Reflecting on Life's Branching Moments: Finding meaning in the decisions that shape us
Have you ever experienced a moment in life that changed everything? A time when a single decision, a turning point, or an unexpected event reshaped your course? It could have been the first date with someone who became your life partner, the death of a loved one that left you questioning everything, or the leap into a new career path that both excited and terrified you.
In my recent Start Your Memoir Journey webinar, we explored these moments—what I like to call "branching points." Life is rarely linear. It’s made up of countless paths, detours, and unexpected shifts, many of which we don’t even realize at the time will lead to profound changes.
Reflecting on these moments isn’t always easy. It’s often filled with a complex mix of emotions. Some branches are joyful, some heartbreaking, and others leave us somewhere in between. But what if we could take a moment to reflect on these points, to understand them more deeply, and even uncover hidden truths we haven’t noticed before? These reflections not only help us shape the stories we’ll leave behind but also the legacy we’re building as we live.
This is exactly what we did together during a flash-writing exercise in the webinar. In just two minutes, participants were invited to write about a life event—a branching point. Despite - or thanks to - the short amount of time they were given to write, the responses were deeply insightful.
One participant shared:
“In that brief time, it took me right back to the space where I had a big decision to make and was tormented. These reflection questions are a good guide for me to complete that picture.”
Another person had this to say:
“It took me back to an event - a story - that I’ve visited quite a few times... It’s a narrative that’s been kind of repeated, but there’s more to it. I was able to somewhat deepen my understanding of it. ””
This is the power of flash-writing. It’s not about overthinking, not about editing or crafting a perfect story. It’s about tapping into the raw emotion of the moment, setting a timer, and letting the words flow. Often, when we revisit a story through a different lens—by using different reflective questions or changing our perspective—we uncover layers we hadn’t noticed before. Those simple, quick writing exercises can truly light up aspects of our lives that have remained in the shadows.
In my 6-week Write Your Living Legacy beginner’s memoir-writing series, I invite participants to explore their life stories even more deeply. Through a series of priming and sensitizing questions, we help uncover the deeper themes that run through our experiences. This isn’t just about recounting events in chronological order; it’s about creating a fuller, richer story that captures the essence of who we are—the legacy we are creating now, even in the smallest of moments.
What makes this experience so special is the community aspect. Writing is often a solitary practice, but when we come together in small groups, we gain something profound. The act of sharing our stories, of being witnessed by others, offers new insights. When we hear others’ stories, we often have our own “aha” moments. There’s something incredibly powerful about telling your story in a safe, non-judgmental space where you are truly seen and heard.
This method accommodates a view of life as a matrix, a web of moments, choices, and events—like a tapestry—each thread adding to the bigger picture of who we are and how we’ll ultimately be remembered. And in this process, we begin to understand not just the story we’ve been telling, but also the story we have yet to tell.
While the workshop series offers a deeper dive into this reflective process, you can start your journey of reflection right now. Just like in the flash-writing exercise, you can set a timer for two minutes and let your thoughts flow. Try to think of one of those branching points—an event that shaped your life—and write about it without overthinking it. What comes up for you? What emotions do you uncover? You might be surprised by the depth of what emerges.
If reflecting on and capturing your life stories sounds interesting to you, I invite you to check out my one-hour webinar, Start Your Memoir Journey, to get a taste of the rich experience that memoir-writing can be. But maybe you’re ready for a deeper dive. If you’re interested in reflecting on your life through the exploration of themes, and writing and sharing your stories — all within a safe, intimate community container, consider registering for my 6-week series Write Your Living Legacy!
The journey of understanding your past and its impact on your future is transformative, and I’m here to guide you through it.
If this post resonates with you and you'd like to dive deeper into shaping your life and legacy, I invite you to join my mailing list where I send out thoughtful insights, updates, and invitations to workshops.
Reach out if you have any questions!
Photo credit: Emma Love Photography
Author: Karla Combres
As a Legacy Guide & Celebrant, I help individuals, couples, families and organizations make the big and small moments in life count, and shape their legacy along the way. I offer:
Drawing on my vast experience as a Life-Cycle Celebrant and in working with people at the end of life, I am uniquely qualified to help people move through transitions meaningfully and to think about how they want to leave this world so they can live better now.
I’m based in Saskatchewan, Canada and serve clients worldwide. Read more about me here.