Living at YES! Success Stories Archive

YES! stands for You Embracing Spirit!
In the LOGO, notice the symbol for the "Y" is a heart.
When you embrace Spirit - your heart is opened!

"My Life Was Put on Hold for 10 Years--- It Feels Wonderful to Finally Move Forward!" -- Peggy Marsicano

Peggy Marsicano has a warm smile and eyes that tell a story. They dance with delight as she describes Misty Rose, her effervescent mixed Jack Russell Chihuahua; they open wide with amazement and wonder when she shares her experiences as a greeter and member of the prayer team at Unity Church in Palmyra, PA; and they become contemplative and soften with gratitude when she explains how she met Sharon Marquart and how Sharon has helped her reframe her life after many years of feeling isolated and alone.

For ten years, Peggy was the primary caregiver to her two elderly parents, both of whom suffered from the debilitating illness Alzheimer's disease. "I basically put my life on hold in order to take care of them." She says, glancing away, her eyes distant. At the time, Peggy had graduated from college and had taken a job when her parents became ill. A total role reversal took place- whereby Peggy became the adult to the very people who raised her- only she didn't have anyone to fall back on for help. "I left my job because it totally consumed my every waking moment, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week." Not only did it become physically demanding, it was also emotionally draining. "You want to be comforting, loving and caring all the time- but sometimes all I did was sit and cry because I felt trapped. And then I'd cry even more because I felt guilty for feeling trapped because these were my parents! These people took care of me my entire life and I felt as though I couldn't perform in the same capacity. I was burned out. My health suffered. Stress consumed me and it became a vicious cycle." As Peggy continued to isolate herself from everything and everyone around her, she sunk into a deep depression. "I had resigned myself to the fact that this was the way my life was going to be."

After the passing of her parents, Peggy slowly began to awaken her spirit and consciously made some positive choices, one of which was attending her first Unity Church service where Sharon was the guest speaker. "Even in my darkest moments, I always believed there was an unlimited God source- I just didn't know how to tap into it. Attending Unity and meeting Sharon were the first steps on my new journey." Peggy immediately connected to Sharon's topic, style and message. "Her topic was "Changes- if we know change is inevitable, why do we resist it so much?" The material was a good fit for where I was at in my life. It totally changed my perspective on things and I knew I was ready to move forward."

Peggy immediately enrolled in one of Sharon's workshops entitled "A Course in Miracles", where she found solace and support in both Sharon's message and in other group members. "I really enjoyed the cohesive atmosphere of the group- they offered support, suggestions and solutions. It was such a refreshing shift." In addition to participating in workshops, Peggy also found Sharon's one-on-one, personal coaching sessions to be very helpful. "I had been out of the workforce for so long- and during that time I had become quite reclusive. When I re-entered corporate America, I felt shy, backward and inadequate. I allowed people's negative energy to affect my own energy. Sharon taught me to validate their feelings- but not allow those feelings to overflow into my own life. And it worked! The moment I applied that theory, they would back off!"

As Peggy learned to validate her feelings and value herself, the energy was changing around her and wonderful opportunities began to present themselves. In 2006, Peggy enrolled in Sharon's "Embrace Your Magnificent Self" class- a yearlong class on self-empowerment. "The group provided a safe environment with a lot of supportive people- so when things became challenging, it felt safe to step outside your comfort zone. As a result, I became more prosperous and connected to my physical and spiritual self- and as I did, everything began to shift. I was offered not one, but three permanent job opportunities and received a promotion within a year!"

As she embarked upon her journey, Peggy endured several challenges, in both her health and in the job. However, it was how she dealt with these "speed bumps" that allowed her to reframe and move forward. "One thing that resonated with me that Sharon always said was "Reframe it". So that was the first thing that would come to mind "How would Sharon reframe this? And "What choices do I have?" Once I applied those techniques, the energy always shifted. Every single time!"

Peggy's life is no longer "on hold"- she has empowered herself to live a life of abundance. In addition to being a member of the greeting committee and prayer team at Unity, she is also an advocate of the healing arts and participates in yoga sessions and incorporates essential oils into her healing therapy. And of course, Misty Rose is always part of the journey!

What is your personal "Living at YES!" story?
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