When I joined the For You Network, which is an affiliate of the National Association of Female Executives, two years ago, one of the founding directors would enthusiastically say again and again, "It's all about showing up." So much of life is about showing up. While this woman often referred to showing up as being necessary to meet others, I believe showing up is more than being physically present for an event or activity, it’s about being intentional -- making the decision to not only attend but to extend.

I've shared with you that over ten years ago, when I was still working in Federal law enforcement, I attended a leadership development class. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go but I made the decision to “show up”. The instructor shared that over 90% of all Americans have no direction or long term plan for their lives. 90%! From that day forward, I was determined to be different and decided to live my life with intention so I wrote my mission statement for life which I've tried to live each and every day. Here is part of it:

• To laugh, love, live & be happy.
• To create magic in my life & the lives of those around me.
• To never judge others for life is hard.
• To achieve balance – physically, mentally & spiritually.
• To welcome open & honest communication.
• To have a smile on my face & joy in my heart.
• To live simply, possessing integrity & courage.
• To find the best in others.
• To understand that the Universe is unfolding just the way it should be.

Many of you make the choice to “show up” every week, every day, every hour, despite the difficulties in your personal lives. Showing up isn't easy and that's what makes it so wonderful when it happens. We may not always feel motivated to keep our commitments and we may also wrestle with the time our countless commitments take, but once you make the decision to show up, magic happens. Physically getting out the door is often the biggest hurdle to showing up. Once we’re there, if we bring all of our self along, it's easy to feel good. (I talk about that at on our Catholic Engaged Encounter weekends.)

It’s not enough to believe you want to live an extraordinary life, you must be committed to it....which means you must be committed to showing up each and every moment of your life.

Show up to knowledge — Look for educational opportunites. They're all around you.
Show up to health — Eat your fruits and veggies and excercise.
Show up to kindness — Be gentle and show courtesy to everyone.
Show up to love — Find the best in others...always....for love is a decision.
Show up to leadership — Create a clear vision and be honest as you forge ahead.
Show up to growth — Be open to new ideas and people in order to expand your thoughts, and actions.
Show up to life – Intentionally live out every moment, attempting to be a better & better you.

I challenge you to make a commitment to continue showing up. It’s amazing what the simple practice of showing up can achieve over time. You don’t need to be brilliant, you just need to be consistent. (Just ask my husband who has been running for over 25 years every morning.) Results accumulate if you keep showing up. I live with an attitude of gratitude. Writing in my journal every night, listing all that I am grateful for, reinforces my decision to choose gratefulness. If I only wrote once in a while, it wouldn't have had a life-changing effect.

Hanging behind my desk when I worked in Newark, NJ was one of my favorite sayings --

Pay attention to your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.
Pay attention to your words, for your words become your actions.
Pay attention to your actions, for your actions become your habits.
Pay attention to your habits, for your habits become your character,
Pay attention to your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

Whatever you consistently "show up" to will become your destiny. What will be your destiny?