Pain to Purpose

I've failed countless times in every area of my life. I bet you didn't expect me to start a book like this one with that phrase. It's true though, I have.

I don't get to write a book like "How Passion + Purpose = Profits" without having an incredible story to share. I know you do too. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here.

I wanted you to know that right upfront so you know two things.

1 I am no different than you. 2 I am a girl who chose to create, transform, and inspire.

I am a woman who believes I am limitless, I am resilient, and I am priceless. That you are too if you choose to be. I am leading myself and others to transformation and inspiration.

Most importantly of all, I am a fighter. A fighter for freedom. In all forms. Expression, time, location, and financial. A fighter to take a stand to help you learn How Passion + Purpose = Profits for you. To help you create a life and business you love.

It is because of that, and the divine desire from our creator of LOVE for myself and YOU, that I have fought. I have fought for passion and purpose with ALL that I am.

Our Creator would not leave me alone.

I have been bruised, beat down, sacrificed so that you KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that is is possible for you. Possible to create a life and business you love.

It's this tapestry of faith, hope, and love that joins us all together in this human experience. Along with the doubt, discouragement, and hate we've all experienced or created. This life of ours that connects us all.

When I look back, the biggest failure I had was not listening to God about who I am created to be. Instead, for years I did the opposite.

I listened to people that have a different version of the world than I do. Instead of playing full out, I played small. There was a deep desire to fit in. At different points in my life, I didn't realize each one of us is born to stand out.

Thank God the story doesn't end there.

Thank God He wouldn't allow it to.

All of us have experienced success and failures.

Perspective in the Pain

I believe they all serve a purpose if we shift our perspective. Nothing is ever wasted if we choose to use each experience. Sometimes success in one area causes us to fail in another area of life. At the moment, pain may be unpleasant. Yet, we may choose to turn pain into purpose.

I started to transform on many levels in 2010. Although I reinvented myself in the past, this time I co-created a new me.

I started to look backward in my life. I asked myself a simple question. When did I experience a time when I felt successful in every area?

Immediately, college popped in my mind. I remembered feeling alive as I walked aligned to my purpose. I loved the feeling of who and how I was then. I wanted to recapture that feeling.

Let me explain so it reminds of a time in your life you felt that too if you don't now. This way you can recreate, magnify or amplify your life.

In college, I spent time daily dreaming about how I wanted life to be. I wrote down my goals daily and took action. I practiced being healthy and learned. I learned new things all the time. I thrived in school with a 3.6 to 3.8 GPA.

I excelled at serving people in finances at a credit union. I received awards for results. My family supported me in my dreams.

The friends I had were amazing - Janelle, Angela, and Isabel. Angela, Janelle and I started a non-profit together. We traveled the world.

These were my successes at the time. At the same time, things were missing.

Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was missing my God-given dreams. I missed dreaming of what I wanted. The seeds showing my desires were there. Instead, I settled for the dreams that others wanted or projected onto me. I played it safe for me.

People Pleasing

I valued man's opinion over my own and God's. I chose some of the things I loved, but not all of them. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I shrunk my faith to make others feel comfortable.

In college and for years after, I experienced major FOMO (fear of missing out). I didn't like missing parties or events for fear of disappointing others.

For years, I chose foods that didn't serve my mind or my health. I ate unhealthy food to fit in. I chose to drink to fit in.

I allowed people or chose friends that were not the best for me. I allowed a boyfriend in high school to early college abuse me in every way. I went from an abusive relationship to running from investing time in a relationship at all. I didn't believe love was possible for me. So, I self-sabotaged. I did that a lot in case you can't tell.

It takes a lot of courage to look at ourselves with eyes wide open. I practice courage daily and my journey is nowhere near over. I made the choice to face myself head-on.

This time around, I became determined to take all the things I loved about that time and refine the others. In reviewing each experience in my life, I dug deep.

I thought about what resonated with me and what didn't. I stopped apologizing. Sometimes this comes easy, sometimes it doesn't. It's a muscle and we get to choose to exercise it.

Transformation from the Inside Out

I began to shift my beliefs step by step from:

Fear to Faith

Devaluing to Purity

Self Hate to Love

Corporate to Calling

Bondage to Freedom.

With God's help, I learned to believe that I am worthy. I began to believe in my dreams and desires. I developed the strength to fight for freedom.

My spirit helped lead me to know that I am worthy of love. I accepted that I am worthy of the love of my life and all the love God gives. It took years to get here to say that.

I find it interesting that I get asked a lot if I feel fear. Of course, I do. People will sometimes say to me "you look like you have it all together". Keep in mind you see 1% of any person's life unless you are around them a lot.

In general, we see 1% of other's lives. It's incredible to have the audacity to form an opinion or judge off of the 1% we see. Yet, we do it. People will say "you make it look easy". I tell you and I tell "them" it isn't easy at all.

Yet, I choose growth. I chose to go all in. Because I embrace the vision, I focus on faith. I choose faith over fear because I know that I am capable of limitless possibilities. I know who God is.

You are capable of anything I am capable of. Anything anyone can do, you can do it too. If you want to do something brand new, do it. The sheer fact that you imagined it means it is for you. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Not even you.