On this bonus episode of The Walk Of Life podcast, Cheryl Thibault is joined by Nathalie Lilavois to discuss her journey as well as the chapter she wrote in their book entitled ‘Strength, Determination and Faith.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The chapter talks about three specific things that happened to me that were like a gut punch and sent me into depression. I have a job that I liked, but I had aspirations, so I was looking for another job but I didn’t get it, so I felt deflated. I began looking at what I did wrong and what I could have done better. Then my Mum passed away which was much more significant and I wrestled with that for a long time. The following month, I’d barely got through the grieving process and I got sick. Nobody really wanted to tell me what it was, I was seeing lots of different specialists and the concern was it could have been a cancer. That was my abyss and I think a lot of people go through this all the time and we don’t take the chance to slow down and it builds into a dive. What do you do in those situations?
• I had to compartmentalise to get through each one. The job thing became so insignificant after my Mum’s passing and then my illness, it was a blessing in disguise. I had to forgive myself when it came to my Mum, we didn’t have a great relationship towards the end, there were things I wanted to talk about that we would never be able to discuss to acknowledge my hurt and find out her thoughts. But, I had to get past that and forgive her, and forgive myself for feeling that way towards her. I realised that she had been through a lot and needed help herself, she’d grown up and survived in a war torn country and came to a country that was not always supportive, if you will, at a time when there was civil unrest. Her whole life was marked by trauma and I became thankful that she had the wherewithal to bring my family to a different country where we didn’t have to go through what she had.
• Faith isn’t just about religion. I talk about having two kinds of faith: Faith in God and faith in myself. The faith in myself is about the way you talk to yourself, your affirmations, your self-talk, what you are telling yourself and what you are able to do and not do, based on how you set yourself up for your day. That grows out of my Mum’s strength and my family’s determination. The other faith is faith in a higher power, whoever that is and however that is for each individual person and what does that mean to you in terms of what do you have faith in and how does that inform what you do on a regular basis, and are you being true to yourself and your values, etc?
• A dream that gets you out of bed is a drive, which is more in line with your passion. The hope for a better tomorrow is almost like treading water, but it doesn’t have the same depth of purpose. People need to really think about dreaming big dreams, have a big goal, because I think that provides the drive and purpose and will get you moving.

BEST MOMENTS
‘Looking at things differently made the difference.’
‘Strength, determination and faith all come from my family.’
‘There’s a reason for everything that happens in your life, that’s where you’re supposed to be, that’s where God has ordered your path.’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Dr. Nathalie C. Lilavois has been an educator for thirty years in a variety of teaching and administrative capacities. As a classroom teacher, she taught at the primary level for ten years. During that time, she also worked as a certified reading specialist, focusing on early literacy.
Dr. Lilavois' current position is Director of Elementary Education for Three Village Central School District. In June 2016, Dr. Lilavois received the Friends of Education Award from the Stony Brook University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa International. She is also a Lifechanger of the Year nominee 2016-2017. She has curated two successful TEDxDeerPark events.
Dr. Lilavois continues to pursue interests in the areas of literacy education, multimedia educational technology, art, community activism, cultural diversity, women's empowerment, gender equity, youth development, social justice, and health & wellness. She hopes to connect her efforts to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative by fostering environments that encourage a healthy lifestyle and answer President Obama’s call to service through community service projects that empower its youth to be active changemakers in their world.
Website: https://www.zaharacrown.com/
Email: zaharacrown@gmail.com
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Be a guest!  - https://misscheryl.com/podcast/podcast-guest-form/
FREE E-BOOK - http://promos.misscheryl.com/
CHECK OUT MY BOOKS - https://misscheryl.com/features/book-launch-career-in-the-beauty-industry/
ABOUT THE HOST
Cheryl Thibault is a visionary, entrepreneur, multi-business owner, educator, influencer, and game changer in the beauty industry. A student of life, who will never stop growing and learning. She is assertive and an uncompromising beauty professional, and has been for over 40 years.  As a long time founder/owner of beauty spas and education centres since 1981,
An Author, Co-Author and currently penning a series of books dedicated to telling her life story, overcoming struggles, and gaining life and career success. She is a true trailblazer and actively integrates love, understanding and compassion into all areas of her life as she influences thousands around the world to carry that forward.
CONTACT METHODS
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cheryltbo/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cherylthibault1/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylthibault/
Podcast website:  www.thewalkoflifestories.com