I suppose the reason I have so many followers and fans on social media is due to the adversity I’ve overcome in my life and the success I’ve achieved. Real people relate to real people’s stories. The speaking I am blessed to do and the books and programs I share also bring people to my Facebook and Twitter pages. In my social media posts, I share regularly that the reason for the success I’ve known is the same reason I’ve spent time going through so much difficulty… and that’s how I came to the title of this article. The “F” word is FORTUNATE and it’s my belief that we are all FORTUNATE. Here’s why…
I believe that going through the trials and tragedies I’ve encountered have been a blessing in my life. The burden has, in fact, become the blessing. Fairly recently, someone posted that she didn’t agree. I decided to share the conversation in the hopes that you will discover what the “F” word means to you, and choose to find the blessings in the burdens.
Donna: “A question to get your brain headed into a very positive, productive direction as this magnificent week begins. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you to living your dream? Note- I didn’t ask what you do for a living, or if you have money, or if you are healthy, or if you have people around you who love you. I didn’t ask anything specific. I asked, on a scale from 1 to 10, how close you are to living the life you’ve always dreamt of living. Now… what would it take to make it a 10? We get one life my friend. What would it take to get it seriously headed in the direction of a 10 TODAY?”
Response: “I’m at a minus 10. Some of us aren’t as fortunate as you.”
Donna: “I truly understand being at a minus 10. Fortunate is an interesting word to describe someone who’s been abused, lived in total poverty, been depressed to the point of being a minus 10, and so much more. If you want to call that fortunate, I’ll receive it. For had I not been through the lowest of lows that I’ve been through, I would not know that burdens are designed to give birth to blessings. I would not realize that beauty is intended to come from ashes. So, I am very fortunate to have experienced so much pain. Not everyone chooses to see their pain that way… and it can take a lot of time, effort and prayer to get there. The beginning is simply to realize the truth of it all. But honestly, even that is our choice.
Yes, I have been at a minus 10. I finally learned the number I was living at was up to me. Life doesn’t do it TO us. Other people don’t do it. The government doesn’t do it. God doesn’t do it. It’s hard to hear, but where we are is based on the choices we make.
I came to the place where I figured out that I didn’t have to like it. I didn’t have to agree with it. I didn’t even have to believe it… but it was still true. My life, my happiness, my outlook…. it was all my choice.”
Realizing that this person’s anger was merely a representation of her hurt, I shared this back.
Donna: “I am truly sorry you are hurting. My words will always be those that speak life. Even when facing a death sentence, even when facing bankruptcy, even when being beaten up, facing losing my home, facing losing a child… my husband and I chose to look for and find the blessings. Your view point and your opinion are certainly your right.
My “bragging”, as you refer to it, gives a lot of people hope. I’ve witnessed first-hand people being told they would die and then living for many years. I’ve watched people over 80 years of age increase their finances. I’ve seen businesses that were completely upside down become enormously successful.
I’ve watched God do miracles when it seemed there was no miracle to be found. I praise Him that I choose to see life this way. This is how I choose to see reality. I feel obligated to tell you that I’ll not stop sharing these words and stories of hope. If they upset you so, you may want to unfriend me, for they are who I am.”
She then proceeded to tell me how wrong I was, and lashed out with even greater fury. I, on the other hand, made a decision to use the situation to grow from and to help others produce their own positive reality.
So, that brings me to my question for you. Do you see the word “fortunate” as the new “F” word? Unfortunately (pun intended), if you do, you most likely will never know what it means to be fortunate, because you are claiming, and dare I say, even relishing in, your misfortune. The rationale of justifying a less-than-desirable-place in life might work with me, had I not lived through the circumstances I’ve lived through.
My point is this; you are fortunate! You are fortunate when you’ve suffered and chosen to see it as a blessing. You are fortunate when you’ve lost at love, business and money and chosen to learn from it. You are fortunate when you’ve been scared and depressed and came out faith-filled and rejoicing… even when you’ve not seen the circumstances change yet.
Too many folks think their circumstances indicate whether they are fortunate or not. I believe how we respond to our circumstances determines whether I am fortunate or not. I can tell you one thing for sure… when I focused on my misfortune, I got more of the same. Life would become tougher, I was hurting, and I felt anything but fortunate. However, when I focused on gratitude, looked for the lessons to learn, and chose joy, the most miraculous thing took place. It seemed that I was fortunate… more and more so every day.
When I was younger, I worked as a seafood clerk to support my child. I could have complained about how I didn’t want that job, but instead I appreciated the income while actively seeking something better. I then sold memberships in our local club and for a weight loss facility.
What small opportunities could you avail yourself of, that with the right perspective and behaviors, could lead to a larger opportunity later? In the amazing world we live in, someone can get started in the fitness industry by taking a minimum wage job in a health club and end up owning their own chain of club… I did!
When my husband got cancer (FOUR TIMES) we could have worried non-stop. Instead we chose to research intelligently, live faith-filled daily and make the best life we could with whatever time we had left together. None of us really knows how much time we have left anyway, so we all need to make the best of it! Besides, getting cancer and beating it can lead to a lifelong passion of helping others with their health concerns, like it did for my husband.
How can you shift your perspective to see a difficulty you’ve lived through as a lesson? What is the blessing hidden in the burden? Someone getting fired might lead to them opening a business they’ve always wanted to open. Not having enough money to feed your child can lead to having the drive to build multiple companies. Your club selling fewer fitness memberships could be the opportunity to make your club stand out in the community and be the obesity solution. There are so many blessings and opportunities all around us, but they may be hiding in what appears to be a difficult situation.
It’s been said that we are the average of the five people we spend the greatest amount of time with. We are the average of their health, their relationships, their income, their outlook and their success. I choose to associate with FORTUNATE friends. I choose to spend time filling my life with people who see what others might view as their misfortune and turn it into fortune.
It would serve us to watch out for “friends” who claim they are not fortunate. They do not help us achieve our goals. We must find friends who see all they’ve lived thorough as FORTUNATE, no matter what difficulties they’ve lived through. Find friends who live in the fortunate world, that have turned their club from failing to flourishing, that have taken their world from miserable to miraculous.
I believe I am such a friend. If you are too, please come and share some time with me on social media. Based on the ways I’ve been FORTUNATE, I believe I can take your fortune to the next level. Follow me on FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/DonnaKrech