When I Hit The Bottom Of My Spiritual Bucket & Learned To Truly Live
by Tera Warner
I know I come across as a cheerful little spitfire of a wood sprite who nibbles on wild flowers and kisses chubby-cheeked children in her spare time. And these things are true now, but I wasn’t always the friendly, fun-loving, flower-eating forest fairy I am today.
In fact, it was just over 5 years ago that I met the bottom of my spiritual bucket.
In the summer of 2006, I took a trip to Costa Rica.
Within 24 hours of landing there, while eating a piece of avocado, I knew it was going to change my life forever.
I didn’t know how. I didn’t know why. I just knew that this was where I needed to be and within 6 weeks I gave away most of what I owned, packed up the rest in a few bags, grabbed my kids, my lover, my lap top computer and headed off to Costa Rica.
I invested every penny I owned into a property there and was going to start up a business and a new life for myself. On the outside, it looked quite picturesque and perfect. We swam in waterfalls and ate fruits off our own trees. We had monkeys and toucans and colorful creatures of one kind and another in our yard. The people were beautiful, the air was clean.
But something was rumbling inside me.
Something wasn’t right.
By March of 2007, I was heading back home.
Alone.
I lost my home.
I lost my business.
I lost my lover and business partner.
I lost most of my friends and acquaintances.
I lost custody of my children.
And, for a while, I even lost my right to walk in the street.
After a sudden illness, I found myself sporting a pink uniform (elastic waist underpants included) while under observation at the National Psychiatric Hospital of Costa Rica. I had two socks, a water bottle, a sweater and enough wits about me to refuse any intervention or medication of any kind.
At the end of an uneventful week I was released and diagnosed as having what they called “delirium caused by severe dehydration.”
I called it my spiritual wake-up call. 😉
Even though everything seemed lost and everyone I loved was gone (except my mom! I love you, Mom!) there was one thing I had now which I didn’t have before.
Myself!
That experience brought me very close to death’s door, but it also taught me how to truly live.
I never questioned my ability to do what I wanted to do after that.
I never hesitated to communicate the things I really wanted to say to the world.
I never stopped being myself and putting myself out there. No matter what other people thought of me.
I still make silly mistakes and scraped my knees, but I know who I really am, and I’m not afraid to live it or be it anymore.
My last image of Costa Rica (with the exception of the inside of a hospital and ambulance) is of the ocean. I remember looking out from my bedroom window and aching to be near the sea. I never got there before I had to leave.
So, I figure, after all these years of building my business, my confidence, myself….
It’s time to go back.
It’s been almost exactly 6 years since I first stepped foot on Costa Rican soil and knew it would change my life forever. And now, new and improved, I’m going back to show her how far I’ve come and thank her for helping me get here. …There’s room for 12 other women to come, if you’d like to join me.
I’ve chosen a very special location and some pretty specific experiences that I’d like to enjoy. It will be an event where I can share the details of how I got from the bottom of my bucket to the top of my game in 5 short years. (While juggling two kids and a rescue puppy on the side.) 😉
I want to tell you what I learned about life, about courage, about authenticity and the things that really make life go right. Then I want to hear your story and work with you to create a plan to get you at the top of your game.
I intend to hold your hand and help you get there. Due to the intimate nature of this event, my desire to give a great deal of attention to the women who will be joining me, and ensure the best possible conditions for a group of like-minded change-seekers, I will be sharing the details with those who apply only.
If you think you might like to join me for a week of detox and deep, life-changing conversations, and you’re ready for a revival of the life inside you, you can fill out your application here:
We’ll be arriving on November 27th and believe me, we’ll be staying VERY well hydrated. 😉
Love and buckets without lids,
