When I look back on the last 13 years of my life (the time since my divorced) I think back to all the time I spent in my pity party, feeling like the world was out to get me and feeling helpless.  I do realize it is something I had to go through to get to where I am now but it just seems like I wasted so much time.  I can’t really explain in words what happened.  

Those of you who follow me know the saga of my divorce, the many moves of home and business, the 3 cancer scares, the major surgery and of course the 3 year battle with the bank over my house.  Each and every one of those events were horrible but they have made me who I am today! As silly as this sounds looking back now I wouldn’t change any of them.  However, I would have spent a LOT less time whining and being negative!

So who am I?  I am someone who keeps no secrets.  I do not put on a show. I am who I am.  I let people into the most personal parts of my life in order to inspire them to keep going, in order to motivate them to continue on another day and to educate them on how to get through the challenges with a smile!

So how did I get here?  There are many things that have landed me in the space I am currently in (which is a wonderfully, happy, blessed, appreciative and peaceful space). I have realized that life is not always fair, people are not always nice (boy is that an understatement)  and disappointment is a part of life.  I have realized that I am not being punished, doing something wrong or destine to struggle forever.  I have realized that it IS possible to face challenges with a smile, to let go of the hurt others cause us, to understand everyone is living their own drama and it doesn’t need to effect us.  I have realized that I was put on this earth to learn, to grow and to share.  Most importantly I have realized that happiness is a choice!

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Someone told me the other day “how lucky I am” and I could feel the anger rising up my throat!  Lucky…really?  Luck has nothing to do with it.  It has taken hard work, determination, a LOT of self reflection, belief in myself and the strength to never give up on what is important to me.  It has taken the ability to realize that sometimes we need to let go of things we do not want to, that sometimes we need to move forward even when we don’t know where the hell we are going and sometimes we need to re-evaluate what is truly important in our lives.

There is a down side to this great space I am now in.  Now when I see someone in the space I “used to be in” I want to just slap them in to reality! I want to shake them and say “Don’t do what I did!  Don’t wait years to find your self worth!  Don’t ever let anyone take away the essence of who you are and don’t ever let your circumstances effect your experiences!”  Of course I try to do it in a loving way:)

If you are struggling, if you are suffering, if you are unhappy, if you are feeling lost…..I am here to tell you that YOU are the only person who can turn it all around!  I am here to tell you that you can’t always change the events or circumstances in your life but you can ALWAYS change your attitude towards them!  Life is too short to be stress out and not living life to the fullest!  We must find our way through the darkness and into the light!  We must be willing to let go of what no longer serves us with the faith and belief that there is something better.  You must believe in your heart that you are deserving.

As we move into spring….a time of new beginnings my wish for you is that you do not waste the amount of time I did trying to figure it all out.  My wish for you is that you realize now, in this moment that you are an amazing and deserving soul with the courage and strength to overcome any challenge that comes your way. My wish for you is that you see how deserving you are of stepping into your “true authentic self” and that you realize you deserve all the happiness the Universe has to offer you!

ps….I still have many very difficult challenges currently on my plate.  The difference is I have stopped whining and being negative and I have truly learned to live in peace and to be happy no matter what!  😉