“You can never fall cause there will always be someone to hold you up.” - Jeremy Hevener

A friend of mine told me this a week before I opened my studio. Since then, the past six years have been a roller coaster ride of emotions. Everything from on-top-of-the-world happiness to the lowest, deepest, darkest sadness I had ever felt before in my life. There were times when I felt so alone in the world. Times when it felt like I was the only person walking around on the planet. But those wise words my friend told me were true – there were always people there to catch me if I would begin to fall backwards. Not only would those people catch me, but they would elevate me back to my feet and help hold me up. They gave me the courage, the strength, and the inspiration to keep fighting and keep climbing out of my hole.

Another friend gave me another piece of advice – “Family is what you make it.” And family was what helped me pull through a lot of my dark times. Friends who are just as close as family, my dancers (even though they probably had no idea they were helping), my mother, my husband, and my cousins. Some wanted to help but really had no idea how to, and others knew how to help and jumped in with both feet to do so. It was amazing that I could have this many amazing and caring people in my life and still feel alone, but unfortunately sometimes it is possible.

Just a few reason I have to smile

Lucky for me, when I needed these people (knowingly or not) they were there to help. My cloggers inspired me and provided me with friendship and showered me with happiness everyday at the studio. My mother – well, let’s just say I could never want for love and affection while she’s around. My husband, who sometimes (well most of the time) never really knows exactly what to do with me, but I can always feel him sending supportive vibes my way. My friends, well basically one friend in particular, who by random chance or maybe fate came into my life at the end of my slump to provide emotional traction when I was slipping. And my cousins – those friends from childhood and adulthood who provide encouragement and support in the form of a bond tighter than any person would dare challenge.

The point of this post is to reach those of you out there who may be in this situation. Those who may feel alone and who may feel like no one out there is listening, cares, or understands. True – there may not be someone out there who understands exactly what you’re going through. In fact, few people probably will. And in my experience, if you can find more than one person who might understand exactly what you’re going through – then you’re pretty lucky. But one thing’s for sure, even if there’s not someone out there who can understand your situation exactly, I’m sure there’s someone out there that would lend a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on if you needed it. They may not know exactly what is wrong or what to do to make you feel better, but they want to help, which is the most important thing of all.

My #1 miracle cure - my husband, Robby

And sometimes it is easy to take family for granted, but if you have family members who are willing to show you constant love and support, then go to them when you need it. Of course, there will always be some blood-relatives that you inevitably can’t count on, but just disregard those people, and find the sources that make you shine.

We all have those people who are our miracle cure – the people who don’t have to do a thing but stand within 10 feet of us to make us feel better. That’s family. And that’s what family is for – they’re the place where you fall when you can’t stand any more.