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I believe we all have special gifts. We are here to fulfill our purpose, and regardless of where we come from, we can accomplish great things in our lives.
I remember being asked to do a seminar for the Federal Reserve’s Money Smart Week many years ago called, “Smart Women Finish Rich.” When I got up to speak, I looked out at 170 women known as the “Unbanked” (meaning they did not have a bank account), and I wondered, How in the world will I ever reach these women?
From my introduction, they knew I was a successful financial advisor living on a lake in the suburbs. How could they relate to me, or me to them?
It was then that I decided to tell my personal story for the first time. I had never publicly shared this story, because I was embarrassed of it. I looked around the conference center and saw my co-workers and the prominent attorney who invited me to speak in the back of the room. I was scared to death, but I stepped through my fear shared this story …
My parents very poor when I was born. My father decided to reenlist in the Army to make ends meet. When I was just 6 years old, my father died in an accident, leaving my mother with three children under six. She was just 32.
Although my mother had used the military insurance to pay cash for a house, plus she received some income from the military and Social Security, she wanted a man to take care of her and her three children.
She found one at our church, but he was a monster. After nine years of living hell, she ended up homeless with breast cancer. You would think that I would have learned from that experience, but we often go back to the familiar. Guess what? I ended up marrying my own monster.
Thank God, I was very strong, and through a series of synchronistic events, I was able to get out of that marriage within a year. It was a very challenging experience, but a good lesson that would help prepare me for my life’s purpose.
So how did I get from where I was then to where I am today?
At 20 years of age, I found a book called, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. I learned that “thoughts are things, that I could create any life I could imagine if I just had a vision, didn’t lose focus, and did whatever it took to succeed.”
Next, I found a mentor. I took classes, stepped out of my comfort zone again and again. Becoming a Certified Financial Advisor was a game-changer for me. I also met my husband of 30 years, we had children and together and created an amazing life. It wasn’t always easy. We made mistakes, but we learned from those mistakes. They were our greatest teachers.
What I know today is that everything that happened to me was perfect. I have no regrets.
Embrace your roots, your experiences, your lessons, and use them to propel you forward. And most of all, do whatever it takes to get smart about money so you can make a difference and live a life you love.
You may have to get uncomfortable, but with the right information and support, you can do it too! Get that support from our Smart Women Community! Take advantage of our experts interviews at Smart Women Talk Radio, explore our blogs and free resources, and schedule time to take my free course, Unlock Your Financial Power. Behind every successful woman is a tribe of successful women who have her back. That’s Smart Women’s Empowerment. Sign up today!
Originally posted on katanaabbott.com
Katana Abbott, CFP® practitioner, is a Life and Legacy Coach™, host of the Smart Women Talk Radio™, founder of the Smart Women Companies with over 1 million subscribers globally, inspirational speaker and author of several books. She began her financial planning career in 1987 and became a Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner. In 2003, Katana created Smart Women’s Coaching® to offer financial coaching and educational workshops for women in transition who are dealing with caregiving, death of a loved one, divorce, retirement or looking to create or grow a business. She founded Smart Women’s Empowerment in 2008 to bring free financial empowerment resources and programs to women around the world through her team of Contributing Experts. www.katanaabbott.com