The other morning, as I was getting ready for the day, I glanced at my dresser and noticed a necklace that means the world to me. It’s a compass. A gift from my husband when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame a couple of years ago.

It’s not just a beautiful piece of jewelry though. It’s a symbol of something much deeper. You see, bowling has always been my compass—my North Star. It has guided me through life, showed me the way and assured me who I was.

The moment I received that necklace, I was struck by how perfectly it captured my journey.

Bowling has done more than just fill my life with trophies and accolades. It’s shown me my purpose. My purpose, I believe, is to impact others’ lives, to use bowling as a vehicle to do good in the world. Who would have thought that a sport like bowling, often underestimated, could have such a profound impact on people’s lives? It brought me some of the most important relationships in my life, too. Bowling has also introduced me to some of my best friends – from all around the world. I even met my husband through bowling, and this year we’ll celebrate 21 years of marriage. Bowling led us to create our family.

Bowling has also been my North Star when people tried to tell me who I should. I faced hard times, when others tried to paint me as something I wasn’t, and that was incredibly difficult. But bowling gave me the confidence to be my authentic self, and that confidence on the lanes translated into confidence in life. I realized that if I could stay true to myself on the lanes, I could stay true to myself off them as well.

Bowling has given me the courage to be 100% me, all the time.

I have always been a person who trusts my gut, who goes by that feeling deep inside, bowling sharpened that intuition and gave me an even stronger internal compass. It gave me the confidence to lead with my heart, and with my intuition.

There were so many times when I had to make tough decisions, when the pressure was on, and I needed to choose between what others expected of me and what I knew was right for me. Fortunately, bowling helped me follow my own path – not necessarily one everyone else thought I should. My personal journey with bowling has centered me in who I am, keeping me true to myself. And that’s something that has carried me through so much more than just my career. It has carried me through life.

There are moments when things don’t go our way – in life, just as in bowling. Sometimes we fall down, and there can be some hard days. But each time, we have the choice to get back up, and there will also be amazing days – days when everything comes together, and you feel on top of the world. Bowling has reminded me that those highs and lows are both part of the journey. They’re what make life, and the sport, so meaningful.

Life isn’t always going to be easy but it is also not supposed to be. And, to be honest, nothing truly important and worth doing is likely going to be easy. And, through it all, if you stay true to yourself, if you trust your compass, you’ll find your way.

Bowling has stayed true to me because I’ve stayed true to it. It’s something I can rely on, believe in, and that always brings me back to my center.

For anyone reading this, I want you to know that your guide, your compass, might already be in your life – even if you don’t realize it.

To be completely honest, I didn’t fully see how bowling was guiding me until later in my career – when I took a step back and looked at the bigger picture. It’s often in that reflection that we are able to see how we evolved and became stronger versions of ourselves.

So, what’s your compass? What’s that one thing in your life that guides you, even when the path isn’t clear?

Maybe it’s not a sport like bowling. Maybe it’s something else entirely. But whatever it is, hold onto it. Trust it. Let it keep you centered. Because just when you need it to, your compass will always point you back to your true self.