How to NEVER give up HOPE!

Relentless; Lache pas la patate

By Guest Blog spot Elizabeth Clamon

Be Relentless; Never give up, no matter what hardships you may face, dig deep within yourself and find the strength and courage to continue.

Often relentlessness can be thought of as a negative, however, think of relentlessness as a positive. It’s like the quality of being tenacious, of holding fast, being persistent. That’s how I am, tenacious, relentless.

I have always been relentless for as long as I can remember, some might call it stubbornness, but my journey on this plant hasn’t been an easy one, therefore requiring me to be tenacious. Being born to a single mother in 1965, raised until I was six as my grandparents’ child, losing my grandfather suddenly at age five, just six months later being taken from my grandmother and the only home and family I had ever known would break someone who wasn’t tenacious.

It didn’t break me, nor did the other blows this life had in store for me. Living in the home of my biological mother and stepfather after being taken from my grandmother, I was emotionally, mentally, and at times physically abused. I was also sexually abused for a short time, at age nine. I have always had a God-given ability to endure whatever hardships came my way and continue to persevere.

At age eighteen I defied my mother and the entire family to marry my husband, whom I had only been dating for four months. I knew in my heart, without a doubt it was the best thing for me. We have been happily married for thirty-six years, as of the writing of this blog. That relentlessness and tenacity paid off again.

I have drawn on those attributes, as well as my faith, throughout my life. It has by far not been an easy path, but one I have traveled with grit and determination. From the loss of our first and third pregnancies, which was completely heartbreaking to living with chronic illness and pain, I somehow find the strength to carry on.

In my thirties, all the childhood abuse I had suffered came rushing at me like a tide of deep, dark water that threatened to take me under. It was a tumultuous time in my life of complete brokenness, that I had to grieve through and recover from. I spent many months alternating between depression and anger. Years of counseling were required to overcome the onslaught of pain and emotions that had scarred me.

Unfortunately, my family of origin did not believe me and we ended up going our separate ways. It was by far the hardest thing I have had to go through, but I had to be relentless to heal my mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Sometimes self-healing requires making difficult decisions and putting yourself first!

Healing was hard work and I was making good progress when the biggest challenge to my relentlessness came. It came in the form of an auto accident. My husband, children, and I were traveling back from a family camping trip, when suddenly during rush hour traffic we were confronted with a semi-truck that had suddenly stopped on the highway in front of us. Unable to stop while towing a loaded camper we hit the semi, then our camper hit us from behind, and our sixteen and eighteen-year-old daughters, following in my husband’s truck hit us.

Trapped in our vehicle, under the semi, injured, and in shock, I couldn’t even get myself out of my seatbelt. My husband kicked a window out and extracted us from the vehicle. My family walked away with bruises, minor cuts, and burns; I however spent five days on the cardiac ward.

Multiple injuries, years of physical therapy, seventeen surgeries, disability, and twelve years of being bedridden is what I had to overcome this time. The surgery I had in 2016, however, was the last straw, unable to control my pain, going into shock I dug down deep inside and drew on that Cajun spirit of “lache pas la patate” and decided I was done! After recovering from that surgery I used my training in naturopathic medicine, my deeply rooted faith taught to me by my grandmother, and God and I made a plan for my healing.

With relentlessness, tenacity, and faith I gained a level of healing that now enables me to pursue my dreams of being an entrepreneur, professional speaker, and expert storytelling coach. I owe it all to God who made me to be relentless, tenacious, and an overcomer. The life verse that has gotten me through everything and still keeps my going is…

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Dr. Elizabeth Clamon

https://elizabethclamon .com Elizabeth@Elizabethclamon.com

(252) 268-2186

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