6 Things That Got Me Through a Challenging Year

Life is never void of challenges and what appear to be setbacks, none of us are immune to them, they come in many different forms, but it is what we do before, during, and after that determines how they will affect us.  I want to encourage, equip, and empower you through what I share from my heart and my experiences so that when you encounter challenges, you will choose determination to overcome rather than defeat that causes you to succumb.

Challenges can also be opportunities if we pay attention and view them through a lens of faith and hope, rather than defeat and despair. Don’t misunderstand me, I have had my moments of feeling defeated, but I choose not to dwell there! I pick myself up, shake myself off, and refocus. I encourage you to do the same! Don’t rely on your feelings at those times because you probably won’t FEEL like it, do it anyway!  Here are 6 Things That Got Me Through a Challenging Year, I pray these things that helped me so much, will help you as well. If you’re not going through a challenge right now, consider looking at these as things you can do to prepare, what can you put in place now, as well as something to save for when you need the reminder.

1. Staying filled up with FAITH! Some days it was difficult, some days I just didn’t do it, but more days, I did. I read God’s Word, I prayed prayers of FAITH, I spoke AFFIRMATIONS based on God’s Word and I listened to faith-filled messages. I also did not allow the enemy, Satan, to plant his seeds of doubt or despair. Again, this is a choice, I didn’t always FEEL like it.
2. I relied on my amazing healthcare team! Many years ago, I abandoned traditional healthcare because it failed me big time, in ways that put me on this 4-decade journey of fighting for my health and at one time for my life! I have a Naturopathic Doctor, a Biological Dentist, a Chiropractor, a Cranial Sacral Therapist, and a Massage Therapist, all of whom have years of experience helping people like me in their wellness journey. I am so thankful for this team of caring, open-minded, and brave professionals.
3. I discovered an absolutely AMAZING new health modality in the form of a little phototherapy patch. The science of Phototherapy has been around for about 100 years, but even the ancient Greeks used a form of light therapy 1000’s of years ago! These little patches have done SO much to help me, and my family, in this past year, I will never be without them! If you would like to know more about these non-transdermal (no drugs) patches and what they can do for you, contact me and I will be happy to send you the info. This type of easy-to-use, affordable therapy can help literally every person in some way.
4. Support! It is so important to support yourself in multiple ways when you are working through challenges. My support system includes my husband, my family, a few close friends, my environment- keeping it calm & peaceful, my diet, and boundaries-I had to say NO to a lot of things, things I really wanted to do, during the first 2/3 of the year.
5. I had to keep my VISION alive! This was SO HARD to do. I didn’t feel well, I couldn’t do most of what I wanted or needed to do to move my vision forward. It was very disappointing and discouraging… BUT I made myself do something whenever I could to keep it alive and make a little progress toward it. I also asked God to give me greater clarity and to connect me with the right people to help me in the areas I needed it, and He did, as He always does!
6. Patience and Grace! I had to be PATIENT with the process, with myself, even with my grandson as he grew through each month of the changes that an active growing toddler experiences. Caring for a toddler at my age looks & feels a LOT different than it did the last time I did it, 37 years ago! In addition, he is not my only grandson, so I made sure to have quality time with my other 2 grandsons, which also didn’t look the way I wanted it to most times. And GRACE, I had to let go of my expectations and the fact that I fell way short of those expectations I had set at the beginning of the year. I had to choose to give myself grace (mercy) through the long days of exhaustion, fog, and pain, days where not a lot of anything got accomplished and instead piled up. I had to choose to be kind to myself and remind myself that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, that this was a temporary thing and that I would get through it and be stronger for it.

I’ve had to fight through healing issues many times over the last 4 decades, and honestly, it isn’t any easier now than it was 40 years ago, sometimes harder in ways, but it isn’t a fight I’m willing to give up on. It is also something I see myself as a VICTOR of rather than a VICTIM of. I’ve learned so much and as a result, I have been able to help many people in many ways, I hope that today I have helped you in some way!

“And the Lord will guide you continually…. And you will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Isaiah 58: 11 ESV

If you would like to know more about the patches, I listed in #3, or any other thing I’ve listed, please CONTACT ME through e-mail or my social media page. I am happy to help you, my friend!

Until next time, remember, I believe in you, and I believe in your dreams! It’s time to SOAR in 2024!