I recently met an amazing woman named Sheila Ulrich through a mutual Facebook friend. Sheila inspires people by living her authentic life, and has an important message to share. I call that Living In Courage. Sheila helps create a bridge between fear and life. If you are in fear, take her hand and let her walk you to the other side. As I have talked about often at Living in Courage Online, fear is a pesky illusion that the altered ego loves to trip you up with. Do not give it any power. By using the power of love, anything is possible. Sheila’s story “Facing Death, I Found Life” follows.
It wasn’t the familiar voice deep within, the physical exhaustion, or the collapsing career and relationships that got my attention. No, for me it was an ultimatum, live or die. But somewhere at the back of my mind, I had felt it coming; a lingering doubt, a faint premonition, whispers of a tragedy. Facing my own mortality, I woke up, I found myself again, and I found life.
Eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. Stage IV melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, invaded my body. In an instant, my life changed forever. My three young children stared in horror as their mother collapsed in fear. That pain in their eyes almost paralyzed me. Through inconsolable sobs, my heart ached with their pain. They needed me, their mother, to help guide and teach them and share their lives. Even in the shock of the moment of crisis, a piece of me knew the opportunity ahead. My responsibilities as wife, mother, career woman, socialite, and friend had consumed me and I was spinning out of control. The conflict within had surfaced now in disease. I knew this was my opportunity to transform my life. I made a decision, a choice, I chose to live! The urgency to teach my children about life and death sent me searching in multiple directions. I was searching for the answer to save my life and to save my children from living a life of fear.
Doctors, tests, and surgeries became my way of life. The medical community had little to offer for treatment or preventative care. My bodily pain was unbearable, but more than that my spirit was disguised beyond recognition. I felt confused, walking through an unending nightmare. With so many questions and very few answers, I was determined to find another way. Then in a glimpse of a moment the whole world stopped, no sounds, no movement, and complete stillness. The message filled my entire being, “Heal the Whole, Body, Mind and Spirit!” A sense of peace and knowingness so profound no words can describe followed. It was then that my journey into self began. I realized that my inner voice, that hadn’t been listened to for a long time, was screaming to be heard. Little did I know, my journey began at that moment, to find my spirit once again.
Alternative healing methods were introduced to me and a whole new world of hope and possibilities opened up. I tried everything available; homeopathy, naturopathy, spiritual healing, kinesiology, yoga, etc. Through each modality experienced, another piece of me was unveiled. All my painful emotions and experiences, not expressed and discarded, were carried with me as an expression of who I was. Each step along this journey led me to uncover more and more of my life experiences I was defining as me. Who am I anyway? One by one, I began to release all the good and ugly experiences of my life I had carried so long. I began seeing the light once again of who I really was beyond this physical body.
I was transforming me, my life, while my family and friends clung to the old. Many messengers along the way guided and encouraged me to continue. With faith and barely the strength to get through most days, I put one foot in front of the other and continued the journey. As another year went by with no evidence of cancer, I was certain I was traveling the right road. Uncovering layer by layer of this old self was excruciating. It was a journey through the deepest pain and the darkest hell. When would this misery end? When would I be whole again? So many times, tired, angry, and alone, I wanted to quit. With little courage to battle alone, something inside nudged me forward. That still, small voice that had been forgotten was still screaming to be heard. The world had distracted me long enough and I began opening to the infinite knowingness within. The pain became joy, the loneliness peace. I saw clearly how I had created the pain and disease in my physical body to wake up and remember who I really was and my infinite potential. This growing awareness was an outward expansion of me. I saw how I had created the roadblocks and limitations in my life that imprisoned me and how these roadblocks held me back from experiencing the joy, peace and happiness I had been searching for. I began watching myself create the suffering in relationships and experiences, and then knew that it was only in my mind, not me. My mind was creating my suffering. To let go is freedom. I clung so tightly to past experiences and emotional pain because I thought it was me, but the me inside was really free.
The journey that I began to save my body from death became an integration of body, mind and spirit and a gift of awakening. Every moment, I continue my healing journey; a journey back to self, a journey that never ends. Every moment I create my life and continue to remember who I am and why I chose to come. My life has changed forever and I will never be the same again. I experienced death; death of my old self and a rebirth into the infinite creation of life. The experience of truly living each step of this journey was a gift so I could walk others across this bridge of life. I share this gift with you, so you too can find LIFE! Many walk through time feeling a void or lack of purpose and meaning in their life. Don’t wait for a tragedy to hit to wake up and live your dreams. Even in the darkest moment, there is a glimmer of light; a light shining bright enough to lead you to your next step. What is holding you back from expressing who you really are and living your life in joy?
Truly Alive with Sheila Ulrich Radio Show is all about HEALING.
Healing is restoring and becoming whole to live life fully. Together we can heal no matter where we are in our life cycle or what our life circumstances. Listen to our experts as we lead you on a journey of healing ALL of you. Sharing amazing stories of healing and living life fully will inspire you to be Truly Alive. Most importantly connect with friends who remind you, you are never really alone. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sheila-Ulrich
My friend Sean Swarner (A Courage Expert) and the Cancer Climbing Expedition are offering a Climbing Expedition/ Safari to Africa. I told Sean I would share this opportunity with you. How awesome would it be to spend some time with hero’s who are truly Living In Courage? Here is a complete itinerary of the expedition, links to Sean’s websites and a video of his courageous journey. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone looking for adventure.
Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 6:00am
End Time: Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 6:00pm
Location: Tanzania, Africa
Description: Africa… The very name calls to mind images of breath-taking landscapes, endless savannahs, magnificent animals, proud ancestral tribes and above all… safaris!!
Begin your odyssey into the heart of creation as you venture across hundreds of miles of wilderness, let your mind wander millions of years into the past…see untouched earth and wildlife as you can nowhere else… No other experience measures up to an African safari, unless it begins with an expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The snowy summit, hovering above the plains of this wondrous continent, radiates majesty and awe. The quiet solitude of viewing the world from above the clouds, seeing Africa from its highest point…there’s nothing that stirs your soul like this. Experience the magic of Kilimanjaro and wonder of an African safari in one life-changing expedition!!
Join Sean and the CancerClimber Association as we experience the magic of a Kilimanjaro expedition before celebrating with a beautiful Serengeti Safari. $500 of your expedition goes to support CancerClimber and their programs as we encourage you to raise more for the charity.
Participation is very limited so please reserve your spot now! Those interested please email sean@cancerclimber.org with any questions or to request a detailed itinerary (July 25 – Aug 9 in and out of the country). $5500 (US) includes EVERYTHING but airfare…your 6-day expedition and 5-day safari!!
The first 10 who sign up receive free safari hat and trekking poles. EVERY skill-level is invited to participate!! This is NOT a technical climb, but an endurance hike to over 19,000 feet….
CANCERCLIMBER EXPEDITION
ARRIVAL INTO TANZANIA
July 26 – Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Private transport from airport to Moshi,
Tanzania to hotel.
KILIMANJARO EXPEDITION
July 27 – Recovery day from flight.
July 28 – Machame Gates to Machame Huts.
The drive from Moshi to the Kilimanjaro National Park Gate takes about 50 minutes. The journey
passes through the village of Machame (located on the lower slopes of the mountain). Once we
reach the park gate, climbers are requested to make their final preparations for the climb. Porters
will be seen arranging their packs containing the food, water, firewood, and other equipment.
Make sure that you have all your daypack items with you as the porters travel very quickly. The
guides will be pleased to assist with any additional information. We now leave the park gate and
walk through the rain forest on a winding trail. Lower down, it can be very muddy and very
slippery. Gaiters and trekking poles are a good idea. We continue until we reach the Machame
Hut. Here we make camp, rest, enjoy dinner, and sleep. We have now reached an altitude of
I see people all over the world with disabilities that display so much courage. I see many who live off of the streets, suffering or leading lives of constant struggle. I prefer to write about people that get up and do something with their life. One of those people is 9 year old Christopher McKitten of the U.K. What a living example of courage in action. Christopher has Ewing’s Sarcoma, which is a rare cancer. This chap had surgery and was back to school in less than a month after having his let amputated from the thigh. This is a child that plays football on crutches! There are people who have gone through much less and won’t get up and cross the street to help themselves. I really admire children. They have such resilience and positivity.
Here is a quote from his grandpa:
“I’ve never heard him once complain about what he’s been through. He’s just unbelievable.”
Christoper was one of 3 children that won the Champion Child of Courage award recently. The judges had such a tough time trying to pick a winner, that all three children were awarded equally.
JUDGES of the Champion Child of Courage award found it such a tough task trying to decide on a winner that they took the generous step of awarding prizes to all three shortlisted youngsters. Chris Henderson, sales and marketing manager for sponsors Anson Ltd, said:
“It’s been very, very difficult for us to pick from three children that have shown such courage. They keep on smiling through all their problems and that’s a lesson to us all as we sit round these tables about why we should keep a smile on our faces.
“So it’s a little bit different tonight. I am not going to announce one winner, I am going to announce three because the decision was so difficult it just wasn’t fair to pick one alone.
To go through great adversity, smile and never complain – Wow, now that’s courage.
At 13 Sean Swarner was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of cancer. After grueling chemo and radiation treatments, he went into remission. By the time he was 15, Sean was diagnosed with Askins Carcinoma. There was a tumor the size of a golf ball on his right lung. This kind of cancer has a 6% survival rate. Sean was the only person in the world ever diagnosed with both types of cancer.
Sean was given 14 days to live. Day 15, 16 and 17 came and he survived, but the treatments were so harsh that he was put in a medical induced coma for 1 year. The doctors were afraid the treatments would kill him before the cancer could. Again he survived and went on to do things that require great courage, like climbing Mt. Everest. For more information visit Sean’s website.
For more videos and past updates on Randy Pausch, go to the Heroes or Courage section of this website.
June 10th, 2008: A Letter from President Bush
While I don’t have any way of validating it authenticity, nor do I have an particular reson to do doubt it – this arrived recently (click on letter for larger, readable image.)
I want to keep you informed about Randy Pausch. Randy Pausch is Courage in action, as is his amazing family. Thank you Randy for teaching us so much about life, love, family and facing life’s greatest challenges. You are a true hero.
May 2nd, 2008: Cancer spreads
Yesterday’s PET scan showed that I have very tiny (5mm or less) metastases in my lungs and some lymph nodes in my chest. I also have some metastases in my peritoneum and retroperitoneum cavities (basically, inside my abdomen).
This is unfortunate, but we knew it would happen sooner or later, and we’ve been able to stave it off much longer than anticipated, so I’m very grateful for that.
My current strategy is to continue to recover from the heart and kidney failure, and once I’m strong enough, then we’ll either do the SIR-Spheres or some systemic chemo, depending on the relative growth of the liver and non-liver tumors.
Randy Pausch went to Congress to use his new found unintended celebrity that he received through the lecture at Carnegie Mellon University to speak on behalf of Pancreatic cancer. Randy urged Congress to provide funding for research to eradicate this most lethal cancer.
Subscribe now to the Living In Courage Newsletter and you'll get a free download of my ebook!
Endorsements
“Debra Oakland has clearly written Living in Courage from the heart. This is a book that guides people to summon the courage to face life's biggest challenges. You will find wonderful nuggets that you can apply to your life now.”
~ David Riklan, Founder of SelfGrowth.com,
the #1 Self Improvement Website on the Internet
www.SelfGrowth.com
