Let me tell you a little secret: I don’t have my life plans figured out.

You may have seen my LinkedIn profile full of admirable job titles and though, If I could just have the opportunities she had, I would be further along in my career. You may have even seen the article written on me about the work I do in public health and thought, Wow, this chick is amazing! Or, you may have even seen the photo of me and Robin Thicke posted on my Facebook timeline and wished you could walk a day in my shoes.

Or maybe not.

Regardless of whether you’ve ever compared yourself to me or not, the truth is that life has been no picnic for me in the last few years.  I’ve endured some experiences that were so humiliating; I couldn’t even gather the courage to post them on my blog anonymously.

Lately, I’ve been wondering whether people were enduring the same struggles as me. I’ve been thinking that perhaps I am the only one on the planet that has such stories, for when I tried to ask people to tell me a similar experience, all I hear is crickets.

Initially, I was frustrated. I thought that there was something wrong that I’ve been doing or perhaps I’ve had bad luck. Maybe this is punishment from some bad behavior I demonstrated years ago and only now I am receiving payment for it.

Or maybe it’s just part of my unique story that has been created to make me more human, more compassionate, and a better woman.

I refuse to let unpleasant people and not-so-favorable situations steal my spirit. I refuse let such things keep me from dreaming or persevering. I will, however, let such hardships sharpen my character and strengthen my faith. I will choose to shrug off people who kick me when I’m down or talk about me when I’m not around. I will focus on what’s before me rather than past mistakes.

I started Scribbles & Tostitos because I have stories to share with you. While some of these stories were painful to endure, sharing them on this blog has been therapeutic. Many readers have thanked me for being transparent. They’ve mentioned how my stories have comforted them in their own struggles. I’ve decided that if my stories touch at least one person, then all of those uncomfortable situations and hard lessons were well worth the experience.

The one thing that I’ve learned is that your life is your letter to the world. How you respond to the good and bad things that occur in your life is what makes you different from your counterpart. Your experiences are unique because you are unique. There is no one in the world who has your fingerprint, so why should anyone in the world have your unique gifts, talents, and experiences?

Be you, embrace all your eccentricities. Wear them with a sense of pride and accomplishment. For, who else is better qualified to be you?

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