Regina Brett

I grew up in a litter of 11 kids in a hard-working blue collar Catholic family. My parents did the best they could, but too often my dad ruled with the belt and my mom rarely intervened to protect us.

In high school, I drank to ease the pain. At 21, I got pregnant and dropped out of college. That baby became my greatest miracle, and still is.

At 25, I quit drinking for good, one day at a time. I got engaged to a man who broke my heart which launched me back to college. I wanted to write books but needed to pay the rent so I became a journalist.

After changing my major six times, I graduated with a degree in journalism at 30. Rocky relationships sent me to counseling. Turns out underneath all that shame, I was born worthy.

I went on a spiritual quest, attending retreats and visiting monasteries, and got a master’s degree in religious studies.

At 40, I married a man who cherishes me, then I got breast cancer a year later. After finding out I carried the BRCA1 gene, I had a double mastectomy with no reconstruction. I consider myself flat, fearless and fabulous.

At 45, I was so grateful to be alive I wrote the 45 life lessons life taught me. The column became a global hit. I wrote God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life’s Little Detours which ended up on the NYT bestseller list. I wrote two more books and became a rock star in Poland where I have eight books.

One of my favorite life lessons is, “The best is yet to come.” It’s true. Life gave me three grandchildren I love to the moon and back.

Today, I love my self, my life and everyone in it. I hope everything I share here will help you do the same.