This past week, Elizabeth Edwards passed away. Many articles talked about her struggles in life. I would like to take a moment and discuss her triumphs.

Elizabeth Edwards thrived in the face of adversity. In her own words: “Either you push forward with the things that you were doing yesterday or you start dying,” she said. “If I had given up everything that my life was about … I’d let cancer win before it needed to.”

Eilzabeth recognized that at some point the cancer would win. However, she was determined to live her life fully before that happened. She had the fortitude, courage and resilience to step forward into life. She also used these traits and way of thinking in the other areas of her life where there was heartache and sorrow. She learned to heal, and healing often involves hurting more right now in order to someday hurt less.

It is what she did with the time that helped her heal and to move forward in her life. Here is a quote from one of her friends: “Elizabeth did not want people to say she lost her battle with cancer. The battle was about living a good life and that she won.”

Elizabeth Edwards was triumphant in living her life on her terms, and an inspiration to all of us.

Sharon Roth-Lichtenfeld

Sharon Roth-Lichtenfeld, CPC, ELI MP, BFA is a Certified Professional Life Coach and Energy Leadership Master Practitioner from the Institute for Professional in Excellence Coaching (iPEC). Sharon works with individuals and caregivers who experience life-changing events like catastrophic illness, divorce, death of a loved one, and caring for a person with physical and/or mental disabilities. With more than 20 years experience caring for people with catastrophic illness, special needs and numerous life changing events in her own life, Sharon has indeed “lived the experience.” Through her personal understanding, life experiences, along with her professional coaching skills, she is able to achieve dramatic results when working with individuals or groups. Sharon brings caring, compassion, inspiration and support to her clients through workshops, one-on-one coaching and tele-classes so they can walk through their heartache and grief, and learn to heal and thrive in the face of change and adversity. Sharon has also developed unique coaching tools and techniques including: Honor, Express, Learn and Practice, better known as H • E • L • P™, Stop, Drop and Roll Technique™, OOPS emPOWERment Tool™ and The GoodGrief Change Cycle™. It’s what YOU do with the time that helps YOU heal. Sharon is a Mentor Coach and is also involved with the steering committee for special education in her Washington Township, NJ school district, a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), New Jersey Professional Coaches Association, Philadelphia Area Coaches Alliance (PACA), Wellspouse Organization, The National Family Caregivers Association, American Associaton on Aging (ACA), CHADD, Regional Family Support Planning Council #8 for the Division of Developmental Disabilities, SJ Women’s Wisdom Network and Powerful You! Woman’s Network. She received a BFA degree in Graphic Design from Pratt Institute, and had a long career as an art director.

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