All my life, I always thought I would be the one to fail and everyone around me would be more successful or accomplish great things. What I have observed over time is those that I thought would “make it” either died or gave up. I was still moving forward. I can’t tell you exactly what drives me – other than what I learned in Dancing Souls – but my spirit is so much stronger than my ego. I believe adversity defines you. You either make the best of it or you die (and not always literally). I must have believed in myself so much on a level beyond my pea brain thought processes because I am a success. I may not be Bill Gates but I am a success. The fact that I love myself and stand up for myself and refuse to put up with anyone’s crap is absolutely amazing! I wondered if I would ever find my back bone and I did. It took my mother’s death to find it and moving to IL in 2008. Again, in Dancing Souls. I worked on that backbone thing my entire life and finding my voice as well. I won’t say I am a slow learner, I just wanted to be thorough in the lesson. I don’t ever want to come back and redo this!!!!
Working in the environmental business while I was trying to decide what to do with Awakening Spirit, opened a whole new world. I seemed to be instantly respected because I just don’t take crap off of anyone. I am not on the take and I believe we should be paid fairly for what we do. I have repeatedly been told that I am tough but fair. I follow the regulations and no one can say otherwise. I don’t abuse my power, I stand in it. I treat the workers fairly. If they are doing a good job for me, I buy lunch occasionally. The workers are surprised because no one has ever treated them that way. They decide I am not so bad after all. I believe in treating people good if they are doing good work for you. Maybe someday the world will just do that because it is the right thing to do.
K
athleen Flanagan, CEO and Founder of Awakening Spirit, Aromatherapist, Sound Therapist, Esthetician and Author.