It all started on a snowy day in the German Mountains. I was totally lost with no phone. It was getting dark. I had no idea how to find the hotel. I could hear wild animals moving around me but couldn’t see them. After a couple of hours wandering around, I realized that I was being confronted with my biggest fear, the ”Fear of the Unknown. “ I did not know where I was nor how to handle the situation.
In the two decades of my corporate career, the focus was always on getting somewhere Great!
It was hard work, and often didn’t feel good, however, it was comfortable. I knew the rules of the game and I was good at playing it. The awards, perks, and gala dinners on the way moved me forward. However, I felt something was missing; I felt I could do so much more. And even more importantly, I felt like this is not the real me!
When I took the MMS Coach Training, I started to see who I was. I realized that I was finding nice words to cover up my fear-driven behaviors. Adapting was validated, but if I told the real truth, I was compromising on my core values. I started to feel on a deeper level very uncomfortable. But I still did not want to see the truth since the change was way too scary.
Becoming a coach besides my management roles, helped me to reflect on myself. Each person I coached, was a mirror for me. While I was helping them to hear /find a different part of themselves, I discovered more and more different parts within me which yearned to be unleashed.
I had no idea “What “ or “How!” I knew this was not my ultimate path, but I did not know “which path to follow?” I couldn’t move because “I did not know where to go or what to do!”
Returning to the snowy day in the mountains, I can still feel the adrenaline rushing through my body with my heart pumping like crazy.
Finally, I sat down on a bench next to a big beautiful oak tree, majestic, strong, yet calming.
I started to see and accept that I was lost in the dark woods attacked by my fears. The fear of my fear became bigger than fear itself.
I decided to ask for help.
I discovered during my MMS Coach Training, that everything would be Okay. I had such a strong resolute Trust! I hadn’t connected with that part of me, since childhood, yet there was no one there to ask for help. The Trust within me helped to face my fear, and the moment I faced it, I found out I can deal with it.
When the mist of fear was cleared, I could follow my feelings, my senses guided me, and I started walking in one direction again which led to a road. From that road, I found the hotel.
This experience became the seed for my transformation.
Although I still did not know exactly “what?” and “ how?” I found the courage to leave my corporate career and start my own company, which I called, “OakTreeMe,” to ground me so I could jump into the unknown! Because I knew not only intellectually but also with my being that “I can handle it.” Eventually, I knew “ Everything would be okay at the end… and if it is not, it is not yet the end! “
I decided to invite my “being” to lead me to my future. It is still not easy, for an engineer, to allow my cognitive self to step aside and let my intuition guide my journey. And with that journey, I started creating things I never thought were possible. One of the examples of this, of which I am extremely proud is our Leadership Trails in the Alps.
I had taken so much leadership training during my corporate career. These helped me understand many things about myself, but the problem was that after a few weeks, I went back to my old habits and nothing really changed.
I wanted to create something where we could connect our intellectual understanding with our experiences, with our beings, feelings, senses that would allow real transformation. I did not know what format it should be, but I started meeting amazing individuals from a mental trainer for police academy including amazing work he did with swat teams, mountain leaders, guides, mindfulness teachers, movement artists, and of course transformational MMS coaches. We created a very unique program that brings Leadership Transformation to anyone who has the courage to journey within.
If you would have asked me when I left corporate life, I could never have told you that “I plan to be in a business to bring hundreds of people to the Leadership Trails in the mountains to help them find their unique and unknown essence.” (I couldn’t even hike properly at that time) I believe this is the power of jumping into the unknown.
If you are curious about our past participant’s experiences with our Leadership Trails please click here.
If you’d like to know more about our Trails and the upcoming dates, please check out here.
I am extremely grateful to my team for joining me in this journey to be being fully present ( honestly, curiously, compassionately) each moment of the journey which gives us the opportunity to grow each time and makes it effortless, joyful, and profound. I am also very grateful to my mentor Cherie Carter- Scott for her unconditional love, care, and support in each phase of my growth.
At this moment, I cannot imagine anything that could make me happier or more fulfilling.
I hope one day I can support you to jump to your unknown that can unlock your potential and help you live YOUR life as you truly deserve.
