Mojave Members on Fire: Danielle Coleman

Note: Every other month we’re going to profile one of the extraordinary members of Project Mojave. We’re kicking it off with Danielle Coleman, who has an amazing story and an amazing gift to give to the world. Here is her story, told in her own words:

I am the proud mother of a beautiful two-year-old girl named Myrdin Rose. She, like most two-year-olds, is fiercely independent. She is a definite Daddy’s girl, but can always be counted on to snuggle up to Mama at bedtime. She loves dancing and singing, being outside in the fresh air, and playing with her dolls or stuffed dog. She “reads” more books in a day than I can read in a month.

Myrdin lights up my world and gives me new reasons to smile every day.

She is my first child, and one I would never trade. But she is not the child I expected.

After an uneventful pregnancy, and a quick, easy labor and delivery, my daughter was born with a full head of dark hair, ten fingers, ten toes, and an extra 21^st chromosome.

We first learned she had trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) about an hour after her birth, following some hushed conversations among the doctors. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a whole lot of information on what this meant for our child.

What was supposed to be the happiest day of our life turned into a scary, exhausting week in the NICU.

We kept the diagnosis from most of our family until it was confirmed through a genetic test, six days after she was born. Through that time, we had very little access to information. The doctors gave us a few books and some pamphlets that the hospital carried, but they were full of terrifying statistics and more horrifying conditions we couldn’t imagine having to deal with. The nurses warned us about feeding issues and “failure to thrive.”

I grieved.

I grieved for the “normal” baby I had “lost” when this one was born.

I grieved for the baby hooked up to all those machines, my baby girl, who may have a future of hospitals and hand-holding ahead of her. And I grieved for my husband and myself, as we struggled through the week, loving our daughter immensely, but feeling lost, terrified, and alone.

When we finally took her home, I got online and started researching everything I could. I joined special-needs mom’s group forums, signed up for newsletters and blog feeds, bookmarked dozens of sites, and read through several books. I learned that the scary clinical statistics I received from the hospital did not necessarily compare with the stories I heard from actual parents of children with Down syndrome. And they didn’t quite mesh with what I saw in front of me each day as my daughter grew and learned and progressed.

I was determined to be my daughter’s best advocate, but I had to scramble for months and sort through an overwhelming amount of information in order to feel like I knew what I needed to know to help my baby become the best version of herself that she can possibly be.

Life can be exceptionally challenging for the most typical of us…add a disability on top of everything we face, and it can become absolutely terrifying.

When a parent receives the news that their child has a disability, everything changes. They question what tomorrow will bring, how they will pay for therapies, how their child can possibly make his or her way in the world. And when they face that alone, it can be overwhelming, and both the parent and child can suffer.

But no child should be given less than a full chance to be their best self, despite their family’s resources.

No family should receive the devastating news that their child will be challenged by a lifelong disability, and then have to blindly scramble around in the dark for the best resources and information available to help them cope. And no child should be less than they are capable of being, simply because their parents did not know where to turn for help.

My vision is that families who receive a diagnosis of Down syndrome will be able to have access to the resources and information they need to accept that diagnosis confidently, and to help guide them forward in a manner that best supports the needs of both their child and the family as a whole. Instead of scrambling all over the Internet and bookstores for information, families will be able to turn to one definitive resource that will give them all the information they need to get started living this new life, and that will offer suggestions for other resources as they become ready for them, in each stage of their child’s life. My freedom business will be based on being this resource, connecting families to each other and to the real-life stories and experiences of children with Down syndrome, rather than relying solely on outdated statistics or cold clinical facts.

I’ve had the sketch of this dream in my head for a while. But becoming involved with Project Mojave has really ignited a fire in me to share this vision with the world. Project Mojave is designed to be a community of purpose-driven people who are out to change their corner of the world with their freedom businesses. Being a part of that community is in itself supportive and encouraging.

You cannot be around a high level of excitement and passion and walk away unchanged, or unmotivated.

I am inspired by the mentorship calls, where members can ask Clay their questions and share their ideas, brainstorming and gaining new perspectives. And the forums are a welcoming place to turn for assistance, with members willing to offer their support and expertise. Being actively and publically involved in both of these venues helps keep me accountable and motivated, moving forward each day on making my freedom business a reality.

I am passionate about pursing this dream, but I am not without fear. I think fear is the most prevalent emotion in each of our lives.

Because of fear, we make excuses so that we don’t have to feel bad about our inaction.

We’d take action and create positive change if only we had more money, more time, less stress, fewer demands. But really, it simply comes down to the fact that we are afraid to step outside the familiar. And however uncomfortable or unhappy it may be, it is safe, because we know what each day brings and what our role is.

But we condemn ourselves to mediocrity when we do this. We condemn ourselves to lives where we merely exist, going through the motions, never really being happy or fulfilled. I’ve had to push past all the underlying fears of failure, of not being important enough, of not knowing enough. I have something to share that will help other people get past their own fears, and help them have happier, more confident lives.

I had to decide that my purpose is greater than my circumstance, and that my purpose is more important and stronger than my fear.

I have to focus on making progress each day, no matter how slight. And if I’m feeling afraid or insecure, I have to refocus and ask myself what one tiny step I can take that day, in order to make sure I am at least maintaining forward momentum.

Each of us has unique gifts to share with the world, gifts that someone, somewhere needs right now. Gifts that can truly make a dramatic difference in someone’s life and make a lasting positive impact on the world. We help no one by waiting for the "right time." The right time is today. It is now. We have to make this moment the right time, so that all the moments from here on out will matter more than they ever could if we just continue to wait.

It’s okay to be afraid…big visions and big change can be naturally terrifying. But they can also be exhilarating, and the pursuit of them can bring you the most enriching experiences of your life.

Even if you start slowly, like I did, you can still move forward.

I joined Project Mojave back in May, and though I did go through many of the videos and glance around the forums, I never posted anything, and I never attended a mentorship call. I always let life get in the way, until October, when I just decided I had to make a change now, because waiting until the “right time” to jump in with both feet was not working! The right time doesn’t come until you decide it’s here. I used the Freedom Business Contest as my springboard. I shared my idea and my vision with Clay and his staff, and I jumped into the forums and posted a long overdue introduction, and replied to other members’ posts, too. I started making it a point to be on the mentorship calls, if only to listen to the fabulous ideas and passion of the other Project Mojave members. I’ve made some great connections, gotten fresh perspectives on how to progress in my business, and I’ve become even more enthused about my own ideas by hearing the passion of others when they share their visions.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to determine what your purpose is, and to take action on that purpose—today.

You don’t have to change the whole world; that’s too big. You just need to identify who needs help in your own little corner of it.

Figure out what skills, knowledge, or connections you have to offer them, and then use that to build a business that meets their needs. Then take action every day, even if it’s small—purchasing your domain name, writing a paragraph in your ebook, or just discussing where you are on your journey in the forum with members who can be there support and encourage you. The world needs your vision. Share it today.

If you’d like to contact Danielle, head over to her web site that she’s just beginning to create.