Today, I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 7 of Erica Tucci’s Virtual Blog Tour. Erica’s book Radiant Survivor: How to Shine and Thrive through Recovery from Stroke, Cancer, Abuse, Addiction and Other Life-Altering Experiences is celebrating its big Amazon launch on November 19th, 2013 at http://www.radiantsurvivor.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.php.
Erica Tucci had a full life as a corporate manager of a Fortune 500 company, a healing arts business owner and an author of three books. It all came to a screeching halt in June 2011 when she had a stroke that left her completely paralyzed on her right side. While spending more than two years in recovery, she gained much wisdom about what’s really important in life. She re-entered the world with a new mission: to use her story as an inspiration for others facing life challenges, which we all have, big or small. That story can be found in her brand new book, Radiant Survivor. Erica is also an official Online Ambassador for the American Stroke Association.
Yesterday, Erica visited Katherine T. Owen at www.healingcfsme.com/life-after-stroke.html, where they talked about life after stroke.
Today, I’d like to share with you a recent interview I had with Erica where we engaged in a dialogue about the life lessons she learned from the stroke and how spiritual surrender played a big part in her survival. I hope you enjoy it.
——-
Tina Games: Looking back on your experience, how do you think this journey became part of your purpose in life?
Erica Tucci: I knew my purpose in life was to help others in some capacity before my stroke. I had already started a healing arts business with a focus on women. However, I was doing it from a more masculine, ego-based mindset. It was more from a “what’s in it for me?” attitude. When I had my stroke, I saw life in a different light. I realized what was really important in life, and it wasn’t about outer recognition or material things or vanity. It was more about a deep relationship with myself and others, and my connection to the Divine. So my journey to fulfill my destiny became more feminine, more nurturing, more heart-centered. I began asking myself “how can I serve others?” Thus, I gave birth to my book Radiant Survivor, hoping that my story might help others facing their own life trauma shine and thrive through their own healing and recovery.
Tina Games: What did you learn about vulnerability and surrender? And how important do you think they are to anyone who may be facing a challenging period in their life?
Erica Tucci: For me, the most difficult challenge has been to surrender, and let go and let GOD. It’s been about having total faith that the Higher Power will help heal my body…that I DON’T have to do it alone. My massage therapist has a wonderful plaque above his massage table that says “The Power that Created the Body Can Heal the Body.” So very true! And we must have faith in this belief. The final stretch of my recovery has been a rough journey because I was very controlling before my stroke…trying to control every aspect of my life. Having to relinquish that control, knowing that I don’t have total control, has been a daunting task. Allowing myself to be vulnerable and not be in the driver’s seat has taken A LOT of faith and a lot of perseverance to do so. One of the mantras that I follow is: “I am on a magic carpet ride with Spirit at the helm.” So I am learning to surrender and thus, am moving closer and closer to full recovery. Having this kind of vulnerability is what gets us through the worst of times. It teaches us that we are co-creators in our lives… that we have to do our part, but that the Universe “has our back” to support us every stretch of the way…that we can be vulnerable, and that it’s OK.
Tina Games: What were some of the gifts you received – and some of the lessons you learned? And how do they impact your purposeful journey today?
Erica Tucci: Gosh, I learned so many lessons, and in turn received so many gifts from what these lessons taught me. In fact, the way I wrote my book was anytime I felt I had a lesson to learn, it became the topic of a chapter. We may be presented with a number of “opportunities” throughout our lives, good and bad. When the opportunity comes in the form of a life-altering experience such as mine, our choices of how to handle it will either propel us forward on a journey of inner peace or make us sink in the quicksand of despair. And I determined I wasn’t going to sink! So one of the first lessons from my stroke was “Never give up!” Never underestimate what you can achieve when you believe in yourself! Another was that believing in yourself doesn’t come from “with-OUT”; it comes from within, from that heart-centered place where our god/dess essence resides. It’s about having self-love. It’s about feeling that you have something to offer the world – your special gift, whatever it is. It’s about feeling that no matter what your situation is, you have the wherewithal to meet that challenge head on and deal with it. You should look at your ordeal as a gift, not a curse. Life’s journey is full of magic – the marvelous, the miraculous and the wonderful – but it’s not without its hurdles along the way. And, as I mentioned above, when we come to these bumps in the road, we need to have faith and believe that the Universe “has our back” and will be our pillar of strength, propping us up and propelling us forward. When we surrender to God, the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent power in all of us, magic happens. And when we are grateful for our blessings and can maintain an optimistic attitude through thick and thin, there’s no limit to the opportunities that will present themselves to us. All in all, believe in yourself and watch the miracles unfold. I feel that what I have learned from my circumstance makes my life more meaningful, and I want to show others that when we see a life trauma as a gift from the heavens, transforming us in ways we never could’ve imagined, our world around us is transformed, because the world is only a reflection, a macrocosm of our microcosm. We are all part of the Divine.
———-
I hope you enjoyed this interview with Erica Tucci and that you’ll check out her book Radiant Survivor at http://www.radiantsurvivor.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.php
When you visit the page at the above link and request a “book launch reminder,” you will automatically receive a FREE pass to Erica’s 3-day “Radiant Survivor Telesummit” which runs from November 12th through 14th, 2013, with a panel of 11 world-renowned experts on recovery and transformation. You can listen to the telesummit online in the comfort of your own home, and even ask questions during the broadcast.
And if you choose to purchase Erica’s book, you can receive the MP3 downloads of all 3 days of the inspiring Radiant Survivor Telesummit, plus a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe including one from me:
Creating a Vision Board Using New Moon Energy
To claim your FREE pass to the Radiant Survivor Telesummit
and read about the free gifts, go to:
http://www.radiantsurvivor.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.php
AND be sure to follow Erica tomorrow when the next stop on her Virtual Blog Tour is Michael Lawrience, who will be interviewing Erica on what it means to live in the moment, let go and let God, and how to thrive in the moment. To join that “stop” on the tour, please visit this page: http://www.emotionalhealthtips.com/radiant-survivor-virtual-interview.