One evening, crawling on the floor trying to get to the bathroom, I’d had enough. “That’s IT” I thought – “I’m done! I’m fed up! I’m sick AND tired of this physical and emotional pain.” I began considering my exit strategy!

This really freaked me out… because I’d never, EVER in my life had such a thought go through my mind. I was absorbed in a hopeless moment.

BUT, something deep within pulled me back from that dark place. It was my Karate teacher’s voice in my head: “You show me a quitter, I’ll show you a loser!” He used to yell this out in class when I was a younger man… and it hit me, like his lightning fast kicks used to – it was a wake-up call right to my head!

I realize this may sound pretty heavy to some folks, but his words were the inspiration and reminder I needed to keep going… to keep searching for a way out of my “hell”.

That same night I came to a profound realization that my misfortune could somehow become a huge opportunity. I made a deal with the Divine: Show me a way to heal… and I will do everything I can to pay-it-forward by helping others to also overcome their pain.

I decided that night to keep seeking for a solution to the pain and become someone who could, through example, be an inspiration for others and help them break-free and overcome their seeming insurmountable challenges.

With this newly inspired vision I kept looking (and inwardly asking) for direction. I believe that when we surrender to something bigger than ourselves (and our pain) a shift in our lives can take place.

After that night of Soul searching something definitely shifted. I was lead through a series of amazing discoveries about the mind-body-spirit connection. It was a bizarre process, kind of like following messages left for me to find a treasure… but, I followed them and eventually my journey of pain became a journey of healing!