Have you ever come across a picture from your past that warms your heart? There is a black and white photo on my new website that does that for me. It is the first thing you see — a beautiful mother loving her daughter. That is my mom and I. My dad snapped that photo 51 years ago.

A lot has happened since that picture was taken. Some good and some not so good. What you can’t tell from the joy-filled moment in that image is that my mom and I struggled from day one. I was precocious, independent and strong-willed. My mom was fragile, volatile and unpredictable. Not a great combo, the two of us. But, you know what, I have learned to be thankful for my history. It is a gift and inspires me every day to help people navigate life’s crazy turns. For me that picture represents my indefatigable belief in our power to heal. I approach every day and every client with that belief.

Take a moment today to love your messy life and remember without struggle there would be no strength. Without pain there would be no joy. Embrace it all. Find your resilience. Persevere.

How does your history inspire you? Maybe you want to find a photo for yourself. Send it to me at alicia@aliciafarrellphd.com. I would love to see it.

P.S. This is my first blog. Thanks for listening. Even though there are many more to come I want you to know there will be no blah blah blahing from me. If I have nothing worth a damn to say you will not hear from me. And when you do hear from me it will be short and sweet. I respect your time. Pinky swear on that one. Having said that, if you have something to say I would love to hear from you.