Have you ever experienced a lifeshock? A moment in time when time literally comes to a standstill until you deal with a major life disruption, planned or unplanned?

On January 30, 2017, my life changed forever in the scariest and best ways possible. That’s the day my appendix ruptured at the end of an amazing vacation on the remote Caribbean island of Dominica. It was scary, dramatic, traumatic and ultimately, life changing in the best way possible. It was the biggest disruption of my life – I had to nearly die in order to learn how to really live. And, that’s why I call it my Life Day.

I talk about my whole experience in my book, The Power of Disruption: A Memoir of Discovery, but here’s what I want to share now. We each already possess within us what we need to get through the biggest and smallest everyday life disruptions. Here’s how I did it.

Trust your tribe. We each have a tribe of family and loved ones. We also have a much wider circle made up of people who show up unannounced just because we need them. We may never know all of their names, but they’re there and they want to help.

Surrender to silence. Sometimes the boldest, most powerful thing we can do is relax in quiet. It used to be nearly impossible for me. I learned, however, that it’s restorative, gives us a chance to reconnect with ourselves, and empowers us to participate in our own life rather than just living it as a checklist.

Live in the now. I was conditioned to think my life should revolve around great moments, but I’ve come to appreciate that great moments often catch us unaware. They’re sometimes beautifully wrapped up in what others would call small moments and if we’re not paying attention we’ll miss them. When I see myself as already living my greatest story, I have the patience to ride out disruptive storms, seeing and accepting the gifts being offered up to me along the way.

Let the universe have your back. It sure didn’t feel like it at the time, but I’ve come to see that this storm was part of a clean-up taking place in my life. Blackness doesn’t have to win. I’m living proof that my disruption wasn’t an end, it’s been a beginning.

Believe in yourself enough to go for your joy. I can choose to be a person seeking success or a person of value. I have value just as I am and that’s the secret to my success. I need to trust in that and live it.

I believe everyone deserves a Life Day. We all have moments – big or small – when we hit our pause button and reset. If you’re like me, your life storm isn’t in front of you as a barrier, it’s here to clear your next, best path.