Move Forward Any Way You Can

Last week I successfully defended my dissertation, officially crossing the finish line in my dream to become Dr. Braden. From an 18 yr college freshman who was kidnapped and raped who dropped out suffering from severe PTSD symptoms and thought her dream would never be, to a terrified 35 yr old mother of five who somehow summoned the courage to set aside her fears and go back to college, to the 51 year old woman you see standing before you today, now officially Dr. Braden, I implore you—Do.Not.Give.Up.On.Your.Dreams.

You will be pushed down. Don’t stay down. Even if it takes a bit to catch your breath, rise again. What is within you is far greater than what it is that surrounds you. This will always be so.

Doors you thought were wide open will abruptly and dramatically close. Consider this protection from what you cannot see would be. People you thought would make the journey with you will hear a different call and take a different road. Thank them for their contribution to your world and wish them well. The right people will find you. The right people will love you. The right people will stay with you. Always.

Run when you can. Walk when you cannot run and when walking is too much, face into the sun and inch forward any way you can.

Believe in who you came here to be. Believe in your power, your purpose, your presence. Most of all believe in the dream written upon your heart, indelibly inscribed in 1,000 different ways upon all that is you.

It is your dream because you are the one to achieve it. It is a sacred promise to the world, written before time began, the promise of who you are and who you are called to be. You are the answer to a question asked long ago, the fulfillment of a need in this world you are meant to heal.

When you cannot find the faith to believe all of the above, choose to take a step forward anyway. Don’t let the moments your faith wavers dictate what it is you do. Move afraid, move despondent, move confused, move disillusioned. Just move. Move in defiance of all that is not how you thought it would be. Move in defiant hope towards the reality you long to see. Miracles are born in that space. ~ Dr. VB #NeverGiveUp #Fierce #Hope #Dream #Achieve #Accomplish #Perseverance #Persistent #Hope #Success #Move