Do You Desire to be Ollin?

Guest Post by Joyce Harrell

The Gift

At Christmas time my close friend sent me a book. It’s entitled Aspire, by Kevin Hall. Hall found unusual but powerful words and did an in-depth chapter on each one. This book was accompanied by a letter from my friend. She said it was a book to be savored, not devoured. She also told me that one of the words really reminded her of me. It was “my” word. The word is ollin. It’s pronounced “all in.” The meaning of the word is as it is pronounced.

Security vs. Trust

Ollin means giving “it” your all – whatever that means for you. I am now without the security of a “job” for the first time in my adult life. I do remember several times when the kids were growing up; my job was being home and nurturing them. I chose to cut back my nursing job to part time, and took 2 years off once while I homeschooled.

Mike always had income to care for the needs and my income at that time was for extras. This isn’t the case this time. Mike has been unemployed for the past several months to work on a home health coding certification and my income was enough to provide for our needs.

The Ollin Heart

According to Kevin Hall, the word ollin is an Aztec word. It represents holding nothing back. It represents wholly giving it everything you have. This has been a most exciting journey for me.

I decided when I received the phone call from my employer that day in November 2011, letting us as contract nurses know our contract was being terminated, that this was my call to make some changes. I decided that day to be ollin, even though I didn’t even know the word then. I had the heart of ollin.

This ollin road can be a lonely place because not many people dare travel this road. It’s not secure, it doesn’t feel safe, and there is no map to show you the way. I would like to challenge quite the contrary is true.
The road to ollin is probably the most secure place you can be. I remember how many times I felt secure, almost like as long as I had my job, God was a bystander in my life. He was on the sidelines, cheering me on as I rode out my life.

The road I am on allows GOD to be more than a bystander. HE is my source. He has always been my source, but somehow we often don’t see it that way when things are going well.

Peace vs. Fear

I was honored as my friend saw the attribute of ollin in me. I have such a peace. I am not walking around in fear, wondering where my food will come from. Does this mean I will refuse a job that comes my way? No. What I am not doing is scurrying around, putting in applications everywhere, and worrying about the future. I am moving forward writing, holding classes, and connecting to people in my business.

What I AM is open to what GOD has in store for me. This may mean a part time or another education job, in addition to what He is doing in my business. Or He may have plans as all this comes together in my passion to change lives through my business alone. I am ollin as God is no longer a bystander, but my pilot in whom I have complete trust and peace!

What areas of your lives do you need to be ollin right now? If you have chosen to be ollin, can you describe the peace that surrounded this decision? How did this look for you as you let go of what you always had felt to be security? Do you need to make the decision to be ollin?

Joyce Harrell, RN, OCN is a Christian wellness coach who empowers self-acceptance, balanced, and purposeful living. She utilizes Kaizen (small steps) principles from a 12 dimension wellness program to promote permanent change. Joyce is married with 3 adult children, and 3 grandchildren. You can find out more about Joyce’s program and products at www.NurseCoachOnline.com.