We are excited to share a blog written by Corina, a former I Pour Life youth! She shares her experience in our program through the pandemic and how she now serves as a regular volunteer!
My Journey at I Pour Life
Hey there! I’m Corina, but my friends call me Indi. Back in 2019, I joined I Pour life while living at Life 360 Transitional Living House. It all started with my first LifeCoach, who, let’s be real, was a big help to get me going. She insisted I share my story with her, even though I wasn’t ready. We compromised and chatted over coffee instead. Turns out, she knew my mom, which made me skeptical about her impartiality. Trust became a challenge, and I felt like I was losing another adult to confide in.
I stayed at the transitional house for about six months before deciding to leave due to a situation. Back at my mom’s place, I continued attending Ipourlife events, dealing with the same struggles as before. But one night, fate intervened. I bumped into one of the coaches while bowling, and with a mix of divine intervention and a bit of liquid courage, I asked her to be my coach. It turned out to be a blessing because I was desperate for tools to navigate life better.
My second coach was different from the first. She didn’t have any preconceived notions and let me paint my own picture with the colors of my experiences. That’s when things started shifting, especially when we delved into boundaries using the LifeStrengths workbook.
By 2020, the pandemic hit, and everything went into lockdown, including the I Pour Life home. My LifeCoach moved on to her next chapter, leaving me dealing with abandonment trauma and codependency triggers. Before she left, though, she ensured a smooth transition to my next coach. Despite my initial anxiety and unhappiness, it turned out to be a positive change.
It’s my THIRD LifeCoach, and I was very hesitant at first. I couldn’t believe someone could be that happy all the time. But her infectious smile won me over, and she became more than a coach – she became a good friend. With all the COVID disruptions, we didn’t rely much on the LifeStrengths workbook, but she still taught me invaluable lessons about choosing friends wisely.
Months later, as life started finding its new “normal,” my third coach departed, introducing me to my fourth and final coach. The initial introductions felt awkward, and I couldn’t help but think, “Here we go again.” But this coach was unlike any other. She opened up about her own struggles, which initially caught me off guard. It was like looking in a mirror, and I resisted at first. But as I discovered our shared experiences, my resistance faded.
After going through four LifeCoaches over two years, I finally completed the workbook. What a relief! It gave me a sense of accomplishment and renewed hope, knowing I now had the tools to tackle life’s challenges. Throughout the program, I’ve learned so much – showing up, trusting my perspective, setting boundaries, handling triggers, and realizing that everyone has their own battles.
What I Learned from I Pour Life
I learned so much throughout the years of being in the program. I learned how to continue to keep showing up to a good thing, even when I felt like there was no one for me. How to trust in my own perspective. I learned how to identify healthy relationships and how to set boundaries with the people in my life. I learned to deal with my triggers instead of just coping with them. Most important of all, I learned that everyone is going through something.
I Pour Life taught me that not everything is about you, but your growth into adulthood is. As children, our environments shape us into who we are, our transition into adulthood begins with deciding not to let the past define us. You must hold up that mirror and become real with where you are today. If you do not know how to identify your triggers and set boundaries or walk away as needed, life can look like torture. Life becomes more beautiful when you know who you are and what it is you need, & know where to look.
The growth that has taken place within me has not been overnight or a complete 180. It’s taken years of feeling, reflecting, and moving on to get me where I am today, and I am not done. I continue to get through new challenges everyday. Having a community where I know I am welcomed and poured my time into has helped me IMMENSELY. I’m in I Pour Life today because I want to be here. Wanting to be here has given me purpose. Having purpose has helped me stay on track.
I Pour Life is diverse. Everyone has their own scars, including the leaders, but knowing that they are doing their best just like me, and to know that despite the mistakes we make, we can still impact a positive change in the community gives me the motivation to keep pushing forward despite my shortcomings.
One thing I’ve learned is that I don’t have to do anything but show up, and when I do I am filled with good food, good times, and good people. However, the LifeStrength’s program helped give me tools to better my future at my own pace. It’s up to me, I have the choice of what I want. I set my expectations, my own goals. The mentors are here to encourage and love me even when I feel unlovable.
I am honored to say that as of now, I have been asked to become a volunteer for the Social Capital Club! To be able to actually be a part of something bigger than just myself & to help impact the community in a positive way is very exciting for me. Last year, I was asked to help plan the girls’ Social Capital Spring themed party. I had the idea of doing a clothing swap and to talk about the importance of donating the things that no longer fit you in this season. It was a lot of work last year and they didn’t think they would be able to do it again. Little did I know I Pour Life was able to get boutiques around Springfield to help donate this year and we had an even better turnout than the year before! God is good! It’s such an amazing feeling to know that something as simple as a vision can help start the catalyst into something so much bigger!
What have you been holding onto in a season that no longer serves you? Could letting go of that better help serve someone else? You can’t receive a blessing with your hands closed. It’s okay if something has helped you during a particular season of your life, but knowing when to let go so you can step into something new will help transform you!
In the end, I would like to express my appreciation to the amazing individuals at the Life360 house for providing me with a place to call home and for connecting me to I Pour Life. Their support has truly been a blessing. I also wanna thank I Pour Life for pouring into my cup even when I didn’t have anything to offer in return. I also want to thank Pastor Todd from Transformation Church for guiding me to understand kingdom-like principles. Finally, I wanna thank I Pour Life once again for opening my eyes to these transformative principles.
If you would like to read more stories from our program, you can check them out here.
