You’ve found the sweet spot. The consistent place in your life where you actually feel like you’ve got it together. The responsibilities of work, family, bills, errands and the indiscriminate bumps in the road that cause you to waver a little, but somehow you manage to always get back on track.

That’s where I was in life. I’m a busy mother of three boys, a wife, an author, and a work from home mama who had finally figured out the god given gift of multi-tasking. Coffee helps too, as well as the occasional bourbon and good book after a long day.

My main point here: I’m comfortable. Don’t make me change my status. Ever.

The blow came anyway. I lost my job of seven years recently that I had grown comfortable with, loved immensely, and that allowed me to stay at home with my kids. It hurt, not because the sense of loss was due to my validity, but rather an outside force that struck our close-knit company like a punch in the face. We were all being affected.

The first thought that flooded my mind was, “This is not how things are supposed to play out.” I was angry, hurt, and somewhat bewildered. This had nothing to do with my employer at all, but rather my comfort level. It had vanished.

My husband was incredibly supportive as I stood crying in the kitchen the evening after my comfortable world had been altered. The words out of his mouth struck me with such power.

“Change is inevitable, Val. You’ve got this.”

This made me think back through milestones in my life. Change is a part of who we are, how we grow, how we learn, and more importantly, how we rise above when the going gets tough.

When I left my parent’s house at the ripe old age of 20 to marry the man of my dreams – CHANGE

When my husband and I found out we were expecting. Twins. – CHANGE

When my husband lost his job in 2008, and was unemployed for seven months – CHANGE

When I finished writing my first novel…and published it. – CHANGE

Realization set in once I took a step back, took a long hard glance at where I’d come from, what I had accomplished, and more importantly, the new opportunities that were now standing right in front of me.

The universe dropped an unimaginable new job opportunity in my lap shortly there after. When the position was offered, and I uttered an undeniable and ecstatic YES, the broken pieces began to fall back into place.

I have a tattoo on my upper right shoulder. A Latin saying that I have always loved. I decided to make it permanent on my 36th birthday over a year ago:

Una vita. Vivat.

One life. Live.

Change. It exists. It’s an undeniable part of who we are no matter where we find ourselves standing on this incredible path we call life.

It builds us up. It tears us down.

It allows us to grow. It can make us cower down in fear.

It offers us opportunities. It tears goodness from our grasp.

One thing is certain about change. It’s what breathes life into our lungs, and allows us to become who we are meant to become.

The best and strongest part of us shines when it steps out of the shadows and into our life. Change is a beautiful part of who we are.