Live Authentically. Love deeply. Lead Boldly.

I wrote this titled, before I wrote the article, and now it seems overwhelming to write. I could write an entire novel on this subject of how I went from living in my car at 18 to successful entrepreneur. Bear with me as I figure out how to condense this into one blog, you might want to read. LOL!

I graduated high school right around my 18th birthday, in 1989, and I was so determined to not go back to the home I lived in with my mother and step-father, that I actually lived in my car for most of that summer. At times, I spent the night at a friends house, but overall the summer was spent cramped up in a 1986 Nissan Sentra, it was bright red. I loved that car, perhaps not enough to want to sleep in it, but that was the choice I was left with. I never told anyone this was what I was doing, I just did it. I WAS NOT GOING BACK TO THAT HOUSE!

I had been admitted to The University of Oklahoma, of which I spent one year and flunked out (can’t tell that whole story here, sorry) (geez, could it get any more embarrassing)! Then I met the man of my dreams and the rest is history, easy peasy lemony squeezy. Ha ha, NOT! I did really meet the man of my (future) dreams. (see my story about lying to him here.. dang I sound horrible). Moving on… in 1993 we moved to Houston where I had many, many different jobs. I was once a a) professional temp, b) a failing, wreath making, craft show entrepreneur, c) human resource representative, d) visa and immigration administrator, e) mom, f) scrapbook store owner, g) elementary school teacher, h) marriage and family therapist, and i) entrepreneur. Story over. 😉

A pivotal moment was when I worked in human resources (around 1997-1999) and I met a wonderful man who took me under his wing, got me back in college, and helped me start to see the life I never dreamed I could have. It took many, many years to complete my degree, in fact, I got married and had three babes it took so long. In 2010, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. From there, I received my alternative certification and became an elementary school teacher. I love kids, so working with them came naturally for me. But, one day I realized, I just want to talk to these kids and not necessarily teach them to read. Understanding this was not good for the kiddos, I quit yet another job, and went back to graduate school. I completed that degree in two years, whew that was exhausting and miserable. Yikes!

I still had not thought about being an entrepreneur, I was doing exactly what God called me to do, help others through counseling. I felt at peace, like I knew I was right were I am supposed to be. However, as time went on I kept feeling unsettled again. I knew it wasn’t with what I was doing, helping others, it took some exploration and one day on a whim, I made a phone call. With very little thought and only a few days, Amy Wine Counseling Center was born. There is no other explanation other than, only God. I could not have open and grown the way the counseling center has on my own. Nor would I have the ideas and will power to start the new online endeavor (courses, podcast, and more) in a world in which I know NOTHING! Yes, there are soooo many stories I left out, like I said, I could write a novel, but those will come on other days.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and I can’t wait to see where God takes us!