From the earliest time I can remember, I was called to live a deeply meaningful and transformative life. Born into South Africa’s apartheid regime, lessons about human equality, oppression, and justice were woven into the fabric of my being. In search of a better life, my family subsequently emigrated.

Four countries before I was 9-years-old – new cultures, homes, friends, and schools. Shortly after arriving in the United States, my parents divorced. My father, who worked long hours and traveled extensively on business, would take full custody of my younger brother and me. I became an adult and surrogate mother before reaching my tenth birthday, as my brother and I would bear witness to a revolving door of nannies.

A decade of eating disorders followed. Inconsistency, instability, and change became normal for me. I grew so accustomed to change, that I was adaptable to a fault, but not without a high price. The upheavals of my childhood were traumas that would cause deep wounds.

What I didn’t realize during those formative years, was the meaning I sought and the transformations I required, could be derived from understanding the circumstances of my life and all the lessons and skills I would attain as a result. So, I worked at healing. I peeled back layers of wounding only to discover that my wounds were deeper and harder to eradicate than I’d anticipated. But I persevered.

Every time I made a shift for the better, my life improved exponentially, thus bolstering my courage. I began to understand that everything I suffered, was the narrative I concocted to survive, because I lacked the emotional maturity and tools to tackle such monumental change so early. Change is the one and only truly dependable outcome in life. What I learned is that I would be okay no matter what challenges I faced. With the right tools, I began to empower my evolutionary process from a broken-hearted little girl into an actualized woman who can approach change gracefully and thrive on it.