User:Shiftandshine

Deborah Richards
Deborah Richards is a life coach and author. Richards takes readers on her journey from hardship to freedom by employing her Shift & Shine Method. Her book, built on years of life experience and lessons, will help you overcome your obstacles and keep moving forward to victory in your life.

Personal Life & Family
Richards is an immigrant to the United States, having came here from Europe. She had her daughter, Haley, when she was 21. At the time, she went through the hardships of being in a physically and emotionally abusive marriage to a man 15 years her senior. She decided that the United Kingdom was not big enough for the both of them and fled with her young daughter to America. In her words, if the streets were not indeed paved with gold, there would be sunshine! As she is solar powered, that sounded perfect.

She arrived to America full of the confidence that comes from one being in their twenties. With only $2,000 in her bank account, she thrived. She went on to marry the man of her dreams and got two stepchildren, who she adored. Her youngest step daughter was just 18 months old when she came into Deb's life.

At the time, Deb delved into spirituality by riding her horse in nature. She's been a huge horse fan since she was born. She worked hard at an unexpected career she went into. She went on to co-own a company.

The Making of Shift & Shine
Back then, life was truly wonderful, perfect and Deb was happy in her bones! She lived on a ranch with horses and a garden. For each Mothers Day, Christmas and birthday she would request a rose bush or baby tree. Her family enjoyed seeing them grow over the happy years. Her eldest daughter, Haley, had severe ADHD growing up and Deb only wanted the best for her. Haley was a good child growing up, full of laughter and energy. She reminded Deb of Tigger, bouncy bouncy and fun fun fun. The first Shift for Deb, she was beside herself when she realized her beloved daughter was a meth addict in danger of killing herself. And so Deb began writing Shift and Shine, twelve years ago. She read everything she could, reached out to friends for guidance and was introduced to a true hero, John Stenzel.

Deb began to write her journey as she sincerely hoped it would help other parents negotiate their way through this insanity. She began to get her daughter help, which led to a long weekend of education on all things to do with an intervention. She gathered her amazing earth angel friends and listened to the expert, Pat Moomey, tell us what to do and what not to do. They all wrote letter to Haley telling her how much they loved her. With the intervention the next day, Haley was truly upset but was sent to a facility where she should spend 90 days... she only stayed 29. Through many ups and downs and relapses, Haley was finally clean and Deb shares a lot of what it took to get her there in her book.

In 2007, Deb's company went bankrupt. Her late husband was displaying early signs of Parkinson's, they sold their ranch and went on a series of moves. Early one morning Deb's husband committed suicide and the trauma of the following year was unspeakable. She locked herself away for a year and found solace on a deep, spiritual quest.

Deb soon became a Reiki master, as she had an unquenchable desire to learn as much as she could.

Deb's Musings
I think we all have a light bulb inside of us, sometimes its running on low wattage, that's when we consciously shift our thought. It's a muscle that needs to be worked like any other, move your thought to a positive affirmation, then turn your light bulb up to the brightest shine, shine at the world through your day with grace, compassion and humility.

Each and everyone of you have the most beautiful light bulb, call it your connection to source or your faith. You are all so beloved by the universe. To quote the Desiderata "You are a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and the stars, and you have a right to be here."