There are some events that trigger in us a survival spirit. We are ALL stronger than we know and our resilience for surviving unfortunate circumstances is amazing. This is the CWW News message as we head into holidays and as we go through the last days of 2010.

I remember briefly chatting with someone awhile ago who had just lost her job. She had that stunned, out-of-body look on her face. She kept fidgeting and trying to steady herself as we waiting in line. I remember standing there thinking that this was a major turning point and that nothing is ever going to be the same for her.

I remembered my own similar experience and the chills and the shakes I felt on that hot, sunny day as I walked away from my job one last time. Somewhere inside of myself I knew I would survive my new predicament and so I held on to that thought to keep from falling apart. And I kept telling myself that over and over and over again, not now and it kept me going for a while. And then one day, I fell apart. I let the disappointment, the anger and feelings of helplessness wash over me and afterward, they re-energized a fighting spirit in me and I was able to figure out my, "now-what". I had no idea how I would succeed, but any attempt at freeing myself from that "stuck' feeling felt good.

It's been said that you never know what you're made of until you've been tested by trauma, devastation or the loss of something or someone very important. I often looked back and wonder what got me through that scary time. One thing for sure, I knew what did not work.

Let me offer that if you have lost something (or someone) important to you this year and feel you have nothing more to lose – Look around, you'll see others just like yourself who've lost and lived through some low events this year.

We're all a little scared– even those of us who haven't yet had any negative surprises and we can't help but be affected by someone who has.

I bid you a quiet peace, joy and a new prosperity in 2011, while wishing you CWW Career-wise Ways...!

SJ