I don’t look for mentors but they happen to show up in my life and I take full advantage of them. When I was younger I was too self-absorbed to see them. Now, as they come into my life I easily recognize them and pick up habits that if it weren’t for them, my mentors, I wouldn’t come up with on my own.

The difference now is that I really listen to people and their stories, often in awe, because there is a story behind every person. There have been battles fought and storms survived and I am intrigued by how each of these people have made it through. Now I know I’m not alone and that many people have their own struggles. I see beyond their seemingly good lives.

My inner chatter has become more silent and more alert to those life stories people tell me and how they have survived their own struggles and turned them into assets to make better lives for themselves.

I’ve learned from my mentors that no matter what storms befall, there is always a way out. That a storm is a setback to take a deep breath and carry on with even more determination. That anger kills and blinds the soul and spirit. That life is to be lived and not endured. That the best moments in life are those well spent with people you care about. And a whole lot more…

To find a mentor you simply have to listen and tune in to people’s stories. There is a lesson in everyone, especially in those moments people share that make you wonder how on earth could they have survived that!