Bear...yes he is. I thought to myself a few weeks ago I am always required to be motivational, and serious and know all the correct answers and, guess what? I too like to be silly and let my hair down, have a laugh. As most of you know who either receive my monthly digest, Stepping Stone, or who have read my book, A Life Like Mine, I am a two time breast cancer survivor. The second time I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2000 I received the news with acceptance. The first time I was diagnosed in 1997 I was very scared, thought I was going to die from this terrible disease and, quite honestly, without the help of family and friends I dread to think how I would have coped.
After almost 3 years of being cancer free my life was taking a turn for the better, I had fallen in love with a very special man, my soul mate, probably the one thing I had been searching for all my life without really knowing it. When you meet your true soul mate you will know, no one will have to tell you or you will not have to question if this is "the one". This wonderful man loved me so much he gave up his life in England and came to live in Canada with me and my 4 children. Settling in to a new relationship always has its challenges, but 4 months after Dave moved in with us I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. After the normal tests and biopsies the treatment decided on was total mastecomy, due to my previous diagnosis of breast cancer and my family history. The rest of my story of how I coped with the news of being told I had breast cancer for the second time when I was counting the days to being cancer free for 3 years is documented in my book, A Life like Mine. Today I wanted to tell you what prompted me to start my own business, Motivational Steps at such an emotional time in my life. Traumatic experiences change us, sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse. In my case I knew I had been spared for a reason, I knew I had been given a second chance and my passion was Health & Wellness. Just 5 months after my mastectomy and all the challenges that were associated with it I went back to school and discovered my true vocation, public speaking. Whilst on my years course I accepted honorariums to speak at local high school and perfected my craft, I became a Motivational Speaker and I loved it! I have found, after many years something I felt so passionate about that I knew I had to do it, and I knew I had so much to offer and my audience feedback confirmed I was on the right track. I called my first keynote presentation "Living with Life's Challenges" because so many of us do live with our challenges, they never seem to go away so we have to invite them into our lives and find ways to deal with them. Over the ensuing years I have lived with many more life's challenges, but always managed to turn them into something positive. I had a hystercomy a couple of years ago, a few months after my fairtytale wedding to my soul mate, Dave. I decided to write my book, A Life Like Mine, whilst I recouperated from my operation. How proud was I that now I could actually say I was a published author! My clients referred me to other people and my business and reputation grew. Eventually I added a new perspective to Motivational Steps and I am now a Motivational Speaker, Author and Life Coach. How the wheels of time travel so fast, how the journey of life changes so much, look at me now, look at me then, what an extraordinary life we can have if we work hard and retain our passion and belieft system!
Even successful people have to do paperwork and answer the phone and work on future projects, we all need somewhere to do it, so for me it is my home office. It does get lonely sometimes and motivation can dwindle, when I walked into a store and saw Trek the Hope Bear sitting there not only was I supporting a charity close to my heart, The Breast Cancer Foundation, but I was gaining a friend, my new Company Director, whose lot in life was to keep me company :) Awareness about Breast Cancer is growing daily, being a breast cancer survivor I wear something pink every day of the year to promote awareness. I talk about Healthy Lifestyle, Prevention and Early Detection to anyone who wants to listen, it really does make a difference. If, by writing a blog about a bear meant more people noticed me and read about who I was and why I do what I do then that not only helps my business, it also helps my Vision, a Vision of a world with no breast cancer.
So for those of you out there who may have been feeling worried for my state of mind, or even really thought my Company Director was a bad guy, you can all breath easy now, a bit of fun goes a long way to helping us relax and smile, its healthy, so next time you feel lonely or sad, or lost, find something or someone like I did to keep you company, it works wonders!
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