“Hi, Judy, I read your book, ‘Go For It” when I was a kid…over 30 years later, I still think of your book and how you inspired me. This past year I ran for the U.S. Congress and while it didn’t work out the way I had hoped, I am ready to work to help kids the way you helped me–to be inspired to go for their dreams no matter what. I just wanted to say thank you!” –Elizabeth Moro
In my life even when things didn’t work out exactly the way I had planned, I believed there always was a reason. No time was it harder for me to find a reason than after my campaign had ended. I felt like I had answered a lifelong call only to have the Universe hang up. Wrong number. Prank call. Timing. Whatever it was, my dream of serving in public office came crashing around my ears. I felt empty, alone and pretty much worthless.
After a time, I had to find a way out of my sadness. Searching for the key, I literally enrolled in a class on how to be “authentically happy” and one of the professors quoted was Dr. Martin Seligman, the Founder of Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Since that was just up the road, I wrote to him and asked him to have lunch, and he agreed. “How can I be happy in a world when I know so much is wrong and there is nothing I can do about it?” His response, “You’re not needed in Congress. Go be a trumpet about what is right in the world!” Tall order. What did that even mean and how could I muster up the courage to pursue such a thing? It felt like a task I wasn’t ready to take on but I was willing to stay open in case inspiration hit.
One evening, Vince and I were talking over a glass of wine as we sometimes do at our farm, and I thought of how I had read this book as a kid by a woman named, Judy Zerafa. The book was entitled, Go For IT! Judy had made such an early impact on how I viewed the world and that I could make things happen. “If she never wrote that book, I don’t know if I would have had the ambition I did. I wish I could thank her.” And so I found her on Facebook and sent her a message. A few weeks later, Judy responded and it was soul-sisters at the onset of our conversations. We talked about many things–dreams, goals, and challenges along the way. Most importantly we discussed Judy’s most recent work The Seven Keys to Success and her book Your Path to an Easier and Better Life. Judy invited me to consider working with her to keep the message going. Just as before, Judy had the keys to unlock my biggest question–how can I serve?
After almost a year of emails and weekly conference calls, we met face-to-face this past week in Long Beach, California. It simply was magical as we both felt huge confirmation of the importance of this vision– bring the Seven Keys to those who need them most–not only what the keys are, but HOW to make them work in every life! We will be sharing more about our work but the big message here is to never believe that it is over. Life takes twists and turns, but doors are unlocked when we continue to believe and look for the keys.
P.S. Guess who Judy had quoted in her new book? Dr. Seligman. I love those coincidences!
The Seven Keys to Success by Judy Zerafa
- Develop and Maintain a Positive Attitude
- Believe in Yourself
- Make Wise Choices
- Develop Positive Habits
- Set and Achieve Goals
- Use Creative Imagination
- Be Persistent
