​STRONG WOMEN HAVE THEIR BREAKING POINTS

By Cherie Faus Smith

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I have always considered myself a strong woman.  After all, I’ve survived three abusive relationships involving intimate partners, am a melanoma cancer survivor, and clawed myself out of the trenches of depression and anxiety that left me with dirty fingernails.

Do I feel sorry for myself?  NO! 

Why don’t I?  Because I have a strong woman in my life who has shown me what it takes to be a survivor, I call her mom.
 
Looking back on my childhood, I realize that my strength came from watching her persevere.

• At 19, she lost both of her parents, who died within six months of each other, leaving her an orphan.
• Battling depression and anxiety herself, she did her absolute best to juggle being a wife and mother, all while hiding that from us so our family wouldn’t worry.   
• My parents filed for bankruptcy, and we moved from our beautiful home that my dad had designed and into a rental property. 
• Up until that point, she was a stay-at-home-mom and took pride in taking care of her family.  She had to find a full-time job to help with the bills and began working for her uncle.

 
As a teenager, it was a tough transition.  I left my friends and moved to a neighborhood full of strangers. 
 
My brother and I made the best of it even though we found trouble or trouble found us (shh…that’s a secret).   
 
There is a saying that my parents often repeated, "If things aren't going your way, punt.  It's not the end of the world."  That has stuck with me my entire life because life isn’t always easy – there are lots of lessons to be learned along the way.
 
Thanks to her, I’ve grown into a strong and confident woman.  But what happens when that woman breaks? 

Recently, we said goodbye to our precious dog, Sadie.  It was unexpected, and she has left an enormous hole in our hearts.
 
When I found her, she was standing on the side of the road, eating pebbles.  I wasn't supposed to be on that road that day.  The path that I usually take was under construction, and there was a large orange detour sign.  I was annoyed knowing I was already late, but then I saw her - this beautiful creature with black fur, cream paws, and tan markings above her eyes.
 
I stopped and opened the van door.  She immediately hopped inside, walked to the front, and plopped herself on the passenger seat, looking at me as if to say, "Hey, let's go!  Floor it, lady."
 
We did everything we could to find her owner, but after a month of no luck, we made her part of our family. 
 
She instantly became my shadow and was by my side during my cancer diagnosis and recovery, depression, and anxiety bouts.  Most importantly, she was there day in and day out for the last nine years to provide constant companionship.  She was the best dog ever, and I miss her every day.
 
The day after we said goodbye, I sat on the sofa, bawling my eyes out while my body shook.  I was inconsolable, and even my husband couldn’t help.  I’m sure he felt extremely helpless, watching me fall apart.
 
I distinctly remember saying, "I'm breaking." 

She was going to be my riding partner once I bought that Jeep that I’ve had my eyes on for the past year. 
 
She was going to fill that void when our son moves into his place this fall. 
 
I had so many plans for the two of us.  Life isn't fair, and I wanted more time with her. 
 
I’m a fighter.
 
I'm a survivor.
 
I'm a tough cookie.
 
But even strong women break.
 


I have a passion for supporting women and created a Facebook Group called Sisterhood of Fabulous and Fearless Women.  Would love for you to join.

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Meet Cherie

Cherie Faus-Smith is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, & mentor focusing on women over 50. Her goal is to inspire women (like you!) to live life on their own terms.
 
She shares her experiences as a domestic abuse thriver, melanoma cancer survivor, and being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder to inspire women to live life to the fullest, push their comfort zones, and be their absolute best.
 
Her mission is to empower women in their 50’s to discover their own unique purpose in life. She helps women get unstuck so they can get excited about their life again and feel more fulfilled than ever before.
 
Midlife is a stage of transitions and change can be scary. Cherie will guide, motivate, inspire, and support you in your new journey.
 
Find out more about Cherie by visiting her website.  Also, you can you can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.