Hey there and welcome to my blog. My name is Norina. I am One Blessed Struggler, and maybe you are too?

Of course, you’re not about to throw yourself a pity party, because you know better. You’re fully aware of how blessed you are and how much worse others in this world have it. In fact, you’re so aware that at times it overwhelms you. It even keeps you from facing your personal struggles because you feel, in the grand scheme of things, your pain is irrelevant. But you cannot deny you are hurting and, even though you could have earned an Oscar with your ability to look like you’re facing it like a champion— life’s challenges aren’t going away. You put everyone’s needs in front of yours because it gives you purpose and, after all, they’re counting on you to hold it together. But what means so much to you in a moment seems not to matter at all the next. You struggle to accept what others don’t seem to think twice about. But maybe they do? Maybe we are all full of the very same fears, inadequacies, jealousies, and tendencies, and until one of us talks about it, we’ll just all go on struggling alone.

I dedicate this blog to my mom. She lost her fight to her struggle one year ago today. She was the most selfless person I’ve ever known. Her only fault was caring too much about others and not enough about herself. She was hurting but, like most of us Type-A personalities, was so accomplished it was easy to ignore her struggles and all too easy for her to hide them.

I stand to break that trend. Your struggles are my struggles; they are our struggles, great and small.  Don’t worry. This blog is not going to become a big BOO-HOO fest and no, my world is not falling apart. I am actually encouraged, excited and yes, terrified to embark on this new journey with anyone who cares to listen and share.

Still Standing,

Norina