A few weeks ago I received a very exciting invitation to interview with Dany Rousseleau from Canada. On the agreed day, I thought I’d be the one sharing some wisdom, but after we finished shooting, it was Dany that left me with many priceless insights. You see, Dany is a lung cancer survivor, and it was this experience that eventually ushered her to a new awareness for life.

She shared with me that the most difficult moments in one’s life happen for us and Not to us. In our darkest experiences, no matter how terrifying or hopeless, at no point are we victims. Tough situations happen to move us forward, to help us evolve and become stronger. This is a process that will force us to experience our vulnerabilities and will humble us to the point of breaking our ego.

It’s in these life changing moments that the ego needs to be surpassed in order to connect with the more solid aspects of our selves. In these unique dark moments legitimate hope, faith and inner strength can be found to transmute us into becoming a being of empathy, joy and positive purpose.

This realization was so powerful for Dany, that she made it her goal to share with all of us stories about people that have gone through that intense Path (myself included) and survived to a new awakening.