About 8 years ago I came back from maternity leave ready for the next stage of my public accounting career. I knew I was ready to be a partner, and went to a mentor for advice. It was time… what step should I take to make it happen?
About a week later my mentor came back to me with an answer… India. Not only did he suggest that I focus on making Deloitte’s US India practice a success, but I should move to India! My first reaction was something like… “Have you lost your mind? I have a 4-month-old baby. I can’t move to India now!”. All he said was “why not?”…
My mentor knew me well… I’m an adventurer, crave change, love dynamic environments, and LOVE to travel. He didn’t push, he just suggested that I ask “why not?”. I left the conversation and started to think about it… maybe this was the perfect time… no schools, clubs, or relationships for my son to leave behind. For my husband and I this could be a launching pad to life changing experiences.
Moving to India seemed so right… my intuition was telling me that we needed to do this. My next step was to talk to my husband. His first reaction was similar to mine… this is crazy! However, as we talked, reflected, and considered it we came to the conclusion that we had to do it!
Our 2 years in India were life changing, India is a very special place like no other, but one of the most critical turning points in our life was simply the decision to move. It was the moment that we decided to seize life. We opened ourselves to a whole new world of possibilities. We allowed ourselves to dream and broke barriers and limits that had held us back.
We came back from India transformed, but were kidding ourselves when we thought that the transformation was complete. India was only preparation for the future. It was the gateway to a whole new perspective on life, but we found that it was just the first step.
Five years after returning from India we decided to change our life completely. This time we don’t view the transformation we’re experiencing as leading to a destination. Rather, it’s opening us to a limitless journey through life.
What is your India? What is the craziest path in life that’s revealing itself to you right now? Have you asked yourself “why not?”? What are you really leaving behind if you follow the crazy path? What may you not experience if you stick to the current course? Asking these questions… going deep to really examine your decision… could lead to an amazing life that exceeds your wildest dreams!