TheBeyondWoman Magazine Issue #10 | Page 37

TBWM : How old were you at a time ? Dr . Swaby : I had just turned 40 or 41 , and I called my parents , and I said , Mommy and Daddy , they said , I ’ m dying . Within an hour my parents were by my bedside . They are prayer warriors , and that day my Mother did not give God a chance to answer . Do you know those types of prayers , Jackie ? She said , “ I gave you one of my children already , no , I am not giving up another one before I go ” and that was it . The energy surrounding the situation changed . After that prayer , the mindset shifted , and I started researching different types of treatment — CBD , stem-cell-based solutions , and today I am healthier than I was in my 20s , I was also going through a divorce at the time . I was devastated by the whole situation as any woman would be if she is committed to her marriage , but , I never wallowed in it for long , I lost everything but , it did not matter .
I remember thinking I needed to get back into a stable situation , for myself and my daughter . And , I began again , one day at a time , I journaled and would often find myself thinking these thoughts — Almighty God , I am perfectly made by You … ( here she got emotional ) I ' m perfectly made in Your eyes . Sometimes my eyes may have fallen a little short , but I am going to get back on track . And You , Father , said , “ Knock , and the door shall be opened ” and this is what I am asking . I never asked for wealth but that my next husband loves me the way I am . Here is where I shaved my head — I wanted the next man to love me for me , without makeup and the fluff , just me . I do my affirmations . I pray , and I meditate every day , and He has not failed me . I never did have a child naturally , my daughter is adopted . But it ' s okay .
... my type of fun may seem a bit crazy , but that is what makes me feel good in the moment . When you feel good , you do good , and you want to be good .
TBWM : She ' s yours ! Dr . Swaby : Yes ! And I am here for every failed marriage and every woman who cannot have children naturally . Life is tough , but I am also here for every woman who needs me to say , stop it ! We do not have any time for self-pity . Do not ask why this happened to me , instead ask yourself , why not ? What makes us special to not go through hard times . What we must do is keep putting one foot in front of the other . Don ' t worry about the past or the future . Stay present , and God will do the rest . Work hard , be honest , love yourself and work on loving yourself . Do everything from a place of love , and most importantly , keep away from toxic people .
TBWM : Those last thoughts prompt me to ask about your core values . What makes you , you ? Dr . Swaby : Integrity , truth , forgiveness , and I am working on the forgiveness part — a lot . Transparency , if you do wrong or right , own it . Apologize quickly . Listen , and make people feel seen and valued . Give without expecting anything in return .
TBWM : You exude a sense of owning your space unapologetically . Let us talk about that . Dr . Swaby : Yes , absolutely . I may be going through a situation that may seem bleak to someone else , but I own the moment while trying to figure out the takeaway . I am also comforted by knowing my actions are always out of the goodness of my heart . I approach situations with the best intentions and the best way I can with zero ill will . I also remind myself often that we will all die one day . So , when I go out , I have fun . My husband recently told me that my energy was scary . My type of fun may seem a bit crazy , but that is what makes me feel good in the moment . When you feel good , you do good , and you want to be good .
We have to forget about what people think and allow our energy to flow freely . Once you know that your heart is in the right place , just be you . Even if you think you ' re messy , or you ' re eccentric , just be you , no matter how strange you may seem to others . If you are unapologetic about yourself with a good heart , people will identify you as such and will love you . Yeah , she is a little weird , but she has a good heart .
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