Posts by Brandi Stage

“I think everyone has a part of his or her life we might choose to do something differently, but even the unpleasant experiences help us to grow.“   Helen’s story: I am a baby boomer. My mother was from Louisiana and met my Illinois born father who was in the army. We moved several times…

“Put your heart into everything you do!“ Jamie’s story: Put your heart into everything you do!     What are some of the rewarding parts of the current decade you are in? The challenges? In this era of my life I have taken a leap of faith and made a big career move. The fear…

“You have to take the lessons learned and input in life to make you the person you want or become. It may take time but lessons are there for reasons. I would not trade it for anything.“   Susan’s story: Geez… I have no idea where to begin…I was tickled pink when Brandi called. I…

“I would not do anything differently. I now understand that everything happened for me to be at this place, in this moment, loving myself at this time.“   Yashica’s story: “If I want to be free, I’ve got to be me. Not the me you think I should be, not the me I think my…

“If I had the opportunity, I wouldn’t change a thing! With each decade, I’ve lived and loved and been the best I could be with the help of God, my family and friends.“   Stephanie’s story: This Bible verse has always brought me peace, letting me know that God truly has gone before me to…

“If you want anything in this world, YOU have to work hard for it. For most of the world life is not easy, but hard work will pay off in the end.“   Jamie’s story: My parents divorced when I was 4 years old. My father re-married within about 9 months. My mom had custody…

“To my surprise and shock, I was diagnosed with a meningioma (a brain tumor). The location in my brain was the area that controls the speech and coordination. In March, I underwent a craniotomy to remove it. To describe my recovery process could be said nothing short of miraculous. I was admitted on a Tuesday…

“I haven’t always extended the same love and care to myself that I give so freely to others. I’ve spent decades nurturing everyone around me—students, children, family—while putting myself last. Eventually, it caught up to me. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. It was a wake-up call I couldn’t ignore.…

“I have had awfully dark times and wanted to surrender, but I’ve survived every crashing wave and found strength to get back up and find joy in the next ride. I’ve also learned that in some instances, there’s more strength in surrendering, as it isn’t giving up – it’s releasing the need to control. Once…

“I am beside myself with appreciation, standing here in a mound of my own flaws and unique perfection. I am free knowing they just love under-dressed, waterlogged, playful, lyric-chasing, awkward-in-a-crowd, over-thinking, over-sharing, touching & hugging-too-much, over-salting everything all the time – me.“   Darlene’s story: Hi there, Gorgeous! I’m so happy you’ve turned up for…