I remember this day like it was yesterday.

I’m 18 in the emergency room, and my doctor comes in with her head hanging low. “ I’m looking at the results of your blood work and it doesn’t look good, you’re going to have to stay for a while. ” That’s the last thing I wanted to hear. I had pushed myself to the max because I always associated wealth with working hard and obtaining an education. I wanted to reach my maximum potential no matter what I had to sacrifice. So I went to school Monday, Wednesday, Friday and worked Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. I literally had #NoDaysOff.

“You can’t work and go to school, just try to get social security and go to school online.” At that very moment I feel depressed, I feel my anxiety going through the roof, and I’m angry. Why do I have to have Sickle Cell, Fibromyalgia, and Migraines? I have 10 siblings, why me? How am I going to take care of myself?

I felt like they were trying to dim my light and stop me from being great. I didn’t want social security because it wasn’t enough to live off of and I wanted people who really couldn’t physically work, to actually get it. But I applied anyway because I had missed 3 weeks of work.

I was denied 3 times.

My school had forced me to withdraw and wouldn’t allow me to enroll into online classes because it was “too late” and I “wouldn’t be able to catch up”

My job dramatically cut my hours because of their concern for my health.

I started playing the blame game.

This is my parents fault.

If I wasn’t sick I would be able to go to school and work.

I would be the top of my class if I wasn’t sick.

So, everything bad that happened to me was because of my sickness. Because of this way of thinking my life was a complete mess. I started to join anything I could get my hands on to make money, not following a passion. I was selling knock off designer bags, shades, I started selling Avon, selling life insurance, opened up two online stores and didn’t have a clue what I was doing, But I always had a website for all of it.

As I transitioned into motherhood, adulthood, and marriage- One thing was clear: I had NO idea who I was. I should have been the happiest woman on earth. I didn’t have to work because my husband took care of me, I was able to stay home and homeschool my son like I wanted to. I had everything I wanted and needed, but something was still missing. That happiness quickly turned into the darkest moment in my life. My depression had me at an all-time low. I allowed it to take control of everything including my judgment. I was stuck inside with a very energized toddler, no way to get around, no friends and 600 miles from home. I was feeling useless because I had always financially contributed to wherever I lived. I wanted to work but with not enough money to place Dyl in daycare and only one vehicle, it seemed out of reach.

So I started going to counseling to help with my depression and severe anxiety. After implementing some of the strategies and changing my peers; things began to turn around.

When I realized that only I was in control of my life and started to take responsibility for my own actions, my life got even better. A few months later, a friend of mine was looking to get a website made for her business and I offered to do it for her. I got it done quickly and I really enjoyed doing it. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. I thought to myself “This is something I could do with my eyes closed.” I didn’t have to travel, I was able to be on the computer. Win-Win. That was really my ah-ha moment. That is when Nola Basics was born.

We all want to live our best life & guess what? You already have everything you need to succeed.

You just have to really look within and find what you love to do. I found my passion and purpose. I had to tap into the real me. Not me as a wife or a mother, but as an individual. Starting a legit business was the best decision I ever made!

We all have a gift and the world needs it. And this is why I’m on a mission to help women with their online businesses. When I started sharing my business, I started receiving feedback from people who had known me for a long time but no idea that I knew how to create websites, graphic designs and etc. And then some of those same names started to inquire about business.

If I can start a business, you can too. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. You’re destined for greatness, I need you to remember that.

With Love, Ambir