Recovery begins from the darkest moment"- John Mayor

I've recently started reading a book called "Centennial History of Piedmont College". If you haven't gathered, it is a history book of the school I'm currently working at. I would highly recommend everyone to do a little research and discover the roots of your company. I'm only about 70 pages into the book, but I'm quickly realizing that Piedmont College is full of fighters. The founders of this amazing university faced so many hardships, including the burning of major buildings, being so bankrupt they sold their life insurance, as well as the death of various professors, family members, and friends. With all of these trials, the university has still managed to thrive and is currently in the process of building new structures, hiring new professionals, and revamping some amazing things as they prepare for their 125 anniversary in less than ten years!
I think it is important to take a second and realize where you've come from and where others before you have come from as well. Although I would never consider myself a historian by any stretch of the imagination, I would consider myself a futuristic-thinking person. Either way you look at it, the best way to mold and model the future is by making a foundation and foothold in the past. When things seem gray and you don't know what to do, remember to stand yourself back up, wipe the dirt away from your shoulders, and start that road toward recovery. Need a little inspiration? Take some time to visit websites like these: rejection letters / failed at first There are plenty of other websites such as these, but I thought these were a great start to realize that one negative comment or maybe even 100 negative comments will never be strong enough to stop you from what you are doing. You are one of the strongest entities in the world, the only thing that can push you down is yourself. It is our job to create a story where we have the ability to inspire others even after we are long and gone. As it is written on the grave of Piedmont's first president, Charles C Spence (Brother Spence) "To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die".
Question Time: Have you ever been told that you couldn't do something and then tried to overcome that barrier? Sometimes I feel like a single rejection is one of the quickest ways to make a person more determined to prove themselves. I was wait-listed to be an Community Advisor (Resident Assistant) during my undergrad. In retrospect, I was probably not ready to handle the experience yet, but just by being wait-listed, I was determined to prove myself and show them what I was made of. After I was accepted, I worked as hard as I could and ended up create my own legacy at Georgia College that I could be proud of and set the bar for future community advisors to come. Although it may be stressful and more work, always push the envelope and test your limits. You might find that magnificent gem buried in the rubble. Sometimes it really is kind of fun to do the impossible ;)
About the video: As far as overcoming bullies and reaching the perfect road toward recovery goes, Lizzie Velasquez should be the poster-child! Having a syndrome where she can't gain any weight, Lizzie has been referred to as "the world's ugliest woman." By picking herself back up, she has quickly become one of the most beautiful people in the world and speaks out against bullying as an inspirational/motivational speaker as well as a published novelist. Below, I've included two videos. The first video has been seen by many people. It is a TED talk where she talks about defining yourself and seeing the good during difficult situations. The second video is a bit more recent. Last month, Lizzie created a kickstarter project in hopes of creating an anti-bullying documentary of her life and how she came out on top. The pledge goal was $180,000 and through the power of her fans as well as various other friends trying to support a similar mission, she raised $214,930! Great job Lizzie! I'm excited to see the finished project!