Today marks the first anniversary of The Power of Change on Substack. I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to build and grow this publication from an idea to a weekly publication that now reaches hundreds of readers in 27 U.S. States and 21 countries!
To everyone who has subscribed and continues to read each week, I would not be here today without your ongoing support. Thank you!! To my friends and family who comment each week, it means so much to have your feedback! Please continue to share your thoughts.
When I began The Power of Change in October 2022, I set out to tell stories from parenting to personal finance, mindfulness to marketing, advocacy to overcoming adversity. My goal was to share stories not just of success, joy, and happiness, but of sadness, grief, and healing too.
Stories of living.
This week, I reviewed the catalog of stories published, and I believe I achieved what I hoped to, while adding a few topics along the way, such as the wisdom we gain from our pets as told through stories about Gracie’s Gifts and Remy’s Realm, and what we need to persevere whether we’re sick, well, or in between: stories about building resilience, finding support, and learning to embrace a growth mindset.
Ultimately, I hope you’ve all gained an understanding that the power of personal growth and transformation exists for everyone.
It’s there for you, waiting to be unlocked or revealed.
It’s a power that can propel you from the depths of darkness to the light of day.
It’s also far greater than you can imagine.
Why The Power of Change?
For years, I suffered from a mysterious, invisible illness that impacted every aspect of my daily life. I was dismissed by doctors because they didn’t have the answers.
I lost my job, a career I loved, and so much more along the way.
Until I realized the only way I’d survive was to find the answers myself.
I began a journey that would take two decades and a twist of fate I could never imagine.
In the meantime, I learned to live in a new way. The lessons learned are told throughout The Power of Change.
The story of my illness and its effect on my life is not unique. I’m no different than thousands of other patients whom I’ve met over the past two decades.
What is different?
I kept fighting for answers.
I learned to unlock the power of my mind and my intuition, and trust my intuition.
I learned to build resilience.
I learned the importance of an open mind and a growth mindset.
I became a medical detective. I analyzed every clue, researched every lead, and never stopped asking questions.
I became my own advocate and an advocate for others.
When medical providers dismissed me, I continued searching for the ones who were curious enough to find a way to help.
I didn’t give up.
Anyone can learn to do the same, whether you dealing with a chronic illness or not.
During my thirty-year journey of illness and beyond, I developed a formula to build resilience and transform my life.
It included in-depth research and analysis, repeated questioning, a mindfulness practice, and a positive, growth mindset.
It was the core of my power of change and the basis for this publication.
In fact, during the past three decades, my formula has been tested on many occasions, and it’s proven successful time and time again.
From illness to living chronically well.
From despair to joy.
From fear to fortitude.
From sadness to happiness.
Life happens.
How we choose to experience it is the difference between surviving and thriving.
I choose to thrive.
It’s no secret that the way we communicate in life, not only with others, but with ourselves, plays a major role in the way we see and experience the world around us.
The way we approach challenges is influenced by our past experiences. Our willingness to step out of our comfort zone and embrace each moment is a conscious choice.
How we choose to live each day is a choice.
I learned to choose joy, happiness, and love, even when there were more reasons to let fear, sadness, or grief take over.
Our choices direct our lives.
We set the tone for each day.
We also have the ability to change what we think, feel and believe.
But most importantly, we all have The Power of Change.
After the first article was published last year, I wondered how many would read it and if anyone would return the following week?
Week after week, I committed to sharing tips and recommendations so others could avoid my missteps.
More of you subscribed.
I wondered what brought you here? Was it a headline, a photo, a recommendation from a friend? Drop me a comment below and let me know!
While I’d love to hear from more of you, ultimately, I believe The Power of Change continues to grow because we all face challenges and adversity in our life.
No one is immune.
And we all need ways to manage the difficulties and the disappointments. We need tools and tips to overcome the challenges. We also need support.
Did I think I had the power to reverse an unexplainable turn of events? Absolutely not.
But today, I know it’s possible because I’ve done it.
And I look forward to continuing to share what I know to be true:
If you find yourself in a difficult situation, there is a way through it. It’s The Power of Change.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it with friends and click the ❤️ button below so more people can discover it on Substack.🙏🏻
If you’re a newer reader to The Power of Change, I invite you take a look through the links of past articles found at the end.
If you’ve been a reader from the beginning, thank you for your ongoing support! You may also wish to revisit a past post, and now you find many of them right here!
For the next three weeks, to celebrate the first anniversary of The Power of Change, I’m making all archived posts available to everyone and offering a 20% discount to become a paid subscriber. In return, I ask one favor.
If you enjoy what you read, share The Power of Change with a friend and hit the ❤️ button below so more people can discover it on Substack.🙏🏻
My goal for the second year of The Power of Change is to continue to increase readership and offer more content including guest posts and interviews.
If you’re a free subscriber and want to show your support, consider a paid subscription. I dedicate many hours to researching and writing so I can bring topics of interest to you. For the cost of a cup of coffee (5.60 a month/ or 48.00 a year), you can support my work. You’ll receive all weekly articles, access to the full archive, and access to engage with the community including subscriber chats.
A Year in Review
The first edition of The Power of Change was published on October 8, 2022.
In it I shared 5 Things to Master to Become Resilient.
Throughout the year, I wrote about overcoming adversity and what it takes to live Chronically Well by building and harnessing the power of resilience. Stories such as:
Many weeks, I wrote about mindset:
Develop a Growth Mindset And Change Your View Of The World
Change Your Story, Change Your Life
In December, I wrote for the first time about my father’s passing and the many lessons learned from his remarkable life:
What My Father's Death Taught Me About Life
For those who have lived with a chronic illness, there have been many resources. From the difficulty of obtaining a medical diagnosis and finding a care team, to a host of topics in science (neuroplasticity) and wellness (how to build resilience one step at a time):
A Guide For Navigating The Medical System
Crossing The Chasm - Does Neuroplasticity Play A Role In Healing
20 Simple Ways To Support Someone With A Chronic Illness
Learning To Live Chronically Well
How To Build Resilience One Step at a Time
In addition to the many science and research articles, I often wrote about the lighter side of Life:
Life Doesn't Come With A Manual, It Comes With A Mother
Stilettos, Books, and Motherhood
The Perfect Age To Live Your Life: How to embrace aging and become the person you were meant to be
About parenthood, I wrote:
Making Hard Decisions Is Part Of Being A Parent
Birthdays, Milestones, And Lessons From Your Mother
During the month of May, I dedicated The Power of Change to Lyme Disease Awareness with these stories:
Ten Facts About Lyme Disease Everyone Should Know
A Patient Guide To Lyme Disease Part 1
In addition, I touched on a range of topics from psychology to personal finance, and the wisdom we gain from our pets:
I’d love your input as I finalize the content calendar for 2024! What were some of your favorite articles? What topic would you like to learn more about?
Tell me what resonated or why you read each week.
Until next week, be well.
🎉✍️🥳 Congratulations & well done ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Looking forward to what your 2nd year will bring us. Your articles are packed with important information, insights, love, possibilities, and more. Thank you Tracy!
Rock ON!!!