Cathy's Purposeful Life Journey Blog

A Life With No Regrets – The Family’s Black Sheep

2012-02-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

Ba Ba Black Sheep

There is a saying that “You Can Forgive, But You Never Forget.” My life has been an open book from the very beginning. A few years ago I would have been too ashamed to write this blog but not today. If my story can heal and help just one person move on with their lives, then I would have done my job by writing it.

On Oprah’s show recently she interviewed 5 sisters who had been bickering their whole lives. Even though they seemed to blame one sister for all the turmoil, it was clear that not one person was to blame for their dilemma.

From an early age, I learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was indeed the family’s “black sheep.” The dictionary defines a “black sheep” as a person who causes shame or embarrassment because of deviation from the accepted standards of his or her group.

One of the stories I will never forget and which still haunt me until this day is when I would wait for the school bus with my siblings in either cold or hot weather and right before the bus pulled up to our driveway, my sisters would jerk my stack of books out of my hands and throw them into the bushes --so that I would be late getting on the school bus. Meanwhile they would tell everyone on the bus about the mean-spirited act they committed while everyone laughed at me. This occurred many times during my younger years.

Let me start from the beginning. I grew up in a small rural Georgia town, about 7 miles from the Alabama State Line. I was the sixth of nine children, born to parents whose primary livelihood came from farming. My father worked in a factory to pay the bills. My mother was a housewife who stayed home to raise her children and tend the farm.

She cleaned other people’s houses sometimes for extra income. After her children were older, my mother also went to work at one of the local factories.

Even though my childhood could be described as underprivileged, I always felt rich because of the upbringing and values instilled in me as a child. My mother always taught me to “treat others the way you want to be treated. Always respect others, especially the elderly.”

I remembered her wise words, “If you must choose between right and wrong, choose right!” Her advice would serve me well later in my life especially when I became a “federal whistleblower” “The Cathy Harris Story: A Whistleblower's Victorious Journey to Justice” (www.TheCathyHarrisStory.com).

I was a good student in school and graduated in the top tier of my high school class. I wanted to attend college, however, I didn't go. My classmates encouraged me to go, but I had no mentor in my life to provide direction with obtaining college financial aid and scholarships even though I had first cousins who had went to college and a couple who were even school teachers.

Even though their mother was my mom’s sister, half-sister, they looked down on us because we were not as financially secure or educated as they were.

At the time, I knew my parents could not afford to send me to college even though I was the only person out of 9 kids that expressed a desire to go. So, after high school graduation, I started working in the factories like my parents and their parents before them.

Right away, I realized that factory work was not the life for me. My dreams and aspirations were much broader. From an early age, I desired a better standard of living, and traveling to new places was my ultimate dream.

After about a year of working in the factory, still yearning to travel, I joined the U.S. Army. When I look back at my military years, I remembered many of the injustices I witnessed and they still haunt me to this day and this was my first introduction to any type of injustice. I witnessed how minority male soldiers and females were treated unfairly by first sergeants and company commanders.

Even though my sisters and brothers would jump me and we constantly physically fought as children, I still don’t look at what happened to me as a child as an injustice. To me it was just a part of growing up -- and yes it was painful!

My father was actually the disciplinarian in the family but he was a ‘functional’ alcoholic. My mother would join in with my two sisters when they ganged up on me --even without knowing the reasons for the fights.

But what I really did not like was both my mother and father had ‘favorites.’ This is another reason that I have a problem today with discrimination or any type of disparity anywhere because of my upbringing and the unfairness that I witnessed at an early age in my own family.

I was the youngest daughter of 4 girls and I had 3 brothers below me and 2 older brothers (9 total). To me it was just too many children and my parents were probably overwhelmed so as soon as I finished high school and moved out at the age of 17, I forgave them. Forgiving them meant I could go on with my life.

They did the best with what they had but at the same time…I made sure when I had my family and my daughters that both of them were always treated the same…always treated fairly.

I did not hold any animosity against my mother, father, sisters or brothers --even though after joining the military, I never returned home until 20 years later. The only way that I could make sense of my upbringing was to get away from it –to remove myself from such a ‘negative’ environment.

I eventually returned to Georgia, when my two daughters were ages 13 and 14 so they could be around my family before they went off into the world…to college.

We all make decisions in our lives and sometimes those decisions propel us forward or move us backwards. My decision to distance myself from my family -- did propel me forward. My life was absolutely great! I enjoyed being out in the world traveling from city to city –making new friends and building relationships.

After my mom passed away a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to be with her at the end to try to understand why I had to live my life the way I did. I think the biggest fact that really surprised my siblings when I returned home again was the fact that I was not bitter or selfish but really a caring and forgiving person.

For years I had befriended many people of different cultures and upbringings so everything was just different for me. I am not saying that none of the rivalry or conflicts growing up was my fault. I am just saying that I did the best I could do with what I had…and I am sure they did too. I am just saying that –“I grew up!”

Childhood jealousy is just that –something you should leave in your childhood. Leave the past in the past! Many people today hold grudges about something that happened in the past making it impossible for them to move on.

People who hold grudges are full of self-hate and many will have a hard time being happy no matter where they live, how much they have, or how they live their lives.

To me being a “Black Sheep” is not a bad thing because for me it made me into the person I am today. It made me resilient and more able to cope with things in life. It made me a stronger, courageous and a visionary person. It made me courageous enough to become a “whistleblower” and strong enough to work in a mostly male-dominated career for over 20 years and raise a beautiful family –all while still coming out on top.

Even though I feel many ‘black sheeps’ live on the edge and don’t have any boundaries, it’s extremely important to go ahead and live your life with no regrets. You can read more on my story in my book “The Cathy Harris Story: A Whistleblower’s Victorious Journey to Justice” (www.TheCathyHarrisStory.com).

"The Awakening"

2011-12-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

In the movie “The Wizard of Oz” --Dorothy had the power to go back home the entire time. Just like Dorothy, you have the power to heal your body and save your own life.

I could have named this blog post “The Eleventh Hour,” "Second Chances," "How I Save My Ownself,” “The Power Within” --but I chose to name it “The Awakening.”

After reading this blog you must understand that doctors in this country are in bed with the pharmaceutical industry and their only goal is to keep people sick because it’s “Big Business.”

When you go into a doctor’s office, in the 2 to 5 minutes that they spend with you, their only goal is to write you a prescription and that’s it. Then they will tell you to come back in a week or two –and chances are they will try to give you more medications.

I never dreamed that one day I would write a health book but when you have a testimony as important as mine -- it needs to be told. The book is entitled “How To Take Control of Your Own Life: A Self-Help Guide to Becoming Healthier Over the Next 30 Days” (Series 3) (www.howtotakecontrol.com). If you have been feeling sick, sluggish and run-down or suffering from some debilitating illness --chances are "YOU" are the cause of what’s happening to your body and "YOU" will have to be the cure.

The book will educate you on successful steps to get back the energy and vitality you had over 10 or 15 years ago; Steps to bring down all your numbers; How to build a strong immune system; What causes body aches; How you can live to be 100 years – just to name a few.

After reading this blog, there are three steps you must do ASAP to save yourself and the ones that you love: 1) Gain more information by reading the entire book as soon as possible; 2) Surround yourself with the natural and holistic community, and 3) for many choose careers in natural and holistic healing.

I don’t care where you are at in your life at this time and what you are trying to accomplish “You Can’t Be Wealthy if You are Not Healthy.”

My Health Testimony:

A few months after I lost two of my best friends to cancer, I set out on a journey to educate myself about the disease and how to stop it from taking other people that I deeply cared about. I eventually discovered that most people had no idea what was going on when it came to their health. Many of us push our own health problems to the background and we engage in overwhelming activities in order to help and assist others. But you can’t help others unless you help your ownself --so your motto should be “Self, Family and Community.”

During the time when my friends died, I had no idea that my life too would become a struggle to survive. When I turned 50 years old, it should have been the best time of my life but my body gave out on me. It totally shut down and I eventually became “housebound” and then “bed-ridden.”

My mom had lived until the age of 82 and so had her mom. But why had I met such a different fate? I thought about all the things I still wanted to do with my life – the places I wanted to go, the people I wanted to see, and the legacies I still wanted to leave to my grandkids and their kids, etc. It was all now too late for me, “I thought.”

The thought of it all being over was very agonizing! I literally thought I was dying! I knew that people had come back from illnesses and diseases and went on to do great things with their lives but because the pain was so excruciating, I knew it would not be my story.

My book is not just about cancer but it’s about every disease and illness in America and how diseases and illnesses are formed in the first place. After my friend’s death, I soon learned that cancer deaths and many other diseases are not only “preventable” but they are also “curable.”

After my second friend died, I too fell ill. For weeks I had noticed a feeling of sluggishness as my energy slowly drained from my body. I soon noticed I had stopped going out of the house and was eventually becoming housebound.

At first I thought my energy decrease and feeling of sluggishness was about my friends -- I thought I was grieving! But after the New Year rolled around, I knew it was much more than just grieving for my friends. I was convinced that I was heading on some type of collision course with some type of illness or disease which would eventually take my life like my friends.

The pain started off as a small uncomfortable pain that went from my lower back to my stomach area to my knees. Simple things such as going for my daily power walks and mopping the floor became hard to do because of the back pain. Over time, it had become an excruciating pain which lasted for up to 5 to 6 hours a day --everyday.

Being a person with a low tolerance for pain, I quickly sought out help from 6 doctors including 2 specialists. For weeks, I pulled myself out of my home and went to these doctors and specialists waiting to hear the bad news that it was too late for me.

The daily pain was so bad, it did not matter if I stood up or laid down, there was no stopping this excruciating pain. I could have easily called an ambulance to be taken to the hospital but what good would that do? I was already seeing all these health professionals who were telling me over and over that I was fine –that there was nothing wrong with me.

Everyday when I got out of bed, my only goal was to get back in bed because my pH balance was off --which meant my body was extremely toxic. During this time, I almost became bed-ridden.

Not only was I too dizzy to go for my daily walks but getting in and out of the bathtub also proved to be a challenge. As the pain kept growing, the health professionals relayed to me that all my tests –still proved negative for any type of illness or disease.

When the last health professional, an OB GYN Specialist, told me I was fine with no signs of cancer or anything to be concerned about, I could have literally jumped out of the chair because the pain was so “terrible.” I could not believe it! I just wanted an answer to what was happening to me and my body.

After the last doctor’s visit, I went home and really reevaluated what was happening to me. I decided right then and there -- that if I was going to stop this pain inside of me and save my life then it would strictly be up to me.

The medical profession had failed me. Doctors with degrees and a lifetime of cures for others could not figure out what was wrong with me. They could not stop the excruciating pain! All I wanted was for the suffering to stop!

Next, I sat down at the computer and went on Amaxon.com where I usually ordered my books to conduct research on certain topics that I wanted to know more about.

Had I not been such a good researcher, I know for a fact that I probably would not be here today! I then ordered over 100 books at one sitting. I wanted answers! And I wanted them fast –before it was too late! I wanted to save my life but I “was not” sure I could do it.

I ordered books on “How the Body Works; Exercising; Nutrition; Raw Foods, Organic Foods, Processed Foods; Cancer; Diseases; Parasites, Heavy Metals; Toxic Body, etc.”

During this time not only did I buy books online but I brought books from local bookstores and checked out tons of health books from the health and fitness section in several local community libraries.

I was on a race against time –and if I did not act as soon as possible –it would be too late for me. With the last bit of energy draining from my body, I knew I was at the “eleventh hour” of my situation. So I shut down and read the books. If the books could not tell me what to do, then I needed to prepare myself and my family because my life would be over at the age of 50.

As I read the books, I took breaks and went through all my personal belongings, got my “Will” in order and organized everything –in case these were the last days of my life. At the time I ran a business which I had to close down until I recuperated.

While reading the books the information was all the same. The first step the books told me to do was to take myself off ALL processed foods (anything in boxes, cans, packages, jars, etc.) and eat ONLY raw, organic foods “juiced” or “steamed.”

For a person who had eaten cooked foods her whole life, it was a hard transition but I knew I had to do it to save my life! I found a neighborhood farmer’s market and went “cold turkey” off all processed foods. I “blended/juiced” or “steamed” at least 80% of what I ate daily.

I learned quickly that “Your Health Begins in Your Colon.” The goal was for me to start having at least 2 or 3 easy bowel movements a day. I quickly found out that if you have a toxic bowel, it could cause pain to show up in any area of your body.

As I looked in the mirror daily, I saw how dull my face looked – with no glow or shine in it like it had in the past. My body had changed right before my eyes! My fingernails had turned totally black, and a nurse who I met in a store, not a medical doctor, had commented by looking at them --that I had heavy metals in my body. As I read more about heavy metals in the body, it just all made sense that that was one of the things that was happening to my body.

When I started implementing the changes the books talked about, the pain started subsiding or disappearing. I began to get more energy to do even more research and I even started back walking again.

I felt I was onto something. It was like some type of "awakening." I could not believe the pain started going away and I realized I was actually healing my own body.

I also read that pH balance meant that my body was real toxic and the only way to get rid of the toxicity was to clean out my organs starting with my intestines, liver and kidneys, which are the detoxification organs of the entire body.

I realized that the body products (soaps, lotions, perfumes, etc.) and cleaning products that I was using in my home was extremely toxic and the way that toxins enters your body was through the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat.

I then realized that walking everyday and breathing in the car fumes which are also toxins had also contributed to my body shutting down so I found a park to walk in.

I also joined a gym again and realized when I sat in the sauna in the past, I had always felt better afterwards. At that time I did not realize I was actually releasing toxins from my body.

I learned that I had been drinking the wrong type of water all these years and thought back about the summer the doctor diagnosed me on 5 different occasions with being “dehydrated.”

Even though he told me I was dehydrated and that I was drinking the wrong type of water, the doctor NEVER told me what type to drink because he did not know the answer. I begin to realize that doctors did not know everything and had very little training or information on nutrition.

After 30 days the pain was down to a few minutes instead of a few hours and the glow to my skin and fingernails returned slowly along with my energy. Then I found a health food store with a good colon, liver and kidney detox and took each detox back-to-back for an entire year –and then the rest of history.

Remember a symptom can never disappear if you don’t remove the original cause. So I had to get to the root of the pain. It just all made sense why my body shut down on me at the age of 50.

No one can get away with eating and drinking anything they want just because it tastes good and they are young. Just like no one can get away with living and working in a toxic environment and putting toxic products on their bodies.

I remembered how I had partied in my 20s, lived and worked in toxic environments in my 30s and 40s which all had contributed to my body shutting down when I turned 50.

At some point we have to take responsibility for our health and well-being. But you have to do it before your body shut down on you. You have to do it before it is too late!

The newfound information was a godsend to me. I was already exercising, but my new way of eating has completely transformed my life, physically, mentally and spiritually.

For those of you who have totally put yourself in the hands of your doctors, or if you want to rejuvenate or renew your life –before it’s too late, then you need to read my story, my health testimony, and the 12 steps that I took to save my own life outlined in my health book.

My health book "How To Take Control of Your Own Life: A Self-Help Guide to Becoming Healthier Over the Next 30 Days" (Series 3) (www.HowToTakeControl.com) is my living testimony about how you can heal your own self and save your own life –and I am living proof of that.

The 2nd Act: How To Create the Life That You Love

2011-11-16T06:27:00.000-08:00

Welcome to “The 2^nd Act” in my life. As the curtains roll down on “The 2^nd Act,” this is the time for me to create the type of life that I love and appreciate. Not that I have not had a good life so far – it is simply time to do the things that I truly love and enjoy.

To me life is like a play with 3 acts. The 3^rd Act which I am yet to reach is about fully preparing for my “golden years.” The 1^st Act was long –it was hard but I made it. I had to work through many difficulties and issues but I count my blessings every day to see my family, especially my daughters bloom into the type of ethical and strong women that I can be proud of.

As I said in my last blog post, if I was still in the workplace, I would have been retiring this year. So now more than ever, I am creating the life that I love as I go into “The 2^nd Act” of my life.

In “The 2^nd Act” --it’s about doing the things that I love foremost to me. It’s time to appreciate the little things in life such as the wind blowing against my face; being able to get on a plane and fly across the country to say hello to a friend I haven’t seen in a couple of years; or getting in my car and driving down to Florida just to smell the ocean.

The 2^nd Act means setting very few alarm clocks. Some days it means rising at the break of dawn and going to bed when the sun goes down – it just means “calling the shots” in a well-deserved life.

It means getting back to basics and living a natural and holistic lifestyle while I cut out all the toxic things in my life. For me it wasn’t such a hard reach especially after seeing several friends and acquaintances succumb to a toxic world of illnesses and diseases that could have been prevented.

My 2^nd Act means getting back to my first love which is “writing.” However, for years photography was my passion and hobby. I grew up in a household where my family often took pictures of everyone and how I longed to be the one looking through the lens of a camera.

Photography was a way of looking back on my life and recording it. It kept me focused on all my dreams and desires. Even though I took mostly pictures of people over the years and have tons of memories – I thought seriously at one time about becoming a “landscape photographer.”

Even after loving photography for many years, I still had another love and that was for “greeting cards.” My co-workers even had a nickname for me “Ms. Hallmark.” No matter the occasion – birthday, goodbye, marriage, sickness, death…I always had a stack of greeting cards to share with everyone in the office.

Even though I loved photography and even after taking a couple of classes, I eventually realized that I could change the world by writing a series of non-fiction empowerment books. In 2001, I wrote my first book “Flying While Black: A Whistleblower’s Story” and that is when I realized I was destined to be a “writer.”

The 2^nd Act means seeing myself in the mirror and being true to myself --while I am true to others. This is why I created a line of action-oriented self-help and reference books that solves many of the problems in the community. The books are located at www.AngelsPress.com.

What does your 1^st and 2^nd Act mean to you? Everyone should look at what is happening in the world -- all the turmoil today and count their blessings and realize they still have a chance to create the type of life they love. If you are still breathing then it’s not too late. Despite what other people tell you –it’s never too late!

· When you are 30 years old you have 80% of your “productive life” left ahead of you.

· When you are 40 years old you have 60% of your “productive life” left ahead of you.
· When you are 50 years you have 40% of your “productive life” left ahead of you.

What you need to realize is the reason the world is turned upside down right now is so you can figure out your place in it. What can make you happy at this point in your life? Are you in the right relationship -- living in the right city -- working in the right career? What career would you have been in if you weren’t in your current career?

At some time in our lives, we are going to have a desire to change careers. Many people change careers for reasons such as more money, more time with family, because of the failing economy. No matter what the reason, it’s possible to create the type of life that you love.

Creating the type of life that you love can simply mean getting back to basics and starting from scratch again. The goal is to be true to “yourself” –don’t waste your time – or your life.

If everyone got back to their first love and did the things that they really enjoyed doing with their life -- it would be such a better world. People would be more happy and healthy which brings a greater sense of well-being. Are you up for the challenge?

“Team Cathy” aka “Project Me”

2011-10-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love this time of the year when it cools off and the leaves turn brown and falls off the trees...October was a beautiful month for me. On the 6^th –it was my birthday. It was also the “13^th Year Anniversary” of my empowerment e-newsletter and I am preparing to re-release my story in not --one -- but two books.

Since I had so much to celebrate, I also took some time out to meditate and think about my life and the direction that I was headed in.

One of my new goals will be to build a new audience who will enjoy reading my line of empowerment books.

I named this blog “Team Cathy” and “Project Me”…because I clearly realize for the first time in my life…it’s time for me…

As I watched Oprah's interview on Facebook.com a few weeks ago, after ending her 25 year show on T.V., she said she was torn between "Relaxing" or "Starting Her Own Network -- Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)."

I guess you can say I felt the same way. After spending a majority of my time running an empowerment company (6 years) with a large weekly --then bi-weekly national and international e-newsletter for over 13 years, I opted to close it down –the e-newsletter not my business.

I am announcing that I am no longer in the news business but instead I will continue in the empowerment business...It’s been extremely hard not to pick up the articles or stories on worldwide events and send them throughout the internet. But that’s where “self-discipline” and “will power” comes in.

To help you live even a more purposeful life, I ask each of you who followed me for years in my e-newsletter to follow me on my new journey (Team Cathy) by continuing to sign up your family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues to my blog at http://CathyHudson-Harris.blogspot.com and my company’s mailing list at www.AngelsPress.com while you support all the new releases of my books and articles.

Like Oprah I was torn between "Relaxing" and "Continuing to Build My Business."   Some people might say I just needed a vacation…or rest…maybe…but when you know things are not working in your life…it’s time to move into another direction.

I initially created the e-newsletter to expose the U.S. Customs Service which led to me becoming a nationally recognized federal whistleblower in Oct. 1999 (www.TheCathyHarrisStory.com). Other reasons I started the e-newsletter was to bring people together with like causes and passions. After starting my business 6 years ago the e-newsletter helped me market my business. Because I achieved those things, I felt it was just time to move on.

As I take some time away from my business, I realized the natural sync of things should be SELF, FAMILY, and COMMUNITY. But did I lose myself by trying to help others by publishing this free e-newsletter for so long…maybe…maybe not… But one thing I know for sure, I have lost too many friends to illnesses and diseases simply because they put the community before themselves and their families. I “won't” and “can't” make that same mistake!

If I had stayed in the workplace in 2005 and not retired at the age of 48 after winning my workplace lawsuit, I would have been retiring this year, 2011, which made it extremely important for me to sit back and reevaluate my life this year.

I will never forget the day after I retired. A year earlier I had started to read books on how to build my business and because of my passion for the community, I jumped knee deep into my empowerment business, Angels Press (www.AngelsPress.com).

I could have easily published my books “The Cathy Harris Story: A Whistleblower’s Victorious Journey to Justice” (www.TheCathyHarrisStory.com) and “The Failure of Homeland In-Security: Dirty Little Secrets from An Insider” (www.HomelandIn-Security.com) through my own company but since I had recently left the workplace, the books were still too painful to complete.

Because of my love for the community I presented to them "How To Take Control of Your Own Life” (www.HowToTakeControl.com) a 3-part empowerment book series to help everyone take control of their own lives. So no one should ever doubt my love for the community!

I grew up loving to read. Back then I read mostly magazines -- Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Shape, Prevention, Ebony, Jet, etc. Somehow I knew I also had what it took to write these content-rich articles that appeared in these magazines. I did not get started reading non-fiction books until about 15 years ago. Because non-fiction books have the power to save you time, money and improve your life, I knew I too wanted to write these types of books.

My first non-fiction book came out in 2001, “Flying While Black: A Whistleblower’s Story” through another publishing company. It was so therapeutic for me to write that book because of the issues I was facing in the workplace. My two upcoming books “The Cathy Harris Story” and “The Failure of Homeland In-Security” which tell my story are actually revised and updated versions of “Flying While Black.”

I will never forget how being able to articulate myself in writing literally helped me challenge my managers and supervisors in the workplace when I went through 10 years of workplace abuse. The fact that I was able to document my entire 10 EEO complaints including a Sexual Harassment and Whistleblower case is what made me successful.

Everyone has a book inside of them but for me…it was always about moving into the universe and helping others through my writings. When I get to the end of my life I want to be remembered for my writings…my books and articles which has the power to educate, inform and empower many on how to take control of their own lives --because after all “The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword!”

As I continue to run my company, Angels Press, (www.AngelsPress.com), you can still find me posting on my empowerment blogs -- “Health Blog” http://nongmohealthmovement.blogspot.com  “Business Blog” http://theethicalblackbusinesscoach.blogspot.com and “Workplace Blog” at http://cathyharris-workplace.blogspot.com.

You can also find me on twitter.com, facebook.com, linkedin.com, yahoogroups.com, ning.com or email info@angelspress.com or info@cathyharrisspeaks.com.

Most of all don’t forget to look for and read my line of empowerment books at www.AngelsPress.com and seminars and workshops at www.CathyHarrisSpeaks.com.

As I have had time to think about the next journey of my life, I do want to thank everyone for wishing me well in my future endeavors...

As I watch Oprah’s new shows and plan the next phase of my life, I am so glad she decided to move forward with her network. It is absolutely awesome! Hopefully, my next endeavors will be just as empowering as hers. Stay tuned!