It is the holiday season and a time to give, celebrate, reflect, and inspire others. Well, I am utterly inspired by my friend, Vicky DeRosa. She has truly an inspirational story and I wanted to share it with you because there are powerful life lessons here that could be life changing.
She looked perfectly normal—in fact she is beautiful; but more than that she has this incredible positive energy and a take massive action mindset…. even though her doctors said that she would soon be blind and never see again…
Read more below about Vicky’s personal story in my recent exclusive interview. See how she turned a potentially devastating disease destined for a dark hardship into a shining path of massive business success, health, and happiness… and with no limits in sight.
Interview with Vicky DeRosa
Vicky: Thank you Laura, for allowing me to do this – it’s a pleasure to be able to talk about this. I now own a fitness and health studio in Colts Neck, New Jersey. It’s extremely different from what I used to do. I used to own a construction management company.
About five and a half years ago, I woke up one morning and over a four or five day period I had lost most of my sight. It continued to go downhill. It took almost six months before I was actually diagnosed. This was after a series of misdiagnoses such as MS, brain tumors, stroke, stress – I heard the whole gamut. Anything doctors could name. I was finally diagnosed by a physician in New York. He was actually a Neuro-Ophthalmologist, but he specialized in rare diseases. He thought I had something called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, but he couldn’t be sure until we got a DNA test.
Sure enough, I tested positive for it. When he called to tell me, he actually said, “I regret to inform you, but you will be blind, very, very soon. What he meant by that is that this disease actually manifests itself and progresses for six months. I was so far gone at that time, that he thought that in a matter of weeks I would be completely blind.
The first thing that they wanted to do was put me in a blind hospital, so I could learn how to live a blind life. I, of course, got a second opinion. It was the same diagnosis. Then I did get involved with some wonderful people – The Foundation for the Blind contacted me. All sorts of wonderful people tried to help in the way that they thought would help me, but you know Laura, I simply refused to allow myself to go into that world. I refused the blind hospital. I refused any kind of disability. I didn’t want a seeing-eye dog. I believe that you can truly fight anything, as long as you truly fight with all of your body and all of your mind and all of your strength.
It’s so hard sometimes to explain this to someone who’s not open to it, but you can – with your mind – cure anything. You can envision financial success. You can envision a happy life. You can envision a happy family. You can bring into your life and your world, whatever you want.
Because that’s the way that I live, I thought if I can just fight the blindness and believe that I will be a seeing person again one day then it would come. So of course, I told the doctors that I was going to be a seeing person soon. In fact, the number that I actually used was five years. I’ve actually been able to regain most of my sight, which is shocking to the doctors because anyone who knows, knows that the optic nerve never regenerates. This disease actually causes damage to the optic nerve.
Well, my optic nerve is regenerating and the doctors can’t explain why. They know it’s rare. They say, “Well, in some rare cases, I guess some people do.” But here’s what’s amazing about my story, Laura. This is why I try to tell people nothing is a curse. Nothing is bad.
Laura: Throughout this entire thing, other people could have looked at this as such an obstacle. But you completely turned this challenge into an opportunity. So many people can learn from you and the power of your positive mindset and what you’ve been able to overcome, just from your sheer willpower and positive mindset. What do you do? I mean do you surround yourself with positive people? Do you have a supportive network? When you first woke up that one day when you had lost your eyesight, what went through your mind right away?
Vicky: Here’s how positive and optimistic I am, Laura. This is actually a joke. I’m currently writing a book and I hope to be finished by August of this year. In the very beginning of this book, it actually explains what I thought. This is a true story.
I was sitting at my kitchen counter, which I did every single morning, I love to read newspapers, well…I used to anyway. So I picked up my first newspaper – I usually read around three every morning – I picked it up and I actually thought that the newspaper had made a mistake and the words were distorted.
I went to the second newspaper and I thought, “Well how bizarre! The Star-Ledger too, in addition to the Asbury Park? How could they mess up the print like this?” I went to the third newspaper and I thought some strange coincidence had happened and the newspapers had all had problems with their print. When my husband woke up, I showed him the newspapers and he said, “There’s nothing wrong.” Then I realized that I had a problem with my eyes.
But that first day, I didn’t really think anything. I was close to 40 and I thought I just needed reading glasses. Only when I went to the optometrist -I made an appointment with the optometrist here in town and he realized there was a problem right away. Because my eyes were actually perfect and he went out to the waiting room and told my husband that I needed to immediately get to a specialist, that I might have a brain tumor.
Laura: Oh my goodness. Wow.
Vicky: You know, it’s not – here’s the thing – and not to sound too corny – but if you’re a faithful, positive person, when something happens in your life, you can’t question it. You can’t think it’s a bad thing. You just have to follow – you know everything that happens in your life is meant to happen at that exact moment that it happened.
If you know that there’s a plan for your life, how can you actually get nervous and anxious and worried and scared? It’s meant to be that way at that moment. You can’t fight it, so it’s easier to just go with it and understand that there’s a very good reason for it.
Laura: What is the reason then, for this to happen to you, is it for you to make an impact on so many others, to share your inspiration? What do you think the reasoning is?
Vicky: You know what’s funny – I was going to say the end of the story, but there’s a lot more to this – the impactful part of the story is – and people make fun of me, because I’m always saying, “There’s a reason for everything.” But you know what, Laura, sometimes I say to people, “Sometimes it’s never revealed, and sometimes it is.”
Well, in September of 2009, and Leber’s disease, that’s why it was so hard to diagnose with me, because it usually affects men between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. My son – I have two sons, twenty and twenty-two – my twenty-two year old called me and said that he had blurry vision.
We instantly brought him home and, you know what, Laura? I did some strange things with vitamins and this health drink that I’ve always drank. We pumped his body up with vitamins and this health drink. He couldn’t see very well that day. By the time I got him to the Wills Eye Hospital, which is where I go to now, the very next day, his vision was 20/20.
Now he lives on his vitamins and this health drink. He listens to everything that I ask him to do. But the point of the story is, he’s twenty-two years old. He’s a prime candidate for Leber’s disease. If I didn’t have this disease, when his vision got blurry just like mine did, we wouldn’t have known what it was. There are certain things that you can stop doing so that it doesn’t progress so quickly.
You know, you’re not supposed to exercise. You’re not supposed to drink. You can’t do anything that puts any amount of stress on the body. So he would have continued in the same – you know, he’s twenty-two years old, he exercises like a fiend – he would have continued in the same vein. We would have been taking him to the optometrist, from one to the next and his vision would have continued to get worse.
Meanwhile, it’s crazy when you think about it, but I feel the reason that I got it was to help my sons.
Laura: Wow, so you’re saying – now this disease is genetic, isn’t it?
Vicky: It is.
Laura: And I think you told me at one point, when you first found out that you actually traced your genealogy – Did you do that? You were able to trace your genealogy to the very roots and you actually found some ancestors who had the disease?
Vicky: They didn’t at the time know that they had… You know, it’s funny. we were able to trace it back to, like, a hundred years ago. Some great, great, great grandmother or cousin had it and they just simply went blind at a young age. So back in those days, it wasn’t even a disease yet. They just thought, “These people went blind.” So, yes, we sort of traced it, but they didn’t know what it was.
Laura: So do you think that your son is very prone to getting this disease? Do you think he has that genetic predisposition?
Vicky: Both of my sons – well my oldest son Raymond, that day – but both of my sons, they tested their DNA and they both tested positive for the disease. But the crazy thing is, my oldest son, who was symptomatic, now has 20/20 vision. He stays on the regimen that we have him on. He’s very, very healthy. There are a lot of things that he cannot do and he’s very cognizant of those things.
The cool part is that both of my sons are very optimistic, very positive. They just simply don’t believe that they will have anything wrong with their vision. I wake up every morning, Laura and I’m grateful that I have this disease for those reasons. Because I’m afraid that if I didn’t have this disease, my sons may have ended up legally blind or, God forbid, blind. And I would rather it be me than them. So, believe me, this is no joke, when I wake up every morning, I thank God that I have Leber’s disease.
Laura: Wow. You were able to identify it early, rather than living with it, you know how to respond to it. You’re very, very healthy too. I remember visiting with you at your gym and your eating extremely healthy foods. Do you think that has contributed to the progression of your, or eliminating some of the progression of your disease?
Vicky: I do believe that, even more now. I always thought it was important to eat well. About six months ago my nutritionist, who actually did an assessment on me, because she was assessing so many of my clients, she did an assessment on me. And based on how I eat, she’s convinced that I was able to save most of my sight with just the way that I eat.
When we first started to talk, I said to you that you can cure anything with the mind. You can envision anything positive that you want in front of you and it will come. But you can’t do those things unless your body is strong enough and healthy enough to do it. So do I believe you can cure yourself of cancer? I do. But do I think that you should be partaking in really bad habits and not taking care of your body? No. Then it doesn’t matter how strong your mind is, you won’t be able to overcome.
It’s been amazing to me to be a part of this journey. I used to own a construction management company, and now I am blessed enough to have a fitness and health studio where every single day of my life I get to tell people my story. I get to talk about how important it is that they are health-conscious and work out whenever they can and be cognizant of the bad…
You know I happen to think that preservatives are one of those evils out there. Most people don’t talk about all of those things. It’s just one big circle. The mind has to be healthy, the body has to be healthy, and the soul has to be healthy. All of those things cannot be aligned unless you’re eating well and you’re working out and you’ve got your heart strong and your blood pressure’s good. They all have to work together.
Laura: I agree with you. I myself eat basically all natural and raw foods and I truly believe that what you eat contributes to your overall health. So many diseases could be prevented just by changing your diet. I truly believe that.
Now you have a chance to share your message every single day with people, your message about staying healthy and fit and strong.
The power of your mindset, I think, is really so key, so important. You’re the epitome of having this mindset. Just by your story you’ve been able to overcome so many obstacles. You don’t even view it as an obstacle, actually.
Vicky: I always say to people, “The challenged life is a great life.” You can’t view anything as an obstacle. It’s all a blessing. Some of us have more challenges than others, that’s all, but they make life more interesting. If you let yourself get down and get depressed and get sad, you can’t overcome anything.
When this happened, I didn’t just have health to overcome, I was making a very good living and I had some serious financial issues. I’m happy to say that, because I can teach people to even overcome that. It just takes a positive outlook. It just takes the faith. It just takes a strong mind. If you maintain those things and you envision it…
I keep talking about this “envisioning,” but it really is important. Happiness is just a thought away. If you wake up in the morning and you tell yourself you’re going to have a bad day, I guarantee you will have a bad day. But if you wake up and you put a smile on your face, I guarantee you will have a happy day. It’s not what you have happen to you, it’s how you get through it and what you do with it.
Laura: What kind of advice would you share with somebody who has had some hardships? When you say “envision,” envision something positive, a great outcome. For somebody who has experienced hardship, what would be a specific step that they can do to overcome this?
Vicky: I’ll give you specifics because sometimes it’s hard to explain and people sometimes don’t take the opportunity to really listen and to really get it. I was going to use myself and my industry, but I’ll take somebody else. Say someone is down and out and they’ve lost their job. I always say to people, we should be cognizant of that, that a lot of people have lost their jobs, and some more probably will.
You have to look at it as a blessing. If somebody loses their job, they’re not meant to be doing what they’re doing. They’re meant to do something else. Whatever that is, they need to find out what they’re meant to be doing. You do that by, “What is it that I love to do most of the time, that I can make money at?” You answer that question.
I’m a big believer in writing things down. You carry around a notebook so that you can put your thoughts on paper. You write down what it is that you love to do. It might be picking flowers or it might be arranging flowers, whatever it is.
Say you’ve lost your job and you love to write. You make a place in your home and you turn it into an office. Even if you don’t have space, you find space. And you put a desk and you put paper and pen and a nice chair and a lamp. That has now become your office. You get business cards. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can make them yourself. You get business cards that say “Vicki DeRosa – Writer” and then you put your home address and phone number.
But with all of those steps you start to make marketing material. Whatever it is, you start to take time out of every single day and you go to your office and you’re going to write.
The reason that I’m saying all of this, is whatever you need that’s part of your envisioning, that’s part of the visualization. That’s part of the positive attitude. You decide you’re going to be in that place, and you will get there.
Laura: It’s those little steps and those little successes that propel you forward. Keep achieving those little successes and soon you’ll gain that bigger success.
Vicky: It’s kind of like when we were much younger and when we were in college, people used to say, “Oh, dress for success.” or “Find somebody in your industry and emulate them.” It sort of is the same thing, but on a higher plain. You must become that person in that industry, even if it’s just in your world or in your mind, but you take the physical steps. You get the business cards, you get the right attire.
I always say to people when somebody tells me that they’re waiting for an interview, or they’re waiting to get this job, I tell them, “Buy a party outfit and plan your party to announce your new job. Put it on your calendar.” Sometimes people think that things like that sounds crazy, but they’re not crazy. They will get you to where you need to be.
When I’m waiting for good news, if I put it on my calendar and the time that I will get the phone call, as crazy as it sounds Laura, I will get the call at that day at that time.
Laura: Wow, that’s sharing some really good insights. It is true, especially with the economy today, and with so many people losing their jobs. Actually, quite frankly so many are unhappy with what they’re doing and I do believe that you can create the life that you want. It just takes some serious planning and action. It’s just the speed of implementation, the little baby steps.
Vicky: Once you begin to take those steps. It’s a learned behavior. For me it’s a lifestyle. I’ve been like this for so many years. It’s just part of my life.
Say you take someone who is really negative and you’re trying to help them get along and get them to this positive place, if you take those steps, what happens is it starts to become a habit. Eventually it will become a lifestyle, but in the beginning, make sure that you remember to be positive and you remember to take those steps. It just becomes habit forming after a while.
I say to people who are first coming to the studio, “You work out, you work out, you work out, and in a few months you look into the mirror and you’re there. You say ‘Wow, I can’t believe how great I look.’”
It’s the same thing with a positive attitude, you start to do it, and you force yourself to do it, then it becomes a habit. You do it every single day for every single thing, and then before you know it, you forget that you’re training yourself to do it. It’s just there.
Nothing is ever bad news to me, as wacky as it sounds. I’ll tell you Laura, and I don’t mind saying this to people. One of the few times that made me kind of hold my breath for a little was when my son called and said that he had blurry vision. That made me hold my breath for a second.
But the best thing for people to do, the way they change their lives instantly is to stop complaining! Don’t complain about the weather, don’t complain about what you had to eat, don’t complain about your clothes, don’t complain about the stain on your shirt from coffee. Don’t complain. If you stop complaining, you will immediately go into a positive place, more positive than you’re used to.
Laura: I agree with that completely. That just puts you in such a negative energy seat, just by complaining.
So do you surround yourself with positive people? Tell me about the network that you have, and your support system. If you look at some of the most successful people and you trace back why they’re so successful, oftentimes people will say it’s because they had such a great support system or a mentor that has been so positive and encouraging. Do you attribute anything like that for your forever-positive attitude?
Vicky: I guess my mentor isn’t around anymore. My grandfather was extremely positive, extremely strong and extremely persistent. I draw a lot from my grandfather. He was a General in the Greek army. He was quite tough and also quite sensitive at the same time.
Just to get back to surrounding yourself. You need mentors, they are important. But even more so, you need positive people around you. So my suggestion to people is to keep negative people away from them. You can do so many great things if you have positive people around you.
I say this to my children, “Have like people around you.” The way to do anything great is to have great positive successful people around you. You can’t show me many successful people that are extremely negative and depressed. I happen to avoid negative people because they depress me. First I try to help them, and if they’re a little too standoffish then I wish them a happy day and I move on. I don’t want them in my circle because they just don’t make you happy.
Laura: It’s just toxic energy and it just brings you down. You don’t need it in your life at all. It’s true. You can look at somebody and look at their five best friends. You can tell so much about that person just by looking at their five best friends. Even when it comes to your weight, for example, you take your five best friends and you take the hours that could be you.
Whether it’s financial, or your health, or your weight, or personal successes, it’s really about whom you surround yourself with, and I couldn’t agree with you more. We all have choices to make, so why not surround yourself with people who are highly successful, highly motivated and highly positive?
Vicky: True and you have to work hard at the success that you want. You have to build a foundation, just like we were talking about. You have to build a foundation of faith, positive attitude and a healthy body. All this is a foundation, if you want to get to a certain level in whatever industry you are working at, you have to work hard. You have to believe, you have to have faith and positivity, and then you have to work hard. You can’t expect to get there without some hard work.
But here’s the kicker, if you love what you’re doing, I can easily work 16, 17, or 18 hours a day and it never feels like work to me. I tell people, “If you love what you do, you will never have to work another day in your life.” I work seven days a week, and I’m happy because I’m doing exactly what I want.
Here’s the question that people should ask themselves. I could win $500 million in the lottery tonight, and I would wake up tomorrow morning and I’d do the exact same thing. That tells me that I’m happy doing exactly what I’m doing. If you say to yourself, “If I won the lottery, I would not wake up tomorrow morning and do the exact same thing.” Then you need to change your lifestyle.
Laura: I agree with you there. So you run a fitness studio, you started it how long ago?
Vicky: Actually this month is one year!
Laura: Wow, it’s only been one year?
Vicky: Yeah! We’re very excited. I haven’t really touched bases with you in the last few weeks, or last couple months. But we’ve been fortunate enough, in the last couple months, I have taken one of the drinks that I’ve always taken my entire life and I have turned it into a health drink. So we’re actually launching a health drink.
You know what, Laura? It’s going to sound so amazing because it’s helping people lose weight. It’s helping people with their skin. I have this one client who comes to pick it up twice a week for her daughter who has Type-1 diabetes, and she just sent me a testimonial. She’s finding that her daughter, on this drink, is better than she’s ever been and doesn’t require as much insulin as she used to.
Laura: Is this a drink that you created? Could you tell us a little bit about this drink that you’re launching?
Vicky: Well it is mostly Dandelion Root tea. The best part about it is that it detoxifies the liver and kidneys, so we use it as a detoxifier in very large amounts. Most people at the studio are drinking it every day just as their drink instead of water. Most people say that they’ve reduced their caffeine intake with this drink. It gives you energy.
It’s funny. One of my sons actually drives home from college. He goes to college in Philly and he comes to pick it up once a week so he can have a seven day supply.
It provides a lot of energy, especially with the younger kids that have problems with their skin. Younger kids are finding that it helps with their skin, it helps the hair. Truly I am blessed that we have found this to be such a full of health product and I found a way to make it tasty, and people love it. I can’t tell you how excited I am about it!
Laura: That’s awesome! Is it on your blog or your Web site? How do people learn about it if some people are listening?
Vicky: It’s not on the Web site yet, because we’re patent pending now so we need our attorneys to do some work for us. We hope to be getting it out in the stores, supermarkets and health food stores within a couple of months. They can call me at the studio and I’d be happy to give them information on it. Pretty soon I’ll be able to get some things on the Web site, as soon as we’re cleared to go.
It’s so exciting Laura, because really there are so many things that are touted as health products, and you know my issues with chemicals, and preservatives, and all of that stuff. The fact that this is all natural, and provides health is amazing to me.
This is going to sound so wacky, but I feel like this is where I was supposed to be. I was supposed to do this health drink. The truly amazing thing for me is that my son is going to be my partner on it.
Laura: Oh you’re kidding!
Vicky: No, my older son, Raymond, is graduating from college this year. He has turned down the other offers and he will be my partner with this health drink. The whole family is very excited. My younger son is still in college and when he graduates, he’ll be going on to law school, so it’ll be quite a few years before he’s able to help us. But at least my older son will be able to help immediately. So as a family, we’ll all be excited about it.
Laura: Something to bring you guys all closer together. Well that’s great. When I come by your studio, and this is for everyone listening, I’m going to stop by and maybe do a spin class hopefully on Wednesday if the weather is bad. I’d love to check out this drink that you’re going to be doing.
Vicky: I think you’re going to come and do a spin class Wednesday, am I right?
Laura: Yeah.
Vicky: Because I cannot keep up with the orders, I’m going to specifically write down an order for you. You’ll have to be honest with me, you’ll have to tell me if it gives you the amount of energy that everybody says.
Laura: Ok. Wow, this is cool. This is so exciting. I had no idea actually, so I learned something new.
Vicky: It’s funny actually that I had gotten involved with this health drink. I couldn’t find things that I wanted on the market. I’m not into protein bars and stuff like that, only because there’s so many ingredients that I don’t like in certain things. So I’ve created my own energy bread, I make my own soups.
We’re getting into a whole line of natural foods, and hopefully one day very soon, I hope to launch all of those. I’m very excited about that. The whole idea is that we get natural, good, healthy food out there for people. I can’t tell you how thrilled that I am that we are. So much is going on around the studio that we all feel very fortunate.
Laura: Oh it’s awesome. Sounds like you guys have such incredible energy there, too. If anybody’s having a bad day they should just stop by.
Vicky: You know it’s funny; I have a lot of energy, just naturally. When people started to consume this drink on a regular basis, a lot people from the studio started to come in and say, “Now we know why you have all this energy. It’s this drink!”
Laura: Wow that is just so cool. I’m excited to try it out. Like I said, I myself am very into natural foods, and wholesome healthy foods. I try to stay away from anything that has preservatives in it. My only downfall is Cool Whip. It has all chemicals in it, but I like it on my coffee and my fruit.
Vicky: Speaking of Cool Whip, I actually do this sort of thing based out of the studio. But I do this extreme pantry makeover where I go to people’s homes and basically get rid of the garbage in the pantry and try to introduce good healthy stuff. I explain why, and I go through ingredients and of course I have them go through and read ingredients to me, because it’s hard for me to read small print.
I did one of these extreme pantry makeovers and I will not ever mention names, but this couple had Cool Whip in the refrigerator and sure enough, Laura, I hate to tell you, but I tossed it.
Laura: Well that would be the only thing bad in my house that you would find really. That’s so funny.
Vicky: I do know how healthy you are, I know you eat very well, so I’m sure.
Laura: So lots of great things that you’re doing, you should make a reality show out of this. You really should.
Vicky: A lot of people have actually recommended that. We have a videographer here that we’re working with, and we’re doing these… My idea was, I really wanted to do sort of a virtual gym and online classes on the Internet. So we’re getting there. We’re about to launch that program either this week or next week. We have the videographer that is phenomenal and he helps us quite a bit during the week.
A lot of people have suggested that we do some kind of reality show: “Extreme Pantry Makeover.” I just don’t know how people would feel having their food thrown out on camera.
Laura: Well you’d just have to ask. That would be really neat actually. Lots of good stuff going on. So tell me right now about your current condition. I know that you are legally blind.
Vicky: Yes, I am considered legally blind, and what that means is that my vision is blurry. But you know what Laura; it’s come a long way. Five years ago when I was diagnosed the doctors who diagnosed me, and I’ll never forget this. They actually put it down on paper. They stated that I had a foot blurry. What that meant was, put your hand in front of your face about a foot away. That’s what I could see blurry. Now, you’ve seen me, I see everything, it’s just that it’s slightly blurry.
I can see buildings in front of me, I can see cars, I can see everything in front of me. It’s just that it’s blurry. If you’re standing 50 feet in front of me, I can see you there. I just can’t see your face, that sort of thing. Therefore, I can’t drive yet, and I can’t read small print.
But you know what, Laura? I’ve said all along that I will regain my vision. Not my vision, I’ve always had my vision. I’m very careful. My sight. I will regain my sight, 100% very soon. I’m a little late at 100%, I told the doctors it would be five years. But this is the sixth year, and I’m certain that I will regain my sight 100% this year. We’ll see how accurate I am, Laura. It’s March, so we’ll see.
Laura: I believe you. I think you have just an incredible mindset. I mean everybody who is listening to you right now can learn so much from you. I truly believe that. That’s why I wanted to do this interview with you so badly, because you’re such an inspiration to everyone.
You don’t let anything get you down or get in the way. What so many people do is let the small things get in the way and that gets to bring you down. But instead you’ve turned this town into such an opportunity, look at all the incredible things that you’re doing. It’s just such an awesome, awesome story.
After you’ve got this out, I just wanted to hear some final words of wisdom that you have for everybody who is listening.
Vicky: Here’s what I’d like to say just to close, Laura. It’s really truly important to have your faith. You should be faithful. I am convinced that you cannot have a truly positive attitude unless you are faithful. You have to be healthy; you have to fight hard to be strong and healthy and eat well, and exercise.
You don’t have to do crazy exercise. You can go for a fast walk. Whatever it is, whatever you can find the time to do. Then believe it or not, and this is most importantly, you have to just listen. I believe that God is always tapping on our shoulders. I believe that things happen.
Sometimes people feel like, you know, “I’ve lost my job, I’ve lost my sight, I’ve lost this person, I’ve had this terrible thing.” We’re being told something. It’s the people that turn away and don’t listen to the direction that we’re trying, to be taken. Those are the people that don’t understand.
So I always say to people, “The most important thing you can do is just listen.” I was being told something. I believe that where I am today is where I was supposed to be. So along the way, along the journey, I just listened. One door would close, another one would open. You have to be in tune.
When I say “Just listen,” it just means to be in tune. Be in tune with what is going on, and keep going. Sometimes we have to take detours, but we take them, and we take them happily.
Laura: So you were just listening to the clues around you and to your intuition? I believe in that too. Very interesting. I’m sure all the listeners will be very inspired by your story. I am.
Vicky: Well thank you, Laura. You’re always so kind, you have such great words and so much kindness. I appreciate it. It’s always such a pleasure to talk to you.
Laura: Aw, thanks! So how do we get in touch with you? Do you have a Fan page? Do you have a Web site? I’ll share with everybody a way to get in touch with you, but just in case, do you want to let everybody know the best way to get in contact?
Vicky: We have this great, well I think it’s a great Web site that’s called, StudioVHealth.com and I would love to hear from anyone. They can email me at Vicky@StudioVHealth.com. We’re on Facebook. As for Twitter, you’ll have to forgive me Laura. I’m not really up on all the Social Media. It’s not something that I can get involved with because of my hindrance with my eyesight. But Facebook fan page? I don’t know if we have that yet.
I have people that help me with my emails. I’m always happy to get emails and I’ll always respond. I love emails, I love hearing from people that I don’t know. I think people come into your life for a reason. I look forward to talking to anyone by phone if anybody would like to call me my phone number is 732-431-2030. By phone or email, I would love it.
Laura: Awesome, okay, well we’ll put that up there on my blog too, so people can get in touch with you. I think anybody would just learn so much from you.
Well thank you so much for the time. I know how busy you are and I really appreciate you sharing your story with us and all the words of wisdom. I’ll hopefully see you on Wednesday and we’ll be in touch real soon!
Vicky: Laura it was so great, and truly just the opportunity has been so appreciated. If I can help one person or inspire one person to get over any kind of an illness, or over any bad situation, that will have meant the world to me. I appreciate this opportunity. It was really, really a pleasure, thank you.
Laura: Well great. Okay Vicky, I’ll talk to you soon then. Thank you.
Vicky: All right, thanks Laura. Have a great day! Bye!
So how did Vicky’s story impact you today? Would love to hear from you! Leave me a comment below, and don’t forget to spread the inspiration by sharing this post on FB and Twitter!
To your Unstoppable Success,
Laura DeMeo
I wanted to participate in the Ironman Triathlon but the fees are very high. I decided to approach Mark Balaban who is not only a friend, but also the owner and craftsmen behind ShowerMan. He saw the value of the campaign for his business, but he is also an ardent supporter of local charities. So we formed a mutually beneficial partnership.
If your company is considering a cause related marketing campaign, these are the steps you should take:
If your company has a marketing budget, then carve out funds for your campaign. Even if your budget is small, you can ask for volunteers to handle publicity. Possibly the charities who are beneficiaries of the campaign can request local media to run free advertising on their behalf.
