I spent many years hiding behind an event that forever changed my life on September 18, 2007. Vulnerability, insecurity and depression from a previous divorce led me into the arms of cocaine. I immediately fell straight into full blown addiction which spiraled out of control for 10 years. I have crippling heavy baggage full of guilt, remorse, anger and resentment. How did this beauty queen from Texas studying to become a surgeon end up in jail facing forty years?  [pullquote]How did this beauty queen from Texas studying to become a surgeon end up in jail facing forty years? [/pullquote]

How did I go from wearing a tiara and sash waving and smiling in a parade to sporting black eyes, bruises and scared to voice my own opinion? I was devastatingly BROKEN and LOST. Depressed. I felt guilty for being alive, or didn’t know how to even LIVE anymore. However, through faith, strength is built and endurance is obtained. My story of raw TRUTH was written on stained and tattered paper, sitting at a cold metal table in my jail cell while awaiting my fate of sentencing. The release of emotion which streamed my words moved me through pain, guilt, FORGIVENESS and depression. I honestly believe this book was the therapy which saved my life! We often ask “What does it take to hit rock bottom?” Well…this is my story of what it took. Don’t wait as long as I did. Get help and find something, anything, to love about yourself TODAY.

PULL YOURSELF UP from any and every situation you find yourself in by retraining your brain to focus on the “silver linings.” Find your core strength buried inside behind the shame, guilt, embarrassment, denial and arrogance and use it to PULL YOURSELF UP. Get up right now and FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE! Ask yourself, “who am I here to serve?” When we make it about something or someone else, we become less obsessed with our own drama and actually serve others. Maybe, just maybe the things you have gone through weren’t even about you!

Find your purpose because it is a GIFT!

I practiced four key habits to pull myself up and will share what worked for me to get up and face life every day and become a better version of myself. Stop looking in the rearview mirror and enjoy the journey ahead of you, because you can take control of the wheel and navigate your own path. I challenge you to LET GO of your haunting past so you can BE PRESENT and show up in your FUTURE.