Find Your Passion and Thrive

I think we all come up from something, thrive from our circumstances and find a way to better ourselves from a start that wasn't so wonderful at some point in our lives if we really have that desire to grow and improve. I think our hardships bring us to a place to find our strengths.

Sometimes hardships are brought on by our own choices and other times it is a situation of chance or circumstance. Sometimes those hardships are deeply rooted from generations before. Finding our purpose, our silver lining, our reasons for things happening is what makes us strong, more improved and interesting.

My story has plenty of hurdles, sad times, failures and frustrations. I had the most picture perfect childhood up until my teens. My parents were still married, supportive, loving and we were fortunate enough to have a beautiful, stable home. My mom passed away after a battle with breast cancer and then it was just me, my big brother and dad. I had to learn to be the woman of the house at 16 and help pick up the slack and chores.

After high school graduation, dad decided to move us out of state for a fresh start. I didn't want to leave at all, but also I didn't have much choice in the matter. We moved 850 miles away where I enrolled in the local university. I completed my degree after 5 years of study and received my teaching certificate. Also, by this time I had gotten married and he and I agreed to move back to our home state.

Shortly after moving, we fell apart. There were differences in what we wanted for our futures and needs for our own independent growth.

I was on my own for the first time.

I did have a roommate that took care of me in a ton of ways and helped me navigate this new life all while I worked hard to earn my keep. A couple years later, I was feeling like I hadn't had the opportunity to truly apply myself in my field of study and was struggling financially in a big way. I chose to move away again. All on my own to a place I didn't know a soul.

I was hired over the phone to begin my journey as an art teacher. It was a full time salaried position and I was thrilled to have my start in a real career. It was bittersweet though. I had to move away yet again and this time I had to do it completely on my own. It was sink or swim.

That brought me to where I'm at now. 12 years later, I'm still working at my dream job, same school district and everything. I've built my career, made some of the best friends I could fathom and have even been able to afford myself a few cars and the dream home of my own. I have learned that the things that are hard and bad in our lives force us to fight for better and because of all of the things that have happened in my life that were hard, sad or frustrating, I've learned so much! It's all been so valuable for me.

I have learned how to live independently. I have learned how to fix nearly anything that needs to be repaired, I have learned how to set my budget, both with money and time. I learned how to assert myself when I need to as well as how to pick my battles. I have been able to thrive in the things that are creative as well as find the courage to always be willing to try something new. I'm a life long learner, a poet, a writer, a painter, sculptor, Ms. fix-it, hot rod girl and the list goes on and on. These things that I have become fearless at learning that I CAN be are all because of the things that I learned I HAD to be!

Success stories come from the ashes of heartbreak and struggle more often than not, and I share my story with you in case you too are in a chapter of your life that is full of struggle and hardship... I want you to find your strength and passion to pull through it and thrive!