~~You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to your success is found in your daily routine.~~ Unknown
I got divorced when I was 27 years old. I had 3 children ages 5 and under. I had been a stay at home mom and had little job skills, little self-esteem, and am ex-husband who refused to pay child support or even be a dad.
It took me years to carve out a life for myself. I loved being a mom and I was a good one but I lacked knowledge in creating goals for myself or even speaking up for myself. And making decisions? Yeah, not so good.
What no one ever told me was to create my life based on my strengths, not my flaws. And my strengths centered around my children. I needed to make changes. So I went to college to obtain a degree so I could better support my children. I started speaking up for myself so my children learned how to speak up for themselves. And after years and years of false starts, I quit smoking so I would be around for my children. No one could...or would...do any of these things for me. It was time for me just to own my life.
I do believe some people may think I'm abrasive. After thinking about it, I agree I have sometimes strong opinions. I also try to help people see that they are responsible for their lives rather than just being passive spectators. And I've never liked it when people beat themselves up over what they consider failures.
Life is a gift. And my greatest blessings...my children...have taught me to treasure that gift and treat it with the respect, awe, and delight it truly deserves. That's all I try to show you here. Take charge of your life. Speak up for yourself, do for yourself, and don't be a spectator.
Just an fyi...I'm still a shy person at heart. Still quiet. Calm. I definitely don't normally share my own life like this here. Its uncomfortable for me. But if it helps even one, I think it's worth it. I may have to just ease away for a time, though, to center myself again. That's how I cope 
