The Good Success Network

Today, we honor and remember the strength, sacrifice, and resilience of veterans from all walks of life.

Veterans Day is a time to recognize all who have served, each bringing unique stories, backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

Thank you for your courage and commitment. We are forever grateful. 🇺🇸❤️🤍💙

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Happy Indigenous People’s Day!

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Heads up that some states only have a few days left to register to vote.

Check your state for dates and you can also check your state voter registration website to make sure that you’re still registered to vote in the system before the deadline.

There have been recent voter registration system purges and often in the attempt to clean up outdated registrations, valid voter registrations are also purged.

For this reason, even if you voted in the mid-term election you should still check to make sure you’re still in the system.

Happy 100th Birthday to the 39th President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, undoubtedly one of the best leaders of our time, who said many things, but this is our favorite quote:

"We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."



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Give yourself some grace!

Doing your best looks different every day. Keep adapting and persevering

Image: https://www.instagram.com/vicky_barone

Michaela DePrince -- the trailblazing ballerina who went from the war-torn streets of Sierra Leone to becoming a rising star of the ballet world -- has died at the age of 29. "Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us," an announcement about her death yesterday read. "She stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places."

Orphaned at age 3 during the midst of Sierra Leone’s 11-year civil war, Michaela was called the “devil’s child” by orphanage workers and ostracized for her skin condition, vitiligo, which leaves unpigmented spots covering her chest and neck. It was at the orphanage, Michaela explained in an interview, that she first discovered her life’s passion:

“I found the magazine lying on the ground outside the gate of the orphanage, I’d never seen anything like that before, so I took the cover off and put it in my underwear because I had nowhere else to put it... I kept the picture with me every day until I got adopted. It kept me going and believing and looking forward to something, because I was going through so much at the time. I thought I was just worth nothing and nothing’s going to happen. This person in the photograph symbolized hope for me.”

Soon after she was adopted by an American family who encouraged her blossoming talent in dance. At 14, she won a scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of the American Ballet Theatre after competing against 5,000 other dancers in the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix. She was also one of the six dancers profiled in the 2011 documentary “First Position.” In 2012, she became the youngest dancer at Dance Theatre of Harlem and was a soloist with the Dutch National Ballet. In 2021, Michaela joined the Boston Ballet as second soloist.

After her death, Michaela's sister Mia shared a reflection on Michaela's life: "When we got adopted, our parents quickly poured into our dreams and arose the beautiful, gracefully strong ballerina that so many of you knew her as today... Whether she was leaping across the stage or getting on a plane and flying to third-world countries to provide orphans and children with dance classes, she was determined to conquer all her dreams in the arts and dance. Michaela has left her footprints in the sand and on so many stages across the world. She will be truly missed."

To share her incredible story and legacy with young readers, Michaela and her mother, Elaine DePrince, wrote a book about her life which is available in two versions -- a memoir for ages 11 and up, "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" (https://www.amightygirl.com/taking-flight), and a chapter book for ages 6 to 9, "Ballerina Dreams: From Orphan to Dancer" (https://www.amightygirl.com/ballerina-dreams)

She is also the subject of an upcoming new picture book "Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince" at https://amzn.to/3TsKle6

Michaela was one of several young dancers featured in the ballet documentary "First Position" at http://amzn.to/2747XH1 -- which can be streamed online at http://amzn.to/2hbqCyZ

Thanks to Pointe for sharing this image.

When it comes to things you are working toward, may you keep learning to appreciate the journey even before there is a highlight reel. Even before you are able to experience it all come together, may you know that the time you are spending right here, finding joy and welcoming courage, however you can, matters more than you may realize. Keep capturing the small things that are meaningful right here, even before it all comes together.

The parts of a project that you just enjoyed researching — even if you don’t know how it all ties together, the efforts you’ve been giving are valuable in themselves. May you relish these moments of discovery, allowing curiosity to come alive in ways that will matter in the future, too.

The moments where you find something small that you’re very grateful for — even if it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things, may you recognize how these little joys accumulate to create a richer, more fulfilling journey. Let gratitude be a companion, coloring your experiences with warmth and appreciation.

The milestones you meet, even if they’re not the ones you initially set out to achieve, may you celebrate these unexpected victories, recognizing that growth often takes directions you might not have anticipated, but it can still be beautiful.

Long before the highlight reel, let yourself embrace these moments as much as you can.

This is your friendly reminder that small incremental steps lead to big changes. This week, focus on taking things one step or moment at a time and celebrate the progress that you make.

RP:

Today, June 20th is the first day of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

What is something you're looking forward to this summer? 🌞🏝🛬

Let us know in the chat. ⬇️