Things Were Happening TO Me. Now They Happen FOR Me. Here's What Changed
The Emergency Room, April 2020
It was April 2020. The height of COVID lockdowns in New Jersey. Hospitals were terrifying places, and I had put off getting help because I was scared. But I couldn't wait anymore.
I ended up in the emergency room.
What followed was an essential surgery in May - one I had to face completely alone because no visitors were allowed in hospitals. My husband Matt dropped me off at the door and I went through surgery and recovery isolated, scared, and uncertain. While I looked the same on the outside afterward, I was completely different on the inside.
Then, just months later, I faced a second surgery—this time for skin cancer. Two completely unrelated health crises in the span of months.
It felt like life was just happening TO me, one thing after another, and I had no control. I felt like I was being tested, but I didn't know why. For the next few years, I was stuck in a loop—constantly reliving what happened, feeling anxious and overwhelmed by normal daily stressors that never bothered me before.
(A note: I'm keeping some medical details private here - not because I'm ashamed, but because I want the focus to be on the transformation, not the trauma. If you have specific questions, I'm happy to answer them directly.)
"I was being the character in my life, not the director of it.
The Realization That Changed Everything
Here's what I finally realized: I was being the "character" in my life, not the "director" of it.
Things were happening TO me instead of FOR me. I was just coasting along, going through the motions. I'd wake up, go to work at my global fashion brand job of nearly 20 years, come home, repeat. I had no real direction. No intentionality. I was just... reacting.
And honestly? I didn't even realize how stuck I was until Matt handed me two things: Brendon Burchard's podcast and a High Performance Planner.
At first, I was skeptical—could a podcast and a planner really help me? But then I started asking myself the questions Brendon poses:
What's actually important to me?
What makes me happy?
Am I doing those things?
The answer was uncomfortable: No. I wasn't.
So I started using the High Performance Planner. Every day. I listened to Brendon's podcast during my commute. And in 2024, I began using the GrowthDay app. The app became my daily anchor - journaling prompts every morning, live coaching sessions with Brendon, and a community of people who actually get what it means to work on self development. It wasn't just another app I downloaded and forgot about. It became part of my identity and slowly, everything started to shift.
I began to realize: if I wanted my life to be different, I had to be different. I had to become the director.
From Character to Director: What Changed
Since 2020, using Brendon's tools and teachings, I've stopped going with the flow and started taking real action:
After 22 years in corporate and retail sales, I found the courage to transition to entrepreneurship and launch my own business with Matt.
We moved to a new state—something we had talked about for years but never actually done because I was just going through the motions instead of chasing what I really wanted.
I rebuilt my confidence and learned to handle stress in healthy, intentional ways.
Most importantly: I now DIRECT my life instead of just playing a character in it.
Things now happen FOR me, not TO me. That shift in perspective changed everything.
Going to Austin Alone (And Why It Mattered)
When the GrowthDay Live event in Austin was announced, I immediately bought tickets for Matt and me. I was so excited to experience it together.
But when he couldn't make it, I was disappointed. For a moment, I thought about not going.
Then I realized: the old me—the character version—would have stayed home. But the director version? She goes anyway.
So I went to Austin alone. And it became one of the most confidence-building experiences of my entire transformation journey.
I spent three days immersed in high-performance training with Brendon Burchard and other incredible speakers. I met amazing people. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. And I took notes. A LOT of notes.
Because here's what I realized: if these tools helped me transform my life after everything I went through, they could help other people too.
That's why I created this website. Not just to share what I learned, but to share what's possible when you decide to stop being the character and start being the director of your own life.
Want My Top 5 High Performance Habits from GrowthDay LIVE?
Get My Free EBook "5 High Performance Habits I Learned at GrowthDay LIVE"
High performance isn't about perfection. It's about having a system. When you know HOW to realign when you fall off track, HOW to generate energy when you're exhausted, and HOW to make decisions from your values instead of your fears - everything changes.
Inside this free ebook, you'll discover:
The "Director vs. Character" Framework
Stop letting life happen TO you and start directing if FOR you (this alone changed everything for me)The Coffee Bean Principle
How to transform your environment instead of being transformed by it - inspired by Damon WestThe "Done By One" System
Brendon's productivity secret for completing your most important work by 1pm (while everyone else is still checking email)The "Power of One More" Method
Ed Mylett's confidence-building system that works even when you don't believe in yourself yetThe 15-Minute Realignment Practice
How to generate energy throughout your day instead of operating from depletion
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Want My Top 5 High Performance Habits from GrowthDay LIVE?
Get My Free EBook:
"5 High Performance Habits I Learned at GrowthDay LIVE"
The exact practices that helped me stop being a character in my life and start being the director.
Inside this free ebook, you'll discover:
The "Director vs. Character" Framework
Stop letting life happen TO you and start directing if FOR you (this alone changed everything for me)The Coffee Bean Principle
How to transform your environment instead of being transformed by it - inspired by Damon WestThe "Done By One" System
Brendon's productivity secret for completing your most important work by 1pm (while everyone else is still checking email)The "Power of One More" Method
Ed Mylett's confidence-building system that works even when you don't believe in yourself yetThe 15-Minute Realignment Practice
How to generate energy throughout your day instead of operating from depletion
Ready to start directing your life?
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
My Complete Notes from GrowthDay LIVE
While I was at the Austin event, I took detailed notes on everything Brendon and the other speakers shared. I've organized them by day so you can dive into the insights that resonated most with me.
These aren't just summaries - they're the frameworks, practices, and mindset shifts that are helping me continue to direct my life every single day.
Day 1 Notes: Brendon & Damon West
Learn to become the "director" of your life through alignment and activation principles. Damon West shares his powerful "Coffee Bean" story about transforming your environment rather than letting circumstances change you.
Day 2 Notes: Brendon & Natalie Ellis
Master high-performance strategies including the "Done by One" productivity framework and discover how building your business and life around core values leads to success without sacrifice with guest Natalie Ellis.
Day 3 Notes: Brendon, Erwin McManus, Ed Mylett, and Dara Ladjevardian
An all-star lineup featuring Erwin McManus on character mastery, Ed Mylett on "The Power of One More," and Dara Ladjevardian on embracing the AI revolution while maintaining authentic human connection.
Closing Day Session: Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard synthesizes the event's transformative concepts, teaching you how to summon your best energy daily and maintain upward momentum with the mantra "I'm Here, I'm Ready, I Go In Strength."
Want My Top 5 High Performance Habits from GrowthDay LIVE?
Get My Free EBook: "5 High Performance Habits I Learned at GrowthDay LIVE"
The exact practices that helped me stop being a character in my life and start being the director.
Inside this free ebook, you'll discover:
The "Director vs. Character" Framework
Stop letting life happen TO you and start directing if FOR you (this alone changed everything for me)The Coffee Bean Principle
How to transform your environment instead of being transformed by it - inspired by Damon WestThe "Done By One" System
Brendon's productivity secret for completing your most important work by 1pm (while everyone else is still checking email)The "Power of One More" Method
Ed Mylett's confidence-building system that works even when you don't believe in yourself yetThe 15-Minute Realignment Practice
How to generate energy throughout your day instead of operating from depletion
Ready to start directing your life?
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
My Complete Notes from GrowthDay LIVE
While I was at the Austin event, I took detailed notes on everything Brendon and the other speakers shared. I've organized them by day so you can dive into the insights that resonated most with me.
These aren't just summaries - they're the frameworks, practices, and mindset shifts that are helping me continue to direct my life every single day.
Day 1 Notes: Brendon & Damon West
Learn to become the "director" of your life through alignment and activation principles. Damon West shares his powerful "Coffee Bean" story about transforming your environment rather than letting circumstances change you.
Day 2 Notes: Brendon & Natalie Ellis
Master high-performance strategies including the "Done by One" productivity framework and discover how building your business and life around core values leads to success without sacrifice with guest Natalie Ellis.
Day 3 Notes: Brendon, Erwin McManus, Ed Mylett, and Dara Ladjevardian
An all-star lineup featuring Erwin McManus on character mastery, Ed Mylett on "The Power of One More," and Dara Ladjevardian on embracing the AI revolution while maintaining authentic human connection.
Closing Day Session: Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard synthesizes the event's transformative concepts, teaching you how to summon your best energy daily and maintain upward momentum with the mantra "I'm Here, I'm Ready, I Go In Strength."
Ready to Start Directing Your Own Life?
The notes and the free guide I'm sharing are just the beginning. They'll give you insights and strategies. But the real transformation happens when you commit to showing up for yourself every single day.
That's what GrowthDay helps me do.
It's the app I open every single morning to journal, plan my day, and stay focused on what actually matters. It has Brendon's courses, live coaching calls, a supportive community of growth-minded people, and daily tools to help you become the director of your life - not just the character.
I was a paying GrowthDay user long before I ever became an affiliate. I recommend it because it genuinely works. Because it helped me go from stuck and scared to intentional and empowered. Because after everything I went through in 2020, I needed tools that would help me not just survive, but actually thrive.
If you're feeling stuck - if things are happening TO you instead of FOR you - if you're ready to stop playing a character and start directing your life - I encourage you to try GrowthDay.
Cancel anytime. If it changes your life even half as much as it changed mine, it'll be worth every minute. And if you sign up through my link, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend GrowthDay because it genuinely transformed my life - I was a paying user long before I became an affiliate.
A Final Note
I'm not a certified coach or speaker. I'm not an expert on personal development. I'm just someone who was stuck, scared, and surviving - and who found tools that helped me start living again.
I share my story because I know how isolating it feels to go through hard things, especially during COVID when so many of us felt that way. I know what it's like to feel like life is just happening TO you. I know what it's like to wonder if things will ever get better.
They can. They did for me. And they can for you too.
No matter what you've been through, you can start directing your life today.
Have questions? Want to connect? Email me at [email protected]
This website contains affiliate links for GrowthDay. If you sign up through my links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend GrowthDay because it genuinely transformed my life - I was a paying user long before I became an affiliate. I believe in these tools because they worked for me, and I hope they can help you too.
Privacy: I respect your privacy. When you sign up for my free ebook, I'll send you helpful emails about personal growth and high performance. You can unsubscribe anytime with one click. I'll never spam you or share your email with anyone.
©️ My Notes from Brendon. All rights reserved.