One of my mentors told me this story. It’s about a woman named Kate. She had become really good at living life as though everything was okay, but below the surface, something deep and troubling held her captive. She hadn't spoken to her father in over nine years; not because of a misunderstanding, but because of a deep-seated pain and resentment that was too hard to overcome. Imagine the emotional toll this took on her, day in and day out.

The feeling of abandonment and betrayal gnawed at her every single day. It wouldn’t leave her alone. She was at a crossroads, struggling to find balance in her life. One day, she came across an online coaching program and decided to sign up, hoping against hope that it would provide her with some answers…

And curiously, something in those videos resonated with her.

As she put it, she would do whatever it took to “free up” her emotional energy and pursue completeness. The hurt and resentment that just wouldn’t let go had left her feeling drained and like there was a piece of her missing that she just couldn’t get back. After doing some of the work in the course and applying it to her own coaching practice, she had a moment of insight:

Most successes are not in what you do, but who you are on the inside.

After she did the inner work and started to see the results, she was finally ready to face her bigger fears. And in that moment, she made a brave decision that would change her life forever. She reached out to her estranged father and his wife.

Imagine the fear, the anticipation, the uncertainty. It would have been easier to simply not reach out at all. And yet, she took the first step. She did it.

And on Christmas Day, her dad got to see his granddaughter for the first time on a FaceTime call.

Isn’t that beautiful? It was a moment of pure joy and relief, a pivotal point in her journey. For the first time in almost a decade, she was free of the crushing weight of the pain of the past.

And it doesn’t end there. Today, she sees her dad all the time, and they continue to rebuild their relationship which already is stronger than it was before. On top of this, Kate’s daughter now gets to grow up with a loving grandfather.

One thing we learn in life is that our negative experiences teach us lies about our identity. They tell us that we are incapable of changing, that we are stuck forever in the shadow of past hurt, that we are broken beyond repair. Just remember, your story does not end here. It is just beginning. What Kate’s story shows us is revolutionary. It is never too late to pursue your dreams, mend broken relationships, and make positive changes in the areas you feel trapped.

Often, instead of taking those steps toward healing, we tend to focus on improving our professional successes to give us a sense of accomplishment, while still feeling trapped by the pain of our past. Just remember, at the end of the day, it's these personal transformations that lead to the most profound professional successes.

The INNER change that we see when we find success is the most powerful part of this transformation, and I want you to know how it will change your life, too. Head over to our Saboteur Assessment to find out how you, like Kate, might be sabotaging your contentment in Christ. Perhaps taking this assessment will be your next step toward freedom.

After filling out the assessment, go over to our webinar “Unlocking Mental Fitness” so you can learn the strategies that can help you find the same breakthroughs as Kate did.