The Great Depression
I have always struggled with emotional control issues. Where I do believe everyone struggles with anxiety and depression from time to time, most are event driven situations. Most are also self driven, and able to be broken free of with the proper actions. Anxiety has always been my curse. It runs through me on a daily basis and where it does hinder aspects of my life I also feel it has been a driving factor for my accomplishments. You see, often times life has a hold of you and it feels like you cant break free. This is the moment that you need to push yourself to overcome whatever it is that is holding on to you. Easier said than done of course but I feel this is where success either comes or it goes.
Depression is something that almost made my success go. It was the start of Covid when everyone who was not essential was shut down. At this time I was working at the body shop working on growing my business and trying to maintain employment. The body shop reduced its hours to a mere 20 hours a week and I was no longer needed at the time. Financially this was the best move for my father who owned the shop. I decided that the time was now or never, full-time Birdsall’s Auto Works here I come. It was FANTASTIC. It was the height of the detailing season I was busy daily and the schedule was slamming. What more could I ask for?
The Winter Blues
December came and it was my first winter ever being full-time. Covid paired with the cold weather had everyone stuck inside. The phone stopped ringing, people stopped scheduling, the money stopped flowing, and I was alone. Everything I worked for suddenly lost its meaning. I lost sight of my mission with clue where to begin next step forward. This was the darkest time of my life. My visions were blurred. Depression had its hands on me and I felt hopeless. Had I never purchased my duplex I would have never paid my mortgage. I was hanging on by threads and pennies but I had responsibilities. I had people to prove wrong. I had 3 furry kitties who needed me. I had to live up to the talent I was gifted. This was the single most monumental moment of my life. This was the make or break that I needed.
I Made It
February came, it felt like my phone was silent for an eternity. Then I got a huge job on a brand new Corvette. It had 15 miles on it. This was the moment I knew my mission was not offer. People still saw me for me and what I offered. March came and oh boy did it come. My phone was OFF THE HOOK! I had never been so busy in my entire life. I hired a full time employee in May 2021. We grew like wild fire. Winter of 2021 came and we stayed steady through the winter. There was life in the world again and we were taking the area by storm. The marketing, the business structure, the morale, it was at an all time high. Nothing was stopping me. My first busy Winter season? LETS GO! This is when everything evolved. I purchased Gene’s body Shop in January of 2022. We are now a team of 5 incredibly talented individuals. We are unstoppable. I am unstoppable.

YOU Can Do It
The moral of this story is to never underestimate the things you are going through. There is a reason for everything that happens. The true test of time. The make it or break it. Have faith in yourself even when it feels like there’s no reason to. You can and will accomplish anything that you set your mind to. I am not anyone special, but to myself I am everything. Every situation I have been in I have had a choice to make. They are not always the right one. But they all make a difference in your life for better or for worse. Control your decisions and life will not be able to control you.