Create The Life Of My Dreams

I am grateful for a family that supports me, cheers me on, and is patient with my hummingbird tendencies in life. My heart is full of gratitude for each of them for being willing to divulge their tender moments in an effort to help thousands of others. Her mentorship was invaluable. She turned the thoughts and stories into a collection of art. Last, I want to thank all of my mentors, teachers, and cheerleaders. My journey has been paved by the knowledge and inspiration you have given me. I can’t list them all for fear I will forget someone. If you read this paragraph and wonder if I am referring to you, the answer is yes. This perspective can reveal hidden benefits and solutions, and even disclose profound meaning contained in the hardship. Even your gifts, opportunities, and blessings can remain concealed until you step back and see a much bigger picture. As soon as you realize you’ve been looking at your life through a peephole, and discover the wealth of relationships, resources, and knowledge waiting for you on the other side, the door bursts open and you can finally begin to live your life with greater purpose, strength, and fulfillment. Individuals who suffer with broken lives can heal, and most wonderfully, they can thrive.

Look Back When It's Over

I dare say they even have the potential to thrive more gloriously than those who do not first endure such difficulty. As you’ll soon see, Wendy Bunnell has hit the nail on the head with this groundbreaking collection of narratives, Success Through Failing. It shows you where you and your life’s experiences fit in this world of pain and confusion, and inspires you to take your place, so you can ultimately discover and fulfill your own unique mission. My husband and I had suffered through setback after setback, disappointment after disappointment, practically to the point of wondering what was going to hit us next. Not only have we been targets of thieves and victims of fraud, but we also experienced multiple job losses, significant medical crises, car accidents, late notices, overdraft fees, and of course, more debt than we could handle. We just couldn’t get in front of it. A run of misfortune such as ours makes a person wonder if that’s just the way life is supposed to be. In our attempt to solve the problem, at one point we held multiple jobs, attended school, and tried to build a business, all while raising our young family in a tiny basement apartment. I remember being thrilled to find leftover food in trash bins at office complexes where we performed midnight janitorial services. We reluctantly received government assistance during my pregnancies, but never let go of the belief that there had to be a way for us to support ourselves. We just wondered why we seemed to be the only people we knew who had to fight every day just to survive. In our longing for a way out, we searched for a shortcut or windfall, which would balance out the injustice in one fell swoop, and finally make us equal to those who lived above our version of dysfunction.

A Beautiful Reward

Unfortunately, when we got there, our credit card had no room left for the rental. One thought kept us going though. It was the idea that by our thoughts we could change our lives. After all, that’s where everything begins. No building is ever built without first a thought. Nothing is ever said without first thinking of the words. No crime is ever committed and no glory is ever achieved without first the idea of it being planted between the ears. So if this was true, then surely there had to be some way of thinking that would put our lives onto a better path. Our quest centered on studying people who were living happier, more successful lives, and how they thought. And when the breakthrough finally came, I had to share what we learned, because it all finally made sense. I really just wanted to be a mom. Waking up showed me that I had something valuable to offer because of my hard experiences, and so do you.

Speak To Me

Pay attention to how they think. These are remarkable women who were given some of the worst of the worst kinds of life challenges, and who somehow discovered within themselves that power, which likely would not have been uncovered in any other way. The beautiful thing about this work is that it underscores and gives proof to the fact that every one of us has the same hidden spark, the same potential for greatness, the same access to unseen power that stands ready and eager to assist us, as soon as we’re ready to put it to use. If you stop to think about it, there is no feeling without a change of state to some degree. Our skin doesn’t feel warmth unless it understands cold. Our face does not feel wind unless it remembers the sensation of still air. We can’t feel happiness until we’ve also experienced misery. There is no hope unless we’ve first felt despair. The truth is, no matter what you’re facing, there is no need to despair. You see what these women have seen, once you feel what these women have felt, once you awaken to what these women will reveal through their stories, and once you pause to consider the possibilities that await you, too, you will already be on your way to a life that is more happy, and fulfilling than perhaps you have ever known before. It means different things to different people, but its ultimate realization is what drives us, what propels us forward and helps us create solutions that provide meaning and purpose in our lives. You also know that sometimes you can get in your own way. My own fear was of losing stability and security. I felt free to create the life of my dreams. I knew I was getting in my own way.