Real Women Overcome Odds

                                                                          Author: Kori Ellis Collection: AVM

Oftentimes, we let little things get to us. Even something as simple as bad rush-hour traffic or a missed appointment can ruin our day. It's these times that we need to hear inspirational tales that help us learn to appreciate life. These two stories are about real women who overcame real obstacles to embrace everything life has to offer.

Inspirational women

With the hustle and bustle that goes hand in hand with everyday life in today's society, it's quite easy to take our very existence for granted. Most people feel at ease in their own routine and don't dare leave its comforts. However, there are those who strive for bigger and better things - whether out of ambition or simply a will to survive. I spoke with two inspirational women who told me their stories about why they reached for the stars and how they arrived at their destination. Both women, Rebecca and Cindy, have encountered daunting obstacles in life but have overcome by utilizing grace, determination and an undying love of life.

Battling dyslexia

Rebecca, who I met at a business conference in Las Vegas, is one of the smartest people I know. Even if you were around her for an entire day, you probably wouldn't notice her disability. "I was born with severe dyslexia," Rebecca explains. "Due to my learning disability, I was in special education classes for most of my elementary and middle school years." Despite the challenge, she refused to let dyslexia dictate her life. Every day, she worked on overcoming her disability with the help of her parents. "My dad would spend an hour every morning helping me with math," says Rebecca. "In the evenings, my mom would have me read books out lout and then she would quiz me on the content." Rebecca's hard work paid off. By high school, she had advanced from special education classes all the way to honors classes. When high school came to an end, she kept striving. "When I was a young, no one thought I could ever go to college," she confides. Not only did Rebecca end up going to college, she graduated near the top of her class. Was her journey over? Hardly. "I always had a vision," says Rebecca, "of one day being a lawyer. But it seemed like such a crazy aspiration that I never told anyone." Today, Rebecca's vision is a reality. She graduated from law school and is currently working her way up in one of the largest law firms on the East Coast. Rebecca says: "I wouldn't change a thing. My learning disability still makes life a challenge but it also gave me the determination to make my dream come true."

Another inspirational woman next!

Overcoming challenges

Speaking of determination, that word aptly describes Cindy's greatest strength. Seven years ago, Cindy was a housewife who was raising five-year-old twin boys. However, one fateful day, her life was turned upside down. Ron, Cindy's husband, was in a boating accident that sent him to death's doorstep. Though he survived, Ron was left without use of his legs. "That whole day seemed like it was in slow motion," explains Cindy. "From the time Ron was on life support to the time they told us he was paralyzed from the chest down, it felt like an eternity. And then from there, breaking the bad news to Ron when he awoke was almost unbearable." After months of rehabilitation, Ron was able to return home. But with four mouths to feed and Ron unable to work, Cindy realized what she needed to do. "I graduated high school but I didn't like the idea of college," says Cindy. "Though at that point, life gave me no choice." Cindy enrolled at a local community college and found out that she had a passion for numbers. Two years later, she transferred to a university and decided to major in accounting. "Raising twins, helping Ron and going to school were challenging," she says, "but comparatively speaking, I had it easy." Cindy now works as an accountant at a large corporation and is fully able to support her family. "I'm proud of myself but I don't think I did anything spectacular," says Cindy. "I just played the cards life dealt me."