Introduction
Does it seem impossible to see through your life-altering illness or that of a
loved one? Maybe you can’t stop the negative spiral, feeling in a constant
state of stress, or you anticipate a catastrophic event, regardless of whether
it might happen? Perhaps a traumatic event has shaken you to your core
and you’re ravaged with anxiety or PTSD, unable to see the light at the end
of the tunnel? Do you think these feelings are all immutable facts of your
life and you will never get through them?
Well, think again.
You are capable of persevering and coming out on the other side with a new
sense of calm and resilience and be all the better for it.
How do I know this you ask?
I have done the work of discovery and recovery. I have researched and
understood the teachings of wise spiritual guides and successful leaders the
world over. Knowledge of the fundamentals of the mind-body connection
has influenced the way I live my life for the better. Most importantly, years
of personal experience have allowed me to understand that the lows of life
are not only surmountable but beneficial to you as you develop coping skills
and a steady demeanor. The tools for resilience I am about to share with
you will serve as invaluable tools to improve your life. You will radiate
peaceful self-control which will positively impact you and those around you.
It is my hope that in sharing first-hand encounters with the depths of
emotional and physical pain, of which you will discover, I have plenty, will
provide value of emotional perspective. I can say with certainty that if I
overcame the trials and tribulations that were thrown my way and
confidently emerged stronger for it, so can you.
So when life backs you into a corner and you feel there is nowhere to go, no
one to turn to, and when you are overwhelmed with emotion or fear, this
book will teach you exactly where to go- inward. Your resilience lives within
you and this guidebook will show you how to tap into it in five easy-to-follow
steps.
Resilience is a living state of readiness that allows us to respond with the
ultimate flexibility to any circumstance. Having resilience means you can
recover from whatever difficulties come your way. It is not only about
mental toughness, but it is the ability to manage painful, stressful situations
and bounce back. This book will show you the way to do so with a peaceful
demeanor. A strong frame of resilience is armor for your soul, using the
past and present as protection from future deep wounds.
Now it’s your turn to redefine self-love by facing what has influenced you
and created your fears. You will turn your test into a testimony. The
reflections, quotes, along with modern methods and easy-to-understand
psychology in this book will help guide you on this journey.
It's time to move forward by facing what hurts, permitting yourself to heal,
and embracing the small victories along the way. You will see your growth,
day by day as your past will no longer define you. Instead, you will
acknowledge it, learn from it and thrive with your new-found strength.
The truth of life is there is “no back door”. My tale of tragedy and triumph
throughout the daily “norms” of life sometimes felt as though I was alone in
my struggles. Like many others, my life has been a series of tragedy after
tragedy, upheaval after upheaval. I have suffered financial ruin, loss, a rare
disease, month-long hospitalization while on the brink of death, and open-
heart surgery to top it all off. Yet here I am, standing tall and stronger than
I ever have been.
How?
I taught myself about the power of resilience.
Resilience has been the key component pushing me through harrowing life
events, all of which happened in a small amount of time between 2010 and
2020. Acknowledging what you are facing or have faced and moving
forward is a key component of resilience. Getting straight to the point,
practically identifying the negative events in your life you begin to see them
for what they are. Acknowledging pain as a universal aspect of life, you can
be brief in describing your challenges and you will see the path to
overcoming them seems clearer, and less littered with obstacles.
More or less in order, let me share the main events that brought me where I
am today:
● Husband’s business venture failure, financial ruin, market crash and
my six figure salary squandered by mismanagement.
● Failed twenty-three year marriage
● Loss of the relationship with my daughter for 5 years in a morass of
misunderstandings during the divorce.
● Declaring bankruptcy.
● Working two jobs to barely surpass the poverty line.
● The short sale of my home.
● Eight moves between 2010-2021 (suitable housing for family pets- one
a blind rescue a challenge)
● Assisting my ailing parents, including coordinating the “dismantling”
of my father’s studio compound and the dissolution of his prolific
career while he experienced a slow and horrific demise from ALS
disease.
● Assisting my mother’s adjustment following his death, moving her
twice while my own life was in total shambles.
● My much-beloved brother died suddenly of ALS two short years after
my father.
● Contracting a mysterious blood disorder that infected my heart valve
(subacute endocarditis) leading to my body shut down, organ failure,
anemic and heart failure.
● Five days in intensive care, a protracted hospital stay for open heart
surgery to replace my heart valve, and implant a pacemaker.
According to my brilliant cardiac surgeon, my heart was in his top 5
worst in valve replacement surgery history.
● Intubated in intensive care, I suffered a stroke.
● Surviving an assault while still in heart failure during recovery period
triggering my panic attacks.
All this while keeping a brave face and stiff upper lip in an elite real estate
firm where clients would complain of things like not enough closet space!
There is more, but you get the picture.