Like most people, I have been through some stuff in my life.

Some of it was very hard.  

A lot of it was extremely unpleasant.

I mean . . . childhood neglect, family dysfunction, sexual abuse, domestic violence, divorce, bankruptcy and now the death of two of my children and 

 . . . So what! Now what?

It was raining the day I heard the late beloved Dr. Maya Angelou say:

Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you… yet, someone survived… You can do anything you choose to do.

That is the statement that led me to conclude  . . . So what! Now what? What are you choosing to do now . . . Ms. Iyanla?

With all that you have been through, suffered through, been challenged by, overcome in your life, consider that you are still here so . . . what are you choosing for yourself now?  

I love people and I love the stories they tell.  I love their stories because even when the people telling the story do not realize it, their story is a testimony of their strength, their determination, and their capacity to overcome the hard stuff.  Your story is a testimony of your power, the power of the human spirit and the tenacity of the human mind that enables you to live another day, and make another choice that will change the stories you will live to tell.

Choice is power.