From Breakdown to Breakthrough

Every new year, I pick a word that will help to guide my expectations for the year.  Some words I have used in the past have been “focus,” “adventure,” “progress,” and “healing.” 

This year I chose the word “breakthrough.”  My thought was that this word would help me get to places I had never been before.  I want to enlarge my world and access new possibilities.   

At the time I picked the word, I had no idea how fast the word “breakthrough” would start working in my life. 

I had just spent a lovely Christmas and New Year holiday with my mother in Baltimore, Maryland.  After all the holiday celebrations, my five daughters and I headed back to New York in our dependable 2008 Volvo SUV.  My husband had the Volvo serviced right before we left for the holidays to ensure that we would be safe on the road. 

The Volvo did indeed get us there safely.  However, returning to New York was another story. 

As soon as we got into the car, one of my daughters observed that the car seemed to be rattling.  The rattling was not very pronounced, so I assumed it was the added weight of our luggage filled with Christmas presents we received that might be causing the noise. 

Once we got onto the highway, the Volvo started to shake.  The lights on the dashboard were blinking and a computerized message came on which read “check engine” and “shift up or slow down.” 

It was nerve-wracking, but I stayed calm and immediately exited the highway.  Then I pulled the car into a safe location.  I knew the car had very serious mechanical problems and would not be able to take us to New York.    

I was in a bind, I needed to get back to work, and my daughters needed to get home in time for school.  I could not be stuck at my mother’s house for another week waiting for our car to be diagnosed and fixed.  I didn’t know what to do, but I was also grateful that nothing tragic or traumatic happened.  That being said, I was still very sad about our beloved Volvo and the situation and I even began to cry.   

“Great,” I thought, 2023 has me in tears already!

Well, my mother and my uncle came to the rescue.  She picked us up and my uncle arranged for the Volvo to get towed to his trusted mechanic.  Processing the situation the hard reality hit that we were in need of a new car.  Not only was our Volvo giving trouble, but it was 15 years old.  Furthermore, an SUV was no longer suitable.  My five daughters’ legs had become too long for them to fit comfortably in the back of an SUV.  I needed a mini-van.  However, little did I know that they were in such high demand.  I called the dealerships for the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey, the Chrysler Pacifica, and others.  All the dealerships told me the same thing, they said none were available, but that I could prepay for a new 2023 model, which would be delivered in one to six months.  This was bad news for us. 

Finally, I called the Kia dealership; they had one singular mini-van on their lot.  It was a pre-owned 2022 model with very little mileage.  It also had an extra seat which made it an eight-seater van – usually minivans are sold with only seven seats.  The interior is black leather and spill-proof – this is good, considering we have a very young daughter.  It was as if the car was made for our family, and it was waiting for us.  After some negotiation, a deal was struck, and we bought the car.  I am very happy to say that we are grateful that our car problem was solved within the same day it began. 

I literally went from a breakdown to a “breakthrough!”

Be open to your blessings. Breakthroughs can happen to you too!

Maybe you had a tough 2022 with your health.  Or maybe your health was OK, but you know it could be better and you have just been going along.  Expect a breakthrough in your health for 2023.  It will be better than you imagined.   

What is your word of the year?  Comment and let me know, I am very interested!

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