My ‘One Word’ this week is: NIGHTMARE

A recurring nightmare haunted my sleep for many years – nobody came to my funeral.

In the dream, I’d walk down an aisle past a sea of empty chairs toward an open casket. As I got closer, I felt burdened by sorrow, loneliness, and a third, heavier thing:

Dread. Because I knew the casket at the end was mine, and the only one there to bid me farewell was me. Then I’d wake up.

I never felt like enough growing up. I was constantly searching for someone to tell me I mattered, that I left a mark. Anything to help me feel real.

The nightmare poked at my fear that if no one could see me, love me, or respect me in life, why would anyone pay their respects to me when I’m gone?

Despite being someone who considers themselves an extrovert, easy to connect with, and able to cultivate long-term relationships, I never felt like I added substantial value to people’s lives.

Sure, I showered all my friends and family in free snacks, having worked at Kraft Foods, Nabisco, Cadbury, and Godiva throughout my 25-year corporate career.

But ultimately, Oreo cookies, Planters peanuts, and Godiva chocolates were fleeting pleasures, and I wanted to leave a lasting impact.

I confided in my therapist about never feeling enough and dealing with this recurring nightmare. Even if only a handful of people showed up at my funeral, that would be okay. It wasn’t about packing the room; it was about the feelings I left with those in attendance.

I wanted to be remembered as more than the “free snacks guy” who filled lives with sugar, smiles, and maybe a few extra trips to the dentist.

That’s when she said something that shifted my entire perspective on how to finally take control of my self-worth:

“Rich, go live the life you want to be remembered for!”

OK, that was my wake-up call! But first, I had to give up the life I was living to create the life that I wanted.

For me, that meant:

• Mustering up the courage to quit my corporate career (at age 50!).
• Stepping into my own identity with just ‘One Word’…CATALYST!
• Becoming the CATALYST that helps individuals discover their ‘One Word’, so they too can step into their own identities like I did.

It’s been six years since I disrupted my entire life. My therapist recently noted that I’ve come a long way from the guy who didn’t feel valued, visible, or enough. As I travel along my self-worth journey, she regularly reminds me to take a step back and celebrate how far I’ve come.

I don’t have that recurring nightmare anymore. Instead, I dream that EVERYONE comes to my funeral, wearing their ‘One Word’ buff! This way, I get to look down, see their ‘One Word’, and smile. All of these lives were transformed because I gave them their core value and helped them step into their true selves.

‘One Word’ transformed my entire life….it can do the same for you!