyes was a process that had given me options to choose life, overcome my addictions, and heal my trauma, in addition to experiencing peace, being exquisitely happy, and living honestly, connected to the love that connects us all.My journey had created a cumulative process that had healed my trauma from the inside out. The patterns and how they worked brought to mind Sir Dave Brailsford, a performance coach for British cyclists who revolutionized the sport using the theory of marginal gains. He taught that the cumulative benefits are extraordinary if you make a 1 percent improvement in multiple areas.4 That was it! That was precisely what I had done in my own life.While preparing Living Blueprint for publication, several working titles came and went. I could see that what I had before me was a Living Blueprint for experiencing peace, honestly living in love, and choosing to be consciously and joyfully alive. In talking about the title with my husband, he suggested I add the word "living" since that is what the process had allowed me to do. It perfectly described what I’d experienced and now could share.Living Blueprint-A True Story. Five Principles to Creating an Authentic, Joy-Filled Life was born into the world!
