How To Train With Experts For Free

I love to learn. I’m always reading something or taking some type of course. Every week I spend considerable time on learning things that are hard for me. In life, we are either growing or dying, and I want to make sure that I’m striving every day to becoming the person God created me to be. 

When I became very sick, I devoted my time to healing. I read numerous books on the body, books about inflammation, diet, and exercise. The knowledge helped me to understand my body better and to make the best decisions for me. While I don’t agree with everything that I read, still I like to read about my health and then make my own decisions. I don’t leave something as important as my health to my doctor. I take responsibility for my own health and learn as much as I can about it. After all, we don’t know what we don’t know. 

My whole life I have lived with anxiety and depression. Living with chronic pain, and a condition with no cure is hard. For years I took medicine to help my symptoms. The medicine, however, does not teach us how to deal with the problem. So I decided to read books on the topics. Wow. I found tons of books from experts on the topics. Not only did the books and courses help me to understand the conditions better, it also helped me to see that we can overcome them. Now I don’t take any medicine. Right now I am reading a book called Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel Amen of the Amen Clinics. I also just got one of his courses free. It is a $299 value. Click here if you want to get the free course as well. (Note: I don’t know how long this offer will be available.)

Brendon Burchard is Oprah Winfrey’s and Usher’s life coach (along with top athletes, singers, and Olympians). While I could not possibly afford to hire him to work with me  I can, however, read his books. He has an offer right now that if you pay $7 shipping and handling he will mail you a copy of his book, give you access to a free course valued at $297, and offer you the access to his Facebook group. Click here for the offer. 

We can learn from other people. When we spend time learning what other people have already figured out, then we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Not only will it save us time, and in most cases pain, but it will let us know that we are not alone in our struggles. Whatever you are going through right now someone else has already been through. Find out what they did to overcome their circumstances and implement the changes into your own life. 

It helps me to know that other authors struggle with procrastination, feelings of self-worth, burnout, and overwhelm—just to name a few. When I read their stories then it gives me hope and tips to help me. We don’t have to go through this life alone. There are numerous resources at our fingertips. 

What is your favorite book?

Love and blessings, 

Candida

P.S. If you haven’t already, please check out my latest book by clicking here. Despite Your Circumstances shows us the power of the mind as it embraces a positive and thankful attitude, and demonstrates how to build a rich life filled with meaning and joy. The author uses seemingly impossible situations in her life to prove that you can be an overcomer despite your circumstances.

Living with Amniotic Band Syndrome: Finding Your Tribe

Discovering the name for my condition was mind-blowing. Imagine living your whole life not knowing what had happened to you. Then one day, a doctor speaks three words that literally changes your life: Amniotic Band Syndrome. That’s what happened to me. The day that I discovered my tribe was memorable. 

Amniotic Band Syndrome and other related conditions have linked me to so many creative and kind people. Tony Memmel was one of the first persons with a limb difference that I met. He is a singer-songwriter born without his left forearm and hand. He taught himself how to play guitar and his music is amazing. My family and I traveled to Knoxville, TN and met him and his wife. We formed an instant friendship. Later he wrote the theme song for Zippy’s Club Play and performed the song at the play. You can watch the video here. 

As a little girl, I always desired to meet other people like me. A few years ago, I attended a picnic where I met other people with limb differences or who are advocates for limb differences. Molly, the founder of The Lucky Fin Project, was there with her family. It was great to see her in action and see first hand how she strives to help the limb difference community. It was also great to meet her daughter Ryan, the reason she started the non-profit organization. I also got to meet Jen and Jordan Reeves, who has a blog called Born Just Right and also endorsed my book “Zippy’s Big Difference”. Recently, Jordan has been in the news for her cool prosthetic. You can read the article here.

It’s always a pleasure to meet the Haack family. Ryan and his family are such a joy to be around. Ryan has a blog called Living One-Handed and a book called "Different is Awesome". 

Yoocan is the world’s #1 empowerment site for people with disabilities and their families. Their community reaches over one million people in 100 different counties. Yoocan started with a real story. When the founder, Moshe Goan, had a nephew born with a rare disease, he realized the need for a community of like-minded people. It was then that he started sharing his emotional journey and Yoocan was born. Daily people with rare conditions share their journey with others. Sometimes just hearing someone else’s story gives us hope, ideas, and tips for our own lives. A few months ago, Yoocan reached out to me and asked me to share my story with their community. You can read my story here. 

Since discovering my condition, I have also discovered so many wonderful people that I would not have met otherwise. If you are just now discovering the limb difference community, then I suggest you start by visiting their websites. They have tons of valuable information and connections to a community of like-minded people. 

Love and blessings, 

Candida 

My Thumb: One Year Later

One year ago today, my life changed. 

I still remember the excitement as we traveled to the hospital. Everyone who entered my hospital room knew that I was getting a thumb. The day was emotional. Going into surgery, I didn’t know if I would come out in better or worse shape. It was definitely a step by faith. 

Now one year later, my thumb helps me in ways that I can’t even explain.  Being able to grip the steering wheel with my left hand enables me to give my right hand a break and be able to drive longer without pain. Now I can open things, especially doors, with my left hand. While the use of my left hand is not completely automatic, I still find myself using it more and more. It has helped to relieve my pain tremendously. That in itself has been such a blessing.

Now, I’m going to share something with you that may surprise you. My thumb did not turn out entirely like I wanted. I don’t have very much feeling in it. Sometimes I forget that it is there and I injure it. I’ve stubbed it and stabbed it numerous times. As long as I’m thinking about it or looking at it, I can make it move. Otherwise, it doesn’t move on its own. Also, the center part of my hand gives me trouble because of the shape of the bone and the design of my hand. The bone actually presses on the palm of my hand and causes it to swell and be sore most of the time. One year later, I still can’t move the joint in my thumb nor hold a weight comfortably with my hand.

I am sharing this with you because things don’t always turn out like we expect. In order to get my thumb to function better, I would need another surgery or two. The thought of going through the pain and rehabilitation process again is overwhelming. So is the financial aspect of that type of surgery. 

So I have two choices, I can either whine about the problems with my hand or I can be grateful for what God has blessed me with. In my heart, when we add it all together, the good and bad, I am so incredibly grateful for the things I can do with my thumb. Even when it hurts, I am grateful because, praise my God, I have a thumb. I will not allow the devil to steal my joy. While it wasn’t everything I wanted in my mind, in my heart, it is so much more than I had ever hoped for and more than I even deserve. I still cry when I look at it and think about the blessing God has bestowed upon me. Going throughout my day without the tremendous physical pain has opened a new world to me. My whole life I had been told that nothing could be done to help me, and then God intervened on my behalf. He has helped me— despite the circumstances. 

He understands our tears. He saw me struggle every day. He knew my situation completely, and He helped me. He doesn’t forget our prayers. He bottles them up and when the time is right He answers them in His way. And it is always to our benefit. 

Romans 8:28 (KJV)

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Even though my thumb doesn't function exactly like I wanted it to, I can still use it. God can take the smallest, simplest thing and bless it to help us greatly. That is what He did for me. My thumb is a daily reminder to me that God still performs miracles, and when we open our eyes and search for them we will find them everywhere. 

Love and blessings, 

Candida 

The Lord Is On Our Side

The devil is sneaky. He comes at us in so many different ways that it’s hard to recognize him at times. Mainly, he works in our thoughts. He is the one that takes something small and creates a huge problem with it. It’s hard to always recognize him or his ways. That’s why it is so important for us to go to church and hear the word of God, read our Bibles through the week, and pray for understanding, guidance, and wisdom continually.

God knows what we go through. He knows our every problem— right down to our thoughts. And He wants to help us live a more joyful life. God doesn’t want us to live stressed out and always worried about something. Half the time, when I’m really feeling stressed is when I have created my own problems. Some of my greatest heartaches have never actually happened. They were just problems I created in my head. 

Talking to God about our problems is a wonderful way to gain a new perspective about them. Especially if we ask Him to help us see the situation as it is not as we believe it to be. Journaling is a great way to step back and look at our problems. When I take the time to write about my problems, then I’m able to see them much clearer. Most of the time, my situation is never as bad as it originally seemed. 

When I’m going through something challenging, I think, God will either help me to overcome my problem or He will help me to overcome my thoughts about it. Our God is mighty. There is no problem that is too big for Him to handle. When we cry out to Him, He will help us. It may not be in the way that we want for Him to help us, but it will be what is best for us. 

Sometimes we just need to step back and remember that we are a child of the King. We have favor with the Lord. His angels protect us, and His love surrounds us constantly. With the Lord on our side, we have nothing to fear. Nothing can separate us from Him.

Photo from Unsplash. Taken by Paul Morris at Glencoe, United Kingdom.

Love and blessings,

Candida

Do You Know The Lord?

What an honor it is to know the Lord and to be His child. Regardless of what we go through, nothing can ever separate us from Him. He knows our situation and He always has a plan to help us. We are more than conquers through Him. 

The reason we are still here is to tell others of the hope inside of us. Someone is in the same shape that we were in before the Lord came into our lives and put His word in our hearts. I remember that kind of hopelessness and feeling as if my life was meaningless. When God filled my heart, however, He replaced my fear with His peace, my hatred with His love, and my thoughts with His thoughts. He gave my life meaning and purpose.

Sometimes my mind still struggles to envision how wonderful Heaven will be. There will be no heartache, no pain, and no evil. For all eternity we will praise our Lord, and be in His amazing presence. Our soul will be joyful and so incredibly peaceful. 

God is a wonderful paymaster. He blesses me for serving Him and even teaches me how to do His work. Giving my heart to the Lord and deciding to live my life for Him was the best decision that I have ever made. What about you? Do you know the Lord?

Love and blessings, 

Candida

Who Is Watching You?

Sometimes it still amazes and at the same frightens me that I have two boys to raise. God entrusted me with them and I want to do what is best for them. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m doing. I discovered this realization when they first handed them to me in the hospital. Without an instruction manual or a plan, I left the hospital to figure it out. 

Since that day, I’ve been trying to figure it out. One thing I have learned is to pray without ceasing. God doesn’t expect us to figure it all out. He has the answers if we just go to Him and trust Him to help us. 

In order for me to help someone else grow in their life, I have to be willing to grow in my own life. I can’t just tell my children how to live, I need to show them. We have to be willing to lead by example. My parents didn’t sit me down and tell me how to live my life, but they constantly showed me. I watched my parents help those in need, and it made me want to help others as well. 

We can tell people all day long that we love them, but sometimes we need to show our love. God gave us numerous examples in the Bible. He showed us how to live our lives. 

Philippians 4:8-9 (KJV)

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

When we set out to be the best person that we can be we will touch other lives. People are watching us. What kind of message are we sending with our lives? I’ve heard so many times that we are either shining them a light or we are a stumbling block to them. I never want to stand in someone else’s way, so I constantly work on myself. 

God rewards our efforts. He wants us to grow and prosper and lead others to Him. Sometimes we have to stop and think about what is truly important in life. If I could decide my kid’s future, and they could be anything that I chose for them to be, I would want them to be a mighty soldier for my Lord. Because I know serving Him is what truly matters in this life and for Eternity. I also know that when we put God first in our lives, then He will bless every area of it. 

Serving God and helping others is what I want to pass down to my kids and their kids—and every generation to come. I want my legacy to be about serving God and others, so I make it a daily priority. What will your legacy be?

Love and blessings,

Candida

How to Overcome the Monday Morning Blues

Do you dread Monday morning? I used to dread it so bad that it made my stomach hurt on Sunday night. I always woke up in a bad mood and carried my bad mood until at lunch at least. Some weeks, if I’m being honest, I nurtured my bad mood until Friday. It made me miserable. 

Not being able to work for almost a year, changed my life. It taught me how precious life really is. So often we take things for granted. Working is a privilege denied to many. Once I changed my thoughts about working, then I was able to change my feelings as well. Now I look at Mondays as a new opportunity to make a difference. This day is precious. It will never come again. We shouldn’t wait until the conditions are perfect to have a good day. Today can be a good day if we chose for it to be. 

When I center my thoughts on the Lord and how I can serve Him, then I can make the most of my day. He can bless us in whatever state that we are in, wherever we are. We don’t have to wait until we get a new job, go on vacation, or the weekend comes to be happy and enjoy our day. 

Sometimes we just need to take a moment to count our blessings. Are things really as bad as we portray them to be? If they are then we need to make changes in our lives. Usually, the change starts within. When I worked on me and my thinking, then my life changed. It wasn’t my job that was the problem. It was me. 

I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I wasn’t doing anything to nurture my soul or fulfill my purpose. I wasn’t starting my day right. I wasn’t exercising or eating healthy. I was barely doing enough to get by, and my life reflected my choices. 

Now I’m grateful for each day. I receive this Monday joyfully and hope that God will bless me to receive much more. When we change our thoughts and receive each day as a gift, then we are able to enjoy it. The devil is the one that wants us to put our blessings in the same category as our heartaches. Don’t allow him to do that to you. Enjoy this day, despite him and the obstacles he throws in your way. 

Love and blessings, 

Candida