And what I’ve learned through it all
2020 is a year that I know we would all LOVE to forget as if it never happened at all. Sometimes, I feel like a modern day Job, experiencing one thing after another. I wish it was as easy as taking an eraser to the numbers 2020 on my calendar and erasing this year from history. It’s not though, is it? Then I think, “would I really want that anyways? I mean, I’m almost done with the year and here I am, I’m alive, and in about 8 more weeks, I will have survived a pandemic, world shut down and COVID!”
As I’ve learned in the past there is always triumph that comes from tragedy.
Let me tell you my story…..
In 1991, I was a 23 year old mom of a 2 1/2 year old adorable little boy, named, Alexander Lane. He was the cutest little guy and he was my buddy. In August of that year, his baby sister Mariah made her arrival and 10 weeks later she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Talk about turning a world up-side down. My little boy suddenly lost his mom, as we had to travel 3 hours away from home to the hospital and I devoted most of my attention to caring for her. I was so young and inexperienced. I even had doctors tell me that I wasn’t smart enough to know what was wrong with my daughter. I may not have known those fancy medical words at the time, but believe me, a Mother knows what is wrong with their child. And they were grossly wrong with their initial diagnosis.
That was a pivoting day in my life. It was on that day that I decided NO ONE would tell me I wasn’t good enough, or smart enough. I went to Target and bought a notebook. I wrote everything down in the notebook; nurses names, doctor’s names, lab tests, etc. I journaled and doodled in this notebook for over a year. It documented every detail of Mariah’s first year of life. I wrote down feelings, some good, most of them a pity party, but none the less, I wrote. It was my saving grace at the time. It earned me a lot of respect and I became known as the “Mom with the notebook”.
Along with the notebook, I also took up painting and making little onesies for Mariah while in the hospital room. Her nurses took note and began asking me to make things for them. They actually PAID me and so my creative business was born.
The journaling and creativity gave me a positive outlet to feel, to gain confidence and to put things into perspective. I would read what I had written the previous day or week and began to celebrate small wins, like “today, she opened her eyes and looked at me”. Small wins, made more wins and eventually those wins became big wins when we were told she was in remission!
Fast forward 30 years. After suffering abuse, depression, break-ups and loss, I decided it was time to stop merely surviving and start thriving. Believe me, I have felt all the feels, the pain, the heartbreak, the anger, but I know God has bigger plans for me and I made it a goal to live up to my full potential. I didn’t just want to survive, I wanted to THRIVE and help other people in the process.
Today, I’m a published author, internationally recognized artist and creative consultant. Channeling my experiences, I have the skills to help others going through similar challenges in their life. I know how to help them manage stress, let go of pain and work to forgive their past. While it wasn’t pleasant at all going through all this, I discovered that I am strong, and that I am a better person now than I was then and that I need to use my experience to help others.
I’ve spent the past several weeks putting together my passion project, a course called “Surviving to Thriving”. It’s six weeks of prompts and creative play, step by step guidance designed to help anyone struggling with anxiety, grief, stress use creativity to release their feelings, discover their inner strength, gain confidence, improve their immune system, and restore self worth. There are so many health benefits to art, you’ll be amazed at what you will learn. This class is even for those who can’t draw stick-people!
If you’re tired of just surviving, letting fear get in your way, or anxiety weighing you down, no energy, stressed-out, then let’s chat over. I. CAN. HELP! I’m offering a FREE 15 minute consultation to see if my course Surviving to Thriving would be a fit for you, Send me an email TODAY and take the first step towards a better, more successful YOU!
Hurry, there are only 10 seats left! Thanks for letting me share my story, I can’t wait to meet you and hear yours!
Don’t let your fears, anxieties or stress rob you of the blessings that are just ahead of you. The blessings you deserve!