If not you, then who?

Years ago, I worked for a Chiropractor in San Diego. I had no previous experience, no knowledge of Chiropractic. His wife found my resume on Craigslist with a background of serving and receptionist work. But the interview resonates with me to this day. When he walked in, he said “I can teach you everything you need to know about the programs and the systems in this office. What I can’t teach, is personality. You have to have the right type of personality for this job.” I thank God to this day that He gave me the personality I have because apparently it got me the job! And that changed the course of my entire life! I spent 6 years working in that office. The amount of investment that Chiropractor and his team poured into me was far more than any college degree I could have received. The transformation in my life is unrecognizable! The day I decided to stay home and raise my family was the hardest day of my life. I bawled my eyes out. I felt like I had lost my purpose and that I had let everyone down. That I had no meaning anymore, other than being a wife and mom. It was an unfulfilling feeling despite literally being the foundation of my family.

So here I am, a stay at home mom and house wife. No college degree, no massive bank account, no big business generating a 6-figure income. I am not even a CA (Chiropractic Assistant) anymore. But recently I realized, I AM still a CA. Only this CA has a different meaning. I am a Chiropractic Advocate. However, I don’t only talk about Chiropractic (although that also changed my life, but that is for another time). I talk about overall health- wellness in all areas of your life. And have even created a speech. I have practiced bits and pieces of it in my bathroom mirror day after day. I have spoken parts of it to people, to anyone who will listen. I have used it to educate and inspire people…except myself. At least not at the level I have hoped to inspire others at. You see, I learned more than just Chiropractic and health in that office. I learned the importance of my voice. The power of my words. My beliefs. What I can manifest into my life! Recently I have also learned, on my own, what dreams I can kill without even taking action! I have learned that you DON’T need a college degree or a million dollar business to impact the world. All you need is your voice.

My favorite movie growing up was Newsies. It’s a 1980’s Disney movie that didn’t quite make it as big as Little Mermaid. But it should have! Of course now I see why. It wasn’t a cartoon. It was an adult movie. And being a parent myself, I understand what little time us adults have to watch non-cartoon movies. But if you haven’t seen that one, please pull it up on Disney+ and watch it. It’s the story of the early 1900’s newsboys and their strike against the giants of their time- Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. Based on a true story, it dives into the life of a broke, homeless newspaper boy and his strength to stand up and fight for what he believes in, for what he knows is right. He also captures the attention of a newspaper reporter who follows their group of misfits along during their protest. This reporter catches a moment of fear and weakness in the boys at one point and responds with a quote I have never forgotten. He said, “Sometimes all it takes is a voice. One voice, that becomes a hundred, and then a thousand. Unless it is silenced.”

We have watched, throughout the last few years, this movie play out again. The giants of OUR time right now using their power to silence certain voices and kill certain dreams. Dreams like mine of coaching others, helping others create a vision for their life, finding their purpose and leaving their legacy. Speaking truth to the world and bringing lies to the surface to squash them.

Over the course of these last 6 years since quitting that office, I have held onto another dream. A dream to stand up on stage at a specific conference and speak. During those years I worked for that Chiropractor, he would bring his team to this conference. All of the greats would speak about anything and everything health and business, science and freedom. It was like The Dead Poet Society of today. It was inspiring and gave us all the tools and motivation to pass along when we got home. It’s a conference I never want to miss again. One I want to bring my friends and family to every year. It reveals the truths hidden in this world today, the things certain people don’t want you to know and how the giants of today are using their money and power to make it look like lies. And how the media today has used their power of the press to allow those lies to be believed by the majority of the world. And each year, as I went home, I used my voice but not at the volume asked of me. And in turn, I allowed my voice to become silenced. And I’ve watched as Bill after Bill, our freedoms slowly get taken away.

I finished my 3rd book today- Girl on Fire by Cara Alwill Leyba. And guess what the last chapter spoke about? Why not me? If not you, then who? And that gave me chills. So did the words “Imagine you decide to keep playing small and never go for it. Think about the thousands, if not millions of people who would never be impacted by your work.” And then that quote from Newsies popped into my head. My one voice, impacting hundreds, and those hundreds begin using their voice, turns into thousands. As long as I do NOT let my voice be silenced any longer. Because like Girl on Fire says, “If you aren’t willing to take your brilliance and share it with the world, then who will?” Currently, as I have stayed silent, the ones using their voices have destroyed this country. This world. The minds of people everywhere. I have allowed that to happen. My voice hasn’t been loud enough. I haven’t educated and empowered others enough for them to use their voices. But I haven’t been alone. I know there are more out there that have seen the truth be covered and the lies be perceived as truth. We are now at a pivotal time where our voices matter to keep our freedom. Do NOT let your voice be silenced! Use your voice NOW to create that hundred, and then that thousand! And in turn, our voices WILL change the course of our future. The future of this country. The future of the next generations. The fear that drives my voice now is IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO?

The REAL me, Audra