Today a new member – Carole Cameron (pictured) – joins the sisterhood of the travelling red shoes. Not only was I thrilled Carole agreed to take on the shoes and be a part of The Red Shoe Project I was excited to meet her on a recent visit to Vancouver from her home outside Toronto. Carole is the author of a (fabulous) book, of great interest to me and 33% of the population, Sp!ash – an introvert’s guide to being, seen, heard and remembered. Carole promises to write another post based on her book soon. In the meantime you can get a jump on it and take an informal Meyers Briggs personality test to determine and understand your personality type. If you’re are an introvert (like me) I strongly recommend you read Sp!ash not only will it give you one A-ha after another and align you with ‘kin’ it will help move you out of the shadows into the forefront of your best life! Allowing you to Make a Sp!ash!
My “Adventure” with the Red Shoes
By Carole Cameron
It was my dear friend Debbie who introduced me to The Red Shoes. To the shoes themselves, the philosophy behind them, and of course, to the inspirational instigator of it all, Cheryl.
When Debbie shared the story with me, I immediately wanted to get in on the “sisterhood”, and have a go with the shoes myself! The shoes arrived at my home in Milton, Ontario at the end of May. Strangely enough, they sat on the end-table in the family room, unworn, for 3 weeks. As much as I believed in their “life-changing qualities”, I was waiting for the “perfect opportunity” to have my experience. I made lots of excuses…they are really not my style, I’m really not a shoe person, they are so high that I measure over 6 feet tall when wearing them…
I went to New York City in early June with a girlfriend, but again, the “perfect” opportunity didn’t present itself. I took them to a Polo match, where we sported fancy dresses and outrageous hats. But still they lay at the bottom of my bag, unworn.
At the end of June, I took them with me to a book club gathering at a friend’s lovely country home. Six of us sat in a circle on the deck. I took them out, modelled them, and told Cheryl’s inspirational story of the shoes and what they represent. One other friend tried them on. We all loved them. And then the magic started.
Each of us shared a “life-changing” moment. From a turning point, to a tragedy, to meeting a mentor, to the achievement of an important goal. We each shared how it happened, what it took to make it happen, how it felt, what was learned, what will always/never be done again. Some shared things that they had never told anyone before. We laughed until we cried, and cried until we laughed. It was “perfect”.
Yes, the Red Shoes truly have the strange and mysterious ability to create amazing events and connections. Sometimes you don’t even have to put them on.
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