As a single mom with two teenage children to raise, she was terrified that she would not get to see her kids grow into the successful young adults they are now.

Until that point, she had been a transformational leader, coach, and author, and before that, a PR executive and journalist. 

Receiving her diagnosis jolted her and took her on a deep healing journey of mind, body, and spirit -- training with world-renowned neuroscientists, spiritual leaders, and other healers.

Yet, the defining moment came when three different types of healers -- a doctor, a therapist, and a shaman -- all within a short time frame told her one of the keys to extending longevity: We must claim our worthiness to live, to declare our right to be here, to be alive. 

Quotes:

• Teaching and writing are in my bones. They reflect best the essence of who I am. Sharing information and others' stories delights me.
• We must claim our worthiness to live, declare our right to be here, and be alive.
• From now on, know this: If you don't feel worthy now, or have not in the past, you did nothing wrong. The path to reclaiming worthiness entails letting go of judgment (and we're often our worst critics). Instead, embrace yourself with love and compassion.

Key takeaways on worthiness:

1. It's your birthright. You were born worthy and whole. You must clear old stories and create a new narrative (and this work is hard to do alone, as many try to build anew based on old thoughts, beliefs, and early life conditioning).
2. 95% of who we are by 35 is a set of memorized behaviors, beliefs, and early life conditioning - according to Dr. Joe Dispenza, a world-renowned neuroscientist with whom I trained.
3. You must learn to stop pushing and start receiving. The drive of always trying to make things happen is a pattern formed from unmet needs from early childhood. Rest and relaxation are key to integrating new ways of being.

Three things you can do NOW to embrace a greater sense of worthiness:

1. Set aside at least 20 minutes a day of "me time." I have created a free, guided meditation to help you with this on my website. 
2. Track evidence of new levels of worthiness appearing in your life. The act of writing these things down trains your brain to look for more of it.
3. Repeat this sentence first thing in the morning, and before you go to sleep at night: Today, I allow myself to know I am worthy.