Andrea Blindt: Why True Healing Requires Pausing Your Career To Embrace Grief

Unfortunately, suicide, particularly among young people, is on the rise. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15–24 in the US. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide, and 9% have made an attempt to end their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Not all people who are suicidal appear to be outwardly upset or even depressed. Asking for help can be very difficult because of the stigma that still surrounds the notion that being depressed, anxiety-filled, or feeling less than means you’re “mentally ill” and that there’s something wrong with you.

In this interview series, we are talking to suicide survivors. We want to share the stories of people who lost sight of their worth, how they overcame it when they were given a 2nd chance to live, and how they healed! We also want to share how these survivors went from SURVIVING to THRIVING in their lives.

As a part of this interview series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Andrea Blindt.

Andrea Blindt is a registered nurse, holistic health practitioner, four-time international best-selling author, inspirational speaker, and life and mindset coach who empowers others through her own healing journey. Andrea guides her clients as they navigate health challenges, traumatic life events, and experiences of loss. She supports them in strengthening their body, mind, and heart while redefining possibilities. This allows clients to reclaim their power, advocate for what is in their best interest, and learn the tools needed to make decisions that are in alignment with their beliefs, regardless of the obstacles they are facing. Andrea believes no diagnosis is too final, past too messy, or future too uncertain to fully live a life you love today, and she reminds her clients that. She has been featured in Authority’s Medium Magazine, Bustle, Shefinds, Mel, Healthline, Natural Health Radio, and various publications and podcasts. She lives in California with her husband and four beautiful children.

Thank you for your bravery and strength in being so open with us. I personally understand how hard this is. Before we dive in, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and what you do professionally?

Absolutely! I’m a wife to an amazing man who cheers me on and encourages me to be the best version of myself possible, and a joyful mom to six little ones. Two who died five days after they were born, and four who keep me laughing and sprinting alongside them daily.

Growing up, I experienced various layers of abuse that led me to believe I was unworthy and unlovable at my core. Because of those flawed beliefs I was driven to help others from a very young age, believing that my service would one day earn me the worth and love I desperately longed for. I went into the nursing profession and absolutely loved it, but as hardships continued to pollute my life I realized that I needed to learn how to help myself before I could successfully continue helping others. It was through this time of healing that I cultivated my current business, Growing Miracles. It’s a one stop shop that supports people medically, emotionally, and spiritually on their healing journey from the inside out.

I created this practice because, for me, healing didn’t come from one thing, but rather through a million little things. Knowing this, I wanted to share as many resources that I possibly could with others so that they too could find peace, healing, and the hope to create a life they truly love.

All that to say I’m a registered nurse, holistic health practitioner, Rapid Transformational Therapist, author, and speaker. I learned a lot, studied a lot, and now share the whole toolbox so that others can use those tools.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Gosh right now I am working on allowing myself to experience an even deeper level of healing. At the time of this interview, I am moving through another layer of deep grief that has impacted me and my family deeply.

We experienced a very sudden and unexpected death in our family that has caused my priorities to shift. I have willingly taken a small step back from my growing practice, public speaking schedule, and book-writing to fully be present with my emotions as they ebb and flow, and to also provide that same spaciousness for my children and husband as we navigate this big life change together.

Through allowing myself to pause and show up exactly where I needed to be, without any other agenda or guilt weighing me down, I uncovered an even greater appreciation for just how beautiful life can be when you make healing a priority. Instead of wallowing in my sadness and cursing the world for my pain like I would have in the past, I am actively moving through it, sometimes painstakingly slow, but other times like a gentle breeze with comfort and ease.

This allows me to honor my healing while also showing others that it’s ok to do the same in their own lives.

I’ve learned that grief really becomes a bigger issue in life when we deny it, force it down, and avoid it. Having risen out of the depths of depression, I knew that I needed to experience my grief in a healthy manner so that it didn’t have the potential to swallow me up one day.

This time of respite will not only help me, but it has the power to help other people in so many ways. For one it will help my children know that they are not alone in their suffering, that I am hurting alongside them, and that when they need me, I will be there. It’s easy for me to get swept away in my to-do lists, and to focus on helping others, but right now my family needs my help and I want them to know that they too are worthy of receiving that, just like the patients I serve. This healing will go on to show others that moving through grief is acceptable and honorable and that through grief new life can grow as we share our love with others. My children are learning how to process their feelings, express them in a safe environment, and also hold space for others that are experiencing challenges in their lives too. Caring for myself is a gift that will continue to have ripple effects in this world, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do it.

Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. Are you able to share with our readers what happened in your life that made you believe that there was no other way to end the pain you were experiencing except by taking your own life? Were you dealing with depression, bullying, substance abuse, anxiety, or other outside environmental issues, such as parents’ divorce, financial worries, loss, or rejection, that you felt like you couldn’t control?

Thank you for asking this deeply intimate question.

When I was eight years old my parents divorced and I learned that the man I loved and knew as my dad wasn’t really my dad. I felt confused, heartbroken, angry, uncertain, and lied to. My whole world felt like it was crumbling down around me and before I had a minute to stabilize myself, my mom moved my sisters and me across the country, tearing me out of the life I knew and catapulting me into a new one. We lived in a very small remote town where we were the minority. Instead of school being a safe sanctuary from the chaos of my home life, it was scary. I was met with hostility and racism that further confused me and weakened my spirit. The bullying and constant abuse was further affirmation to my young mind that I was unworthy, different, unlovable, and not good enough. It was an incredibly isolating and painful time in my life.

At home, my mom didn’t know how to regulate her emotions, so she took them out on those around her. Since I was a child, I became an easy target. During that time, I experienced physical, emotional, sexual, and mental abuse. Bruises decorated my body as my mom’s fists slammed into me, and bald patches eclipsed my head after chunks of my hair were ripped from my scalp. The pain was unimaginable and as a child, I struggled to make sense of it.

I began to believe that I was the problem. I told myself that if I could just change who I was my life would improve. I did my best to perfect my behavior. I got perfect grades. I didn’t talk back. I cooked dinner nightly and cleaned the house until it was immaculate. I helped raise my younger sister. I didn’t ask for anything. I surrendered all of me in order to please all of her, and in the end, all I had was fragments of the woman I was meant to be.

Life went on this way for years. I walked on eggshells anticipating my mom’s every need and trigger, but her behavior only intensified, and then when I was fifteen years old, I was removed from her care.

I share all of this with you so that you can see how my childhood shaped the thoughts and beliefs I carried with me into adulthood. Because those beliefs unknowingly directed the choices I made and impacted the way I behaved.

* * * *

I was so desperate for love and acceptance that I based all of my decisions on what I believed would earn me love and worth.

• I became a nurse and found my value through serving others.
• I accepted a marriage proposal from a man I barely knew because his proposal was proof that someone loved me, that I was lovable.
• I worked to grow our family believing that having children made me lovable and valuable to my husband.

As I did those things my beliefs began to shift, and I allowed them to soak into my mind like lotion on dry skin. They felt better than my old beliefs that told me I was unworthy, unlovable, and not enough. And as long as I held up my end of the bargain, it seemed like they were willing to do the same. So, when I struggled to conceive I leaned in and committed to trying harder, believing that if I worked harder I would be successful.

After multiple rounds of failed fertility treatments, two miscarriages, and then a successful round of IVF I was pregnant with twins. I believed I was worthy of being a mom, and the belief that success followed hard work was deepened.

I put so much meaning into those stinking beliefs because they told me exactly what I wanted to hear. They worked for me until all of a sudden, and I say sudden because my life imploded pretty darn quickly, I found myself buried beneath the rubble sifting through realities that didn’t match those beliefs. And that is where I couldn’t bury the pain and craved an end to my suffering.

* * * *

My twins were born prematurely and died five days later. I remember the nurses carrying my still warm infants down to the cold morgue as my body collapsed onto the floor and my heart threatened to stop beating. The pain was so severe I didn’t know how to live through it, but my body carried on unconsciously. My heart was broken but continued to beat. My lungs were deflated but continued to fill with air. My hopes and dreams flooded my mind but were unable to be rescued. The world continued to spin, but for me, it had stopped.

• I was a mom, but my kids were dead. My mind told me I was not worthy of being a mom.
• Depression suffocated me like thick black smoke. My mind told me I was not worthy of having joy.
• My husband stopped loving me and we divorced. My mind told me I was not worthy of love.
• I couldn’t make the pain go away despite my very best efforts. My mind told me there was no hope.

Those lies became my truth. They felt real, they were valid, and my life experiences had shown me that they were. I felt powerless, a victim of the situations I found myself in. I started to believe life would never get better. I made more decisions based on these faulty beliefs. Life was dark and desolate. And then I realized that it didn’t matter how hard I tried or how perfect I tried to be, I would always be unworthy, and unlovable. And in that space, I craved death.

What did you want or need from your friends, family, or even yourself before you attempted to end your life?

I needed love and acceptance more than anything.

From my family and friends, I needed a safe space to share my pain, my suffering, and my beliefs without being judged or fixed. It made my pain even worse when people walked away from me, or when people would tell me to look on the bright side or get back in the saddle. I didn’t need a cheerleader! I didn’t need to ignore the gaping wound my pain had caused. What I needed was a hug, and a human being that was willing to sit in the darkness with me until together we found a light.

From myself, I needed to know that I was loved and worthy simply because I was breathing air. I couldn’t believe that truth from the lips of anyone else until it replicated through my own DNA first.

I also needed to love the younger version of myself for all the decisions she made based on the beliefs of her current reality. I needed to forgive her. She did the things she did in order to survive. She wasn’t weak, she was freaking strong!

For so long I hated myself. I thought I was weak. I told myself I wasn’t good enough because I couldn’t earn my mom’s love. Because I was divorced. Because my children had died. Because nothing I did was ever good enough. But all of that was bullshit, and I needed to stop talking to myself that way! For crying out loud I would never tell my best friend she wasn’t good enough because her kids died, but here I was dishing it out to myself like it was my full-time job! Once I realized what a crappy friend I was being to myself, I learned how to be a better one. I knew how to be kind to my friends, so I began mirroring that same kindness to myself. I started by tweaking the way I spoke to myself and about myself. I covered my mirror, walls, dashboard, and doors with affirmations and love letters to myself. I got really good at catching all the negative icky feeling thoughts and beliefs that came into my mind and throwing them away, and then I replaced them with better feeling ones that were aligned with the belief I was choosing to believe. It took commitment, time, and constant effort, but over time I learned how to have empathy, compassion, and eventually true love for myself.

Today I love myself ALIVE- I don’t need anyone else to love me or accept me because I love and accept myself. Of course, experiencing love and acceptance from my husband, children, family, and friends is icing on the cake, but my life is still full without it.

What did you do to get help & support before you attempted? And if you didn’t ask for help, why?

In all honesty, I felt like I had done EVERYTHING to help myself stay alive, but the pain was so debilitating I believed death was the only remedy. Before my attempt, I’d spent years in traditional therapy recovering from my childhood. I saw a therapist for years after I was removed from my mom’s home, and then after my twins died, I saw a therapist 3x a week, but I was still suffering. I was on multiple medications for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. None of them worked for me. I tried essential oils, diet modification, and various supplements without any big shifts. I tried EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), hypnotherapy, grief, and bereavement support groups, and I reached out to mentors in my church for support. When nothing provided lasting change, I became hopeless, and that’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands by making the pain stop forever.

I want readers to know that while I love therapy and am a big encourager of it, I do not like the current model we have in practice today. When people are suffering, the thought of spending years on a therapist’s couch talking about the past before you ever reach the present is freaking daunting.

Typically, people attend one 50-minute session a week if they have access and can afford to. Change can feel very minuscule at that pace. Time is excruciating when you are acutely suffering. Imagine having a gaping wound that needs stitches, but instead of getting stitches you are given a Band-Aid and told to return to the doctor’s office once a week for a new one. You do this for years and the wound isn’t healing; in fact, it might even be getting worse. You become hopeless believing that the wound will never get better, and then one day you find the right provider who is willing to stitch the wound up and, in that moment, you finally begin to heal. That is the care I offer my patients.

What signs would you tell parents, friends, or loved ones to look for in people they think may need help?

Everyone is unique in how they present themselves. It is not uncommon for depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts to go completely unnoticed, but here are a few things I’ve noticed in my own life, and also in my practice working with people who have considered suicide.

• A history of life stressors
• Staying busy to escape their current reality
• Overall expression of melancholy
• Talking about wanting to die
• Carrying guilt or shame
• Not enjoying things they used to or at all
• Withdrawing from family/ friends and life
• Decrease or change in appetite
• Mood changes
• Sleeping a lot or not sleeping at all
• Giving personal belongings away
• Making amends
• Saying things like, “No one will miss me when I’m gone.” “There is no use.” “What’s the point..” etc.
• Loss of a friend or loved one
• Loss of a job, dream, or function
• Illness or poor medical diagnosis
• Being short or snippy with others
• Drug or alcohol use
• Past history of mental health challenges
• Physical pain
• Past history of abuse
• Belief that they are not good enough or are unworthy/unlovable
• Isolation
• Bullied by others
• Caring for a sick loved one

What should they ask or do if someone they love is saying things like they don’t want to live anymore?

Sit down and truly listen to them in a safe judgment-free space. It’s hard to watch someone you love and care about struggle with suicidal thoughts, but it’s very important that you don’t give advice or try to fix them. That can cause them to shut down or become agitated. Instead, try to empathize with their pain. When people feel safe and heard they have a better shot at opening up and really sharing what is going on in their minds.

Ask if they have a plan. That’s critical, although not everyone will admit to having one. If they have a plan lined up or you believe they are a risk to themselves or others call 911, or the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 on your phone. You can also text the word “STRENGTH” to the Crisis text line at 741741 or you can go online to 988lifeline.org as soon as you safely can.

Ask the person what type of support or help they would like to receive. Decide if it’s something you can realistically offer and if not help them formulate a plan with resources, they can immediately access.

Don’t leave them until you know they are in a safe place.

Continue to love them and to be a light in their life. They might not reach out to you in the midst of their healing journey, so I encourage you to reach out first. Set an alarm in your phone or your calendar to send them an uplifting text message, or to call them just to say hi. Schedule a date or bring them a meal and simply be an example of love and acceptance to them.

As you look back on your life now, what do you think was the biggest mistake you made before your attempt?

I would say my biggest mistake was believing that my family would be better off without me, that no one would miss me, that life would never get better, and that death was my only answer.

What did you do to get help & support after your attempt?

• I courageously told my loved ones what I was struggling with and asked for accountability and help. Without accountability, it would have been way too easy for me to slip back into the darkness. By sharing my struggles and being clear on exactly what I needed in terms of help I was able to have a community behind me as I moved into deeper layers of healing.
• I to my husband exactly what I needed from him. That looked like my husband and kids sitting in the lobby of my therapist’s office while I was in session so that I could see our kids anytime I needed to. I struggled with such high levels of debilitating anxiety at the thought of my children dying that I had a hard time not being near them. Knowing this, my husband partnered with me and ensured our kids were safe and nearby while I was able to receive the help I needed.
• I was very clear on what I needed. I told my husband that I needed him to listen to me and not try to rationalize or fix me. I was also very clear that I didn’t want to hear anyone say that suicide is a selfish act because in my mind it was anything but selfish. My brain was so fragile that it actually believed I would be helping my family by ending my life, so it felt selfless more than selfish, and hearing those words caused me to feel unsafe and I would physically and mentally shut down. So, I made sure those words were not echoed to me during my healing journey.
• I learned how to ACCEPT help. This was HUGE! I was so used to doing things on my own, I even believed I was a burden when I asked for help, but in order to live I needed to humble myself and change the belief I had. I decided that asking for help showed my strength instead of weakness. It also allowed others the opportunity to bless me. Instead of feeling guilt and shame over needing help, I learned to have acceptance and gratitude for the gift their service was to me.
• I was honest about how I felt, and I asked for support when I needed to rest.
• I apologized for the pain I had knowingly and unknowingly caused my husband during my painful periods, and I asked for forgiveness as we moved deeper into my healing. It was important for me to apologize for my past actions and behaviors and also show him gratitude for his love and support during this tough time.
• I found a new EMDR therapist and committed to a week-long intensive dive into my life. At the time I did not have the finances to attend, and my insurance wouldn’t cover it, so I picked up more work, and I asked friends and family for help covering the remaining cost.
• I found an emotion code practitioner and talk therapist and went 2–3x a week for a few years.
• I worked with a Rapid Transformational Therapist.
• I studied transcendental meditation and began meditating daily.
• I learned Emotional Freedom Technique and practiced it daily.
• I practiced catching and releasing negative thoughts that snuck into my head in order to stop them in their tracks, and then I chose healthier words and beliefs to replace them with.
• I practiced mindfulness.
• I practiced yoga.
• I saturated myself with people/podcasts/songs/books that felt good.

What was the most helpful or healing part of your recovery?

Learning how to love myself as well as how to challenge and change the negative beliefs I had that were keeping me locked in hopelessness was instrumental in my healing. Because it was my beliefs combined with my life experiences that drove me to the point of suicide. And it was in that place of no return where I first realized that I had the power to challenge my beliefs. I didn’t know how to change them at the time, but just the idea that there might be another way provided a fissure in those beliefs that light was able to pour through. I accepted that I can’t

always control or change what is happening in my life, but I can always change how I choose to respond to those challenges, and also the way I choose to perceive them. When we change our beliefs, we change our lives.

These tweaks helped to heal a lot of the pain I experienced daily and now serve as an example to my children as they learn how to challenge beliefs that are limiting in their own lives. Most of us aren’t taught to have compassion for ourselves, so being able to grow up with a mom who is willing to talk openly about her feelings and then show kindness and compassion in the midst of them is pretty cool if you ask me. Loving myself also relieved the burden I carried of needing other people to love or accept me. Now my love and worth are manufactured and sustained within me. Loving myself is a gift, and I’m grateful I choose to give it to myself.

What would you tell others who may be feeling suicidal that you wish someone would have told you?

• I can’t imagine what you are going through, and I’m sorry you feel so alone.
• I’m here for you.
• I love you and know you are worthy of living a life you love.
• You don’t have to do this alone.
• I will hold a light for you until you are able to see through the darkness.
• You are a gift.

I also want to tell you that no diagnosis is too final, past too messy, or future too uncertain to fully live a life you love. I’m living proof that life after desired death is possible. And not just life my friends, a thriving life.

How has your life changed? How are you doing now?

Today I am living a life I never thought was possible. Tears of gratitude fill my eyes as I share that truth with you, because never in a million years did I ever envision living a life full of peace, love, joy, ease, health, and prosperity.

Don’t get me wrong shit still hits the fan and hard stuff still happens. It’s part of being human and with that comes opportunities for growth, and boy am I growing. Only now my capacity to grow has evolved and the growing pains don’t hurt as much as they once did. I’ve learned not to sweat most things, to find joy in everything, and to make myself a priority. I say no to things that don’t bring me joy, and I am very selective about how I spend my time and who I allow into my sphere. I love fully and hope freely. I hope for myself and I praise my accomplishments and growth every chance I get to!!! Seriously, anytime I notice myself responding in a new healthier manner or having a stronger mindset I pause and say “Dang girl, you did it! You’re doin it! You freaking rock! You da bomb! I like you! I love you! I really freaking love you!” I don’t care how cheesy or conceited they sound because I’m talking to myself, and the most important and impactful words I will ever hear are the ones I believe and hold to be true about myself, so I’m choosing words that uplift and inspire me instead of destroying me.

I’m also very mindful of how I navigate challenges in my life, and instead of running from them or numbing myself under the weight of them, I get curious about what they are there to teach me. This has allowed me to move through this current season of grieving with grace and compassion instead of darkness and despair. Today I allow myself to acknowledge the sad days, the harder days, and the days that feel unjust and stacked against me. I see them. I feel them. I cry into them, and then I look for proof of life in the world around me and bravely rise into it. I press forward trusting that there will be light on the other side of the darkness. I do this again and again because that is where I am choosing to live. That is where my focus is, and as long as I keep my eyes fixed on life and light, I am able to withstand the areas of shade that litter my path. Because it’s often in those dim places that I see more of who I am when my senses are heightened and I lean more into the unknown instead of clinging to the things that I have always assumed to be true.

What would you like to say to the millions of young adults between the ages of 15–25 years old? What is your message to them?

I know the world is intense, things don’t always make sense or feel fair, and sometimes they aren’t. Sometimes you feel like you don’t have control, like things aren’t working out for you, or like you will never reach your goals regardless of how much effort you put forth. I know how debilitating crushed hopes and dreams are. I know how pain and despair feel, but I also know what peace feels like and I am here to encourage you to keep living. Because you have SO much life left to live. Right now, the things that have happened in your life might feel like your WHOLE life, but my goodness they are only a tiny piece of the puzzle. Keep putting the pieces together. Ask for help when you need it and look for the masterpiece that your life is as it unfolds before you.

Life throws curve balls, and sometimes it feels like you have struck out, but please keep playing. Search for the voices that are there inspiring you, encouraging you, and loving you even when you feel like you are losing. And always remember that you are stronger and braver than you know. Keep dreaming until those dreams become reality, and then when they are, praise yourself for getting there. Don’t ever forget to celebrate the victories, even the small ones.

Decide to love yourself because you are worthy of love, and who better to give you that love than YOU? Know what type of person you are choosing to be and then become that person. Surround yourself with people that are eager to help you shine your light, and if you ever find yourself feeling like giving up, please reach out to me or someone else for help. You are valuable and your life has so much meaning even if you can’t see it right now.

Amazing things still thrive despite their surroundings. Take weeds on the sidewalk for example. Those suckers push through thick cement. They grow at turbo speed. They are resilient, sometimes prickly, and often a pain in the ass to remove. They are pulled out and tossed aside begrudgingly and yet they continue to grow despite the world’s dislike of them. Decide to be a weed. Push through the hard stuff, reach for the sun, and continue to grow regardless of what tries to stop or slow you down.

Based on your own experience, are you able to share five things you learned about yourself and about life because of this traumatic incident? If you can, please share a story or an example for each.

1. I discovered that the way I viewed my life situation was largely based on the lens I was looking through. When the lens was murky, I could only see darkness. I didn’t even know that light existed. But after washing the mud off of them I was able to see things that previously were hidden. I remember only seeing darkness on the night I planned to end my life. When I looked at my life all I saw was confirmation that life was painful, unjust, and full of devastation. But when I took those glasses off and replaced them with a clean pair, I saw a bigger picture. Through this, I learned that I have the power to wash or change the lens I am looking through anytime I want to. Life might impact the view, but I can always change what I choose to see life through.
2. I learned that I could look healthy and thriving on the outside and be decaying and dying on the inside. This fact threw everyone off including myself as I spiraled further into depression. On the outside, I had a doting husband and four children that loved me. I was immensely blessed having a place to call home, a car to drive, and plenty of food to cook. But inside I had nothing and was at risk of dying. Knowing this I choose to look for what lies beneath the pretty exterior, because I know first-hand that there is always more than what meets the eye. In that, I create a safe space for my patients and those around me to show more of what goes unseen so that it can be transformed in the light.
3. I discovered that hurt people hurt people, and that the cycle would never end unless the hurt did. This became devastatingly apparent to me as I contemplated ending my life. In my mind, I was the problem, the curse, the magnet to all of the hardships and challenges that my family was forced to endure, and removing me from the equation was the obvious solution. BUT when I changed the lens, I was looking through I was able to see another reality. In the new reality, I saw my children living after I had died, and instead of them thriving like I had assumed they would, they were weighed down with the darkness and despair my suicide had brought into their lives. I saw them wondering if they were loved, if they were worthy, and I was unable to assure them that they were. They were forced to live life without me telling them that I took my life in order to spare theirs. That I loved them so much I wanted them to have a better life, and that I believed that life could only happen without me in it. I couldn’t answer when they shouted, “If you loved me you would have stayed with me.” I couldn’t assure them that they were my everything when they questioned their worth in the absence of a mother who chose a life with them instead of one without them. I wept as the reality sunk deeply into my soul. I realized that ending my life would be hurting the ones I loved more than anything. It would be repeating the cycle. It would be ingraining the same faulty beliefs I had in my own life directly into theirs. The cycle would continue. It wouldn’t end with me, so I decided to end the hurting. I choose life instead of death. I learned how to love and value myself because I knew I couldn’t teach my children how to love and value themselves if I didn’t know how to do it myself. It was my deep love for my children and their lives that caused me to choose life, and in that life, I found so much love.
4. I discovered that I am powerful and have the ability to create a life I love. Instead of being a victim and constantly fighting against my life I chose to take charge of how I showed up amongst the hardships. I did this by deciding what I wanted, and how I wanted to feel. Then I based all of my decisions and actions on those things. I knew that experiencing love, joy, and peace were what I desired, so I moved towards things that allowed me to experience love, joy, and peace in my life instead of things that brought hatred, bitterness, and destruction. Staying aligned with what I desired allowed my entire life to change before my eyes. Knowing what my goal feelings are, I consciously catch and release thoughts or beliefs that come into my head that aren’t in alignment with my truth. And then I immediately replace them with what I know to be true. I constantly reach for better-feeling thoughts, and I allow them to soak into my soul like water on dry soil. An example of this might be my mind hearing that I am a bad mom for cooking dinner instead of playing with my kids. I catch that sneaky little thought that has the power to discourage me, and I release it. And then I replace it with what is true, and in this situation, the truth is that I am a good mom because I just played with my kids and am now choosing to make them a healthy home-cooked meal that we can all enjoy together. Becoming aware of those sneaky beliefs is the first step to catching and releasing them. Then you get to replace them with what is true.
5. I learned that loving and praising myself are two of the most important things I will ever do in my lifetime. I spent most of my life feeling unworthy and unlovable, and I attracted people and situations into my life that mirrored those beliefs back to me. But when I learned how to love and value myself everything changed for me. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I attracted a partner who loves and values me. My relationships evolved, and my life has more meaning in it. Today I see challenges as life opportunities rather than death sentences. In the past, I would push through them like a beast moving boulders, but over time I grew weary and tired. In that time of exhaustion, I craved respite from the endless effort and work required to be strong and push through, and that’s when I craved death. I was burnt out, overburdened, and tired of fighting. Now when I see those boulders instead of pushing through them, I get curious about how I’m going to move past them. Sometimes that looks like me asking others for help as I roll them out of my way. Other times I choose to walk around them or even climb over them because I know today that there are many ways to get to where I am going, and it’s pretty fun allowing myself to be creative in that pursuit. It also allows me to see and experience things that I might not have been exposed to on another path.

What are you doing now that you’re the proudest of? How are you making a difference in the world by having the gift of a second chance?

My greatest work today is raising children who know that they are loved, worthy, and capable of living a life they love regardless of what happens in the world around them. And who reflect that truth into the world for others to see. Like I said before, hurt people hurt people. So knowing that, I proclaim that well-loved people learn to love others well, and we can all benefit from more love.

Aside from working within the walls of my home, I also share my story knowing that it has the power to shine a bright light into the darkness. That light is a beacon of hope guiding lost souls to solid ground, much like the light on a lighthouse steers weary captains safely to shore. During my journey, I searched desperately for a light to guide me. I felt alone and I longed for proof that there was more than a raging sea beyond the horizon, and when I couldn’t find one, I lost my way. I found my way to solid ground, but far too many remain lost at sea. Knowing this I decided to become a light for others so that they too could find their way to solid ground. Because I know firsthand that there is life beyond the raging sea, and I’m here to show people that it exists.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the largest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Gosh I love this so much!!!

Honestly, what you are doing right here through your interview series has the potential to grow into a huge movement. Amplifying voices and showing others in the world that life can actually exist after near death is invaluable.

I envision these interviews being expanded, possibly into a survivor’s handbook or survivor’s guide, to a thriving life. I see billboards with beautiful faces painted across them, capturing a survivor’s spirit, while a few words highlight their strength. I see documentaries, commercials, and short stories circling through the media, reaching millions of people and igniting hope in their lives.

How can our readers continue to follow your work online?

I am truly humbled and honored to have people follow my work. Here are a few places you can follow me and or stay in touch. I would love to hear from you. You are not alone on this journey.

Website: www.andreablindt.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/andreablindt

Email: heal@andreablindt.com

Thank you so much for your courage in telling your story. We greatly appreciate your time, and we wish you only continued success and good health.

Thank you for allowing me to share my story. I am truly grateful!

About The Interviewer: Pirie is a TedX speaker, author and a Life Empowerment Coach. She is a co-host of Own your Throne podcast, inspiring women in the 2nd chapter of their lives. With over 20 years in front of the camera, Pirie Grossman understands the power of storytelling. After success in commercials and acting. She spent 10 years reporting for E! Entertainment Television, Entertainment Tonight, also hosted ABC’s “Every Woman”. Her work off-camera capitalizes on her strength, producing, bringing people together for unique experiences. She produced a Children’s Day of Compassion during the Dalai Lama’s visit here in 2005. 10,000 children attended, sharing ideas about compassion with His Holiness. From 2006–2009, Pirie Co-chaired the Special Olympics World Winter Games, in Idaho, welcoming 3,000 athletes from over 150 countries. She founded Destiny Productions to create Wellness Festivals and is an Advisory Board member of the Sun Valley Wellness Board.In February 2017, Pirie produced, “Love is Louder”, a Brain Health Summit, bringing in Kevin Hines, noted suicide survivor to Sun Valley who spoke to school kids about suicide. Sun Valley is in the top 5% highest suicide rate per capita in the Northwest, prompting a community initiative with St. Luke’s and other stake holders, to begin healing. She lives in Sun Valley with her two children, serves on the Board of Community School. She has her Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and is an Executive Life Empowerment Coach, where she helps people meet their dreams and goals! The difference between a dream and a goal is that a goal is a dream with a date on it!