There was the time I went to University and went to visit my brother who lived nearby teaching at West Point.

He asked me what I planned on majoring in. I told him Creative Writing as I wanted to be an Author at the time. He said, ‘You’ll never succeed with doing something creative. Have you ever considered joining the Army?’

He thought he was helping me, I acknowledge. And in a funny way, he did!

He aroused an energy in me, a chip on my shoulder I must admit. I wish it could have happened another way.

But I discovered the strength of my will, first in the form of tenacity.

I learned it is better to bet on yourself by choice than to be forced to!

The Universe has a funny way, even if we don’t laugh at the joke in the moment it is taking place.

My child was on the way…money was running out…business wasn’t coming in!

The unthinkable, undesirable actually happened. No money, no home, living day to day!

If no way was found to put a roof over our head and food in our stomach, we would have been sunk! Family shelters had a waiting list, other shelter options split the families apart. And let’s face it, a shelter is no place for a newborn.

I know, I have seen them.

So most of the time on a daily basis, an answer had to be found! I discovered what was inside of me, both the good and the bad. You have no choice in such instances but to get to know both on an incredibly intimate level!

It’s amazing how much you can succeed when you are confronting the concept of failure not being an option!

But, I came out of the fire with the gift of greater tenacity. That tenacity had to eventually be tempered. But I am grateful that this side of my spirit had been allowed to see the light of day. Without it, my family would not have survived.

I became more confident as I became more deeply aware of what I was capable of doing.

I came to understand how often, we are being provided for even when we feel we aren’t!

I came to understand that in the midst of great adversity, one can find space to laugh and find happiness in simplicity.

I came to understand that even though I may feel like there is little hope, there are still some worse off than I am. I know….in the midst of my struggles I was able to help a few of those who were worse off by sharing what little I had.

There is something inside of you that also knows how not to give up.

-There is a confidence in you that you can choose to tap into should you choose without necessarily having to go through trauma.

-There is a wealth of abundance in the world even when you think your own personal supply has expired. You simply need to learn to work with what IS there to co-create more!

-Even if your struggle is intense, there are those ‘practical joke from the Universe’ moments that can help you to find reason to smile. And if you have a hard time, seek out your nearest dog.

-And even though you may be going through a lot, you are always in a position to help others!

When you decide to reclaim your power, your confidence and your purpose…and emerge victorious, you will likely discover that you were always successful! You simply had not listened to your own inner success story!

Ready to rediscover it?