Ten years ago, I came home from a business trip to discover that after 15 years my marriage was over. To say this was overwhelming and unexpected is an understatement.
Out of all the emotional issues that I dealt with in those first few months – one thing became very clear to me: I was not going to keep his complicated, hard to spell last name.
I knew I was going be a speaker for the rest of my career, and I wanted a simple, easy to say, easy to remember speaker’s name. It made no sense to me to go from a complicated hard to spell married name, back to a complicated, hard to spell maiden name.
So, I decided to make up a new name.
I started with the name I was given. I always liked the sound of my first and middle name. Leslie Ann. I always thought that sounded nice.
Next, I looked to the stars! In numerology, there are three abundance letters: H, Q and Z.
At the time, I was 50 years old and unexpectedly on my own. I figured I could use all the abundance I could get.
I called my mom and told her my idea. She was silent, and then she started to laugh. She knows about the abundance letters and played along.
We didn’t even consider Q. H – I said, “Leslie Hann.” We were both silent. It didn’t even warrant discussion.
Last on the list was Z. I said, “Leslie Zann.” We were both silent. Then we both started laughing. And then we started talking over each other. We loved it. Leslie Zann. We giggled some more and hung up.
My mom told me later that she although she liked the name, Leslie Zann, she really didn’t think I would do anything as crazy as changing my name.
I sat with the idea for three days later, and then without hesitation I went online to legalzoom.com and changed my name to Leslie Zann. There is no middle name. Even I don’t have enough energy to be Leslie Ann Zann.
I love the name. I have from the moment I said it out loud.
I can’t tell you how many times people tell me, “What a great name you have,” and I answer, “Thanks, I made it up!” “What?” And then I tell them the story – and they love it even more!
Now, I’m not suggesting you go out and change your name – unless of course you want to!
I am asking you to think about transformation. Transformation starts with a willingness to see things differently.
Do you have a vision, dreams, aspirations for your business, your health, your relationships, your creative expression? I know you do!
Now ask yourself: Is something unknown, something intangible, something unidentified holding you back? And keeping you from moving forward?
What’s holding you back? Do you lack the courage to act? Do you lack the discipline to take those first steps?
Are you settling? Are you settling for less than you want, less than who you want to be, less of the life you desire?
And if you are settling, how is that affecting your confidence? Your belief in yourself, your vision, your passion, your ability to dream, to move through your fears, to take action?
Change begins with awareness.
Today I want you to identify just one area in your life where you want to make a change!
Then choose to follow the 5 steps:
- Be willing to see things differently
- Be open to change
- Refuse to settle (in my case, I refused to settle for a name I didn’t want!)
- Find a solution
- Take action – take a step in the direction of your dreams.
I know you can transform any area of your life. And isn’t that exciting!
At the time of the split, I was knocked down. Changing my name was just one of the ways I got back up – transformed! On my terms. It was one of my most empowering experiences.
Erica Jong said, “To name oneself is the first act of both the poet and the revolutionary.”
Poet: I defined my identify through words – by creating a new last name.
Revolutionary: by definition, I caused a complete and dramatic change in my identity.
Powerful stuff!