Where You Are is Where You Need to Be

Where You Are is Where You Need to Be
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Ivan Mandic

Have you ever had a book recommended to you at the exact time in your life when you needed that information? Or have a solution to a problem come your way magically? It’s always amazing how perfectly orchestrated life can be.

Since I’m a consultant, I often find myself in between jobs. As soon as I end one assignment, everyone asks me what I’m going to do next. My answer is always the same - “I’m waiting to see what the universe brings.” Going with the flow of the universe has created opportunities I never could have imagined or planned such as conducting a workshop for UNICEF in China or running a spiritual retreat center or leading meditations for women in a homeless shelter.

About two weeks after I ended my last contract, I saw an email about an Interim Executive Director position for a TV studio and media center. I read the description and got excited. That’s my barometer on whether to pursue anything. If it excites me, I go for it. If it doesn’t, I move on. The timing was perfect and the position combined two of my biggest passions - helping organizations through transitions and inspiring people through media. In fact, “Inspiring Media and Wisdom” has been printed on the back of my business cards for over a decade!

After landing the job, I realized I had also landed in the perfect place at the perfect time. A couple of weeks into the job, I learned about a video series we were producing with actors and role playing to help parents foster deeper and meaningful relationships with their children. It was created after a number of teen suicides had occurred in the area leaving parents with a mission to better understand teen challenges and prevent teen suicide. Having experienced the suicide of my own sister, I knew first-hand how suicide can not only destroy, but also unite families and communities. I wrote a book about losing my sister (and the subsequent deaths of three other family members) to give a voice to a topic that’s often swept under the rug. I’ve also written articles to help people understand suicide and reduce teen stress.

Life’s challenges give us an opportunity (and a choice) to stand strong and make a positive difference. Even though bad luck always seems to come at the worse time, I do believe we are always in the right place at the right time. My sister’s suicide changed the trajectory of my entire life and career, and now I’m leading an organization that, among other things, is producing a show to help others heal and prevent suicide. I don’t know where I’ll be one month or one year from now, but today, I’m exactly where I need to be. And that’s amazing to me!

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