Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Tip#61: When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade - Baby Boom


Unexpected change in life isn't always pleasant. Sometimes it can be a painful experience. It forces you into an unwanted transition and pushes you out of your comfort zones. But if you can be courageous and look for the silver lining than life could become much sweeter.

During times of depression I would use my creative talents to express my feelings with my illustrations and poetry. Those poems would then turn into heartfelt lyrics of loneliness when I began composing music and songs. The darkness didn’t feel so hopeless when I was being creative. In 1999 I ended up producing my first music CD called Rain of Angels. This achievement was the silver lining of a dark period and the instrumental version of the title track ended up getting regular airplay on Galaxie CBC Radio. I then started to receive royalty cheques from the album! This is how I made lemonade out of lemons. See: Rain of Angels music video

Baby Boom (1987)

In the comedy film, Baby Boom, Diane Keaton stars as J.C. Wyatt, a high powered executive in line to become partner of a huge corporation. One day she unexpectedly inherits a cousin's baby that throws all her career plans up in the air. She soon becomes attached to the little girl and finds a new passion in being a mother. Unfortunately the balancing act of caring for her child at the office doesn't work and she is forced to resign.

Despite that low point J.C. picks herself up and purchases a dream home she’d been dreaming about and moves out of the bustling city and into a small country town. With much time on her hands she learns to harvest her vast apple orchard and makes applesauce for her baby.

The "Aha" Moment

Soon J.C. discovers tourists are buying her applesauce that she'd packaged and displayed at the local store. This is an "aha" moment for J.C. who has found an untapped market for country style baby food. She becomes a huge success thanks to her previous work experience and ultimately her ability to adapt to the previous changes in her life.


This is one of my favourite films and female heroes for showing how to overcome unexpected life and career change. I love to recommend this movie in my motivational talks for people dealing with unexpected change or crisis.  J.C. identified the silver lining of her adversity and chose to make lemonade out of the lemons life had dumped on her!

Inspiring Themes:
• Passion
• Resilience
• Adaptability
• Leadership
• Career Transitions
• Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Work/Life Balance

Let this movie remind you that unexpected changes in your life, workplace or career can be blessings in disguise. Believe in your innate ability to adapt. Train yourself to always ask what the message or gift is within the challenges you face. And if you have creative abilities apply a playful attitude towards producing something positive out of the negatives.

Life has a funny way of throwing you off course. Choose to see it as part of the same path you've been on. Remember you are being guided back to your real purpose in life that revolves around your true passions, personal interests and core values. All you have to do is choose to turn the lemons you get in life into lemonade (or applesauce from apples)!

“You know, you kind of remind me of a bull terrier of some kind.” 
Baby Boom (1987)

KEYNOTES & SEMINARS
FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION...
"THE BRIGHT SIDE OF CAREER TRANSITIONS"
See more info under "Keynotes & Seminars: Here

Emmanuel Lopez
Life Skills & Career Development
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2007

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think A Good Year with Russell Crow is similar to Baby Boom. I haven't seen it yet but it's on my list. He either resigns or gets fired from a high powered job as an executive and then ends up owning and working a vineyard in the country and I think he ends up meeting a girl there too.

D.G.

Anonymous said...

I'm still enjoying your regular insights into achievement. I've saved a few of them over time that really spoke to me. They are really good. Actually, these short notes have been helping me too as I begin making a career transition myself.

David