I became a life coach partly as a result of my life experiences and what I needed to do for me but also because it was what I did naturally. 

I grew up as an only child and lived an idyllic childhood.  However, nine days after my 16th birthday, life as I knew it changed with the sudden passing of my father. I coped as I knew how. In the years following, I graduated college, got married and started a family.  At age 28, I lost my mom, leaving me feeling alone and without support other than my husband. 

In 1986, I gave birth to our third child, Ryan. He was born with multiple birth defects. As a result, he endured six operations, a few ambulance rides, many hospital stays and constant medical attention.  We faced two-near death situations during his first two years.  His health issues continued into his school years.  It was tough for him as well as our family. High school, however, was a definite turning point for Ryan. He had overcome his adversities and was loving life.  Everyone loved being in his company.

Tragically in 2003, our lives were shattered into a million pieces when we lost Ryan, at age 16, as the result of a motor-vehicle accident. I wanted my life to end that evening as well.

Losing a child is something that no person should ever have to experience, though unfortunately many of us do. As one can imagine, we all crumbled. I have never felt such pain and desperation in my life. There was no living, just existing. 

The loss of a child can also put a tremendous strain on a marriage. My husband and I were very different people and definitely on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of coping with trauma and grief. I found comfort in connecting with family and friends and being able to process my feelings through conversation and time spent together. My husband, on the other hand, coped by withdrawing and keeping everything bottled inside of him. Neither of us was wrong, just different.  Sadly, this became the catalyst of what ended up to be the breakup of our 27-year marriage.

I have not “gotten over” any of these losses, nor will I. After more time that I care to admit, I decided I had to figure out a way to get myself out of the fetal position and back to some semblance of a functional life. Even though I had some wonderful family and friends to support me, I had never felt so alone, isolated, apathetic and depressed in my life. I wanted someone to make it better for me although no one could; I had to do the work myself.  Unfortunately, I did not know where to begin. 

In the following months, I spent a lot of time trying to make sense of things as well as looking for ways to ease my pain. I bent the ears and leaned on the shoulders of friends and family.  I read countless self-help books, I went to grieving workshops, I researched more self-help topics on the Internet, I listened to seminars and workshops on CD, I explored other religions, I meditated, and I PRAYED. During my search, I learned a lot about myself and of life. One evening my girlfriend was telling me about an article she read concerning a life coach.  That was my “a-ha” moment.  It was then that I decided that was for me – that is what my life’s work should be. I could help others by sharing what I had learned from my life’s experiences in the “classroom of life” in conjunction with my formal training as a life coach and my continual research.    

I now realize that life doesn’t have to control us. Although we can’t control what life brings us, we can control how we accept it and react to it. We can learn about life, grow from our experiences, and see things from different perspectives. We can feel peace and joy. We can live the life we want, and we can CHOOSE to make a difference.

My hope is to empower as many people as possible to live the life they dream and travel down their own self-designed PATHWAY TO PASSION AND PURPOSE. 

Leslie Brice, CC
Certified Life Coach
Pathway to Passion and Purpose
314-750-5197
leslie@pathwaytopassionandpurpose.com