The expression ‘Once Upon a Time’ conjures up thoughts for me of a time when things were different, perhaps better, or at least simpler.

Generally, these are times fondly or romantically remembered but not always.

Once Upon a Time suggests a state of suspended history that we can look back on.

Today, as we near the end of this historic year, and I reflect back to the past months, it does seem that the world has lived in a dark fairy tale while our land was cursed with a pandemic.

All the kingdoms in the world were under siege from a villainous virus that threatened the lives and livelihoods of their citizens and the sustainability of many businesses.

I am not trying to make light of the negative and traumatic events of this past year by suggesting we have been living in some storybook or cartoon. But I think that you can see that there are some parallels with good old fashioned ‘Once Upon a Time’ narratives.

We know from stories of childhood bedtimes that there is always a hero or heroine who saves the day and rescues the defenseless. Ultimately and reassuringly, the good guys win. The witch melts, the dragon is slayed, and the kingdom celebrates once again.

In our story today (working title; VEP - Very Epic Pandemic), you are both the prisoner in the tower and the protagonist. You must save the day and rescue you – yes YOU!

You are your knight in shining armor.

You are the only one who can write the happy ending. You are the one who decides how you emerge from this year.  It is your privilege and your responsibility to write a new script for the future – the next chapter of your life, a new role, your encore.

You may call it a pivot, reinvention, a new direction. Whatever label you choose, what happens next is up to you.

Deciding what to do and making it a reality requires faith in the motto:

“See it, Believe It, Achieve It.”

But how do you do it?

Where do you begin?

There are always circumstances that are beyond our control but within our control is the ability to vision a better life, the outcomes that we desire, and the actions to transform those thoughts into reality.

This is how my story unfolds; six months Pre-VEP, I published a book. The title of the book is “Who Am I Now? Feminine Wisdom, Unmasked Uncensored”.  I bet you can see some irony in the title.

I could not have foreseen how emotional conversations would be about “To Mask or Not to Mask” just months after my book was available on Amazon.

The book is about my life and my learnings over sixty-five years.

It is about taking off the masks of identities that no longer serve us.

It’s a true story, mine, plus the curated wisdom of twenty women with a common theme of transformation, reinvention, self-discovery and learning on the job of being a woman in a rapidly changing world.

This first book (yes, there’s much more to be told!) led me to create an online program called Visual Encore Plan so that I could share more of my success formulas for starring in my own life.

At the beginning of 2020, I had no idea how especially important the Visual Encore Plan would be to help others triumph over the other VEP – the dreaded Very Epic Pandemic.

I already had decades of experience with pivoting, adapting to unexpected changes and recognizing new opportunities to thrive.

I wove years of investment in strategic planning, goal setting, personal and professional development with the best techniques from thought downloads, vision boards and manifesting to create the affirmations, mind maps and mindset exercises in this self-guided program.

The result is a uniquely personal Visual Strategic Plan that helps you to connect your subconscious beliefs and desires with conscious goals and action – your personal self, your professional self, the whole marvelous unified you!

2020 has been an epic year indeed but you can also make it a catalyst for an extraordinary 2021 and beyond – the years that you script and direct.

Start with a clear vision and your vivid and visual strategic plan.

Then get ready for all the standing ovations for your encore!