The story Katherine Miracle never wanted to tell

Someone’s past can be a shadow to their success. Katherine Miracle tried to hide her illness in junior high but as her eyelid began to droop, her speech became slurred and at moments she could not speak or even breathe well she could not hide anymore. 

Why hide an illness? In junior high if you see double and you slur words you are accused of taking drugs and for Katherine the gossip and rumors hurt her and her family.  Katherine’s parents Betty and Gene Robinson never accused their daughter; instead they took her to every doctor until the diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis (MG) was found. 

Katherine had surgery and took medicine until 1988 when she met her Miracle, her husband Craig Miracle. As an adult Katherine remembers what is was like to be considered the sick kid and to not want people to ask about the scar on her chest.  Katherine wrote a book called “Discovering Your Dawn’ to help college students and she finally shared part of her story but never spoke about it. 

On Wednesday, February 23^rd, Katherine was awarded Best Speaker by CBC Magazine.  A great honor for a person who at one time could barely speak and who was not expected to have the quality of life to be a  Corporate Motivational Speaker who travels the United States.  

Best Speaker/Meeting Facilitator   www.cbcmagazine.com

Katherine Miracle
Katherine Miracle is the founder and owner of Miracle Resources, an Akron-based consulting, training, and educational resource for businesses and nonprofits. Miracle Resources specializes in the areas of marketing, public relations, advertising, and revenue development. The company creates seminars that help audience members increase awareness and revenue. Miracle is a  Keynote Speaker, University Guest Speaker, Marketing Keynote Speaker and  Corporate Motivational Speaker who teaches  Exceptional Teamwork,  Increasing your Passion and Productivity, she speaks across the United States for corporations and universities, and her client list includes Cleveland Clinic, Westfield Group, US Bank, Delta, and 50 businesses and 20 nonprofits. She and her consultants at Miracle Resources have raised more than 28 million for 10 nonprofits, secured $4 million in free publicity for corporations and non-profits, and created advertising/marketing campaigns that have increased revenue for more than 50 businesses. For more info: katherinemiracle.com or www.miracleresources.com

Thanks to all who voted for me and for those who attended I did plan to share this when I accepted but my parents are ill and I wanted them to be there when I shared this. For those of you who work with me please remember I am MG free I do not have double vision anymore so if I offer to drive do not be afraid !!! 

It is god’s blessing that we can laugh together about this because MG can be fatal and I am blessed with health because my parents made the decision for me to have the surgery.  I hope to speak at MG conference one day so people can see the surgery works and that they can become anything they dream of becoming. I am proof !!!

To be the One means to be the one person your company cannot live without, your family cannot live with out  but most important to be the one person you have always wanted to be

What you need to know

Your truth Revealed

“How to know yourself, believe in yourself and love yourself”

The first half of my life I tried to be exceptional for others, the second half of my life I will strive to be exceptional for me”

Only when you forgive can your truth be revealed. The obstacles, the hidden messages and the blessings are lessons that lead you to truth. Most people ignore them or crush under them. Can you say “it was my greatest gift” even if something was taken from you or your lost it.

Or do you crush under the weight of the loss. After forgiveness comes realization, connection and truth. Can you withstand the pressure of your truth. If you forgive and become accountable you can learn about yourself and slowly begin to believe about yourself and ultimately love yourself.

 Once I made peace with my past, I began to see the wonder and amazement of nature, people and love. I made peace, practiced positivity and did not judge but instead learned that love really never ends it just stays in your heart.

What is missing from your life?

What is it?  Did you lose it or did you ever have it?

Where do you find it?

Love = find it in yourself,  not through others

Happiness is not determined by your current circumstances it is determined by how you handle your current circumstances…jodie sweetin

I thought I was strong and to be the one, that is the one person I wanted to be, I needed to be perfect, happy, available and the smartest.  I was so wrong, I spent too much time looking at what I thought I was good at instead of listening to others. COSE saw my talent as a  Keynote Speaker and  Motivational Speaker  when I did not think I could do anything but seminars….. I would promote others but not myself.

I always wanted to see the reason why things happened, I wanted a conculsion instead of seeing the journey and learning from each moment.

My personal trainer  said I had the map but it was the wrong map for my weight loss. I told him my doctor told me no running but I kept running because I needed it.  My trainer said, “What are you running from?”  I realized it was myself , I need to run from my problems and not face them. It was easier to run get endorphins then face my truth.  My truth that I was not who I wanted to be and my self esteem was low because I lost faith in myself.  I was helping everyone but me.  My clients, audience members, family, friends and students got the best of me and I got nothing. Everyone said they needed me and I was their sunshine but I was not sharing my expectations of what I needed.  I was everyones Tylenol.

To be the one means to be someones rock and someones champion while getting the oxygen you need to be strong for others. 

The peace and discovery in my life began during the writing of my first book discovering your Dawn. As I spoke to more audiences, helped more students and clients it became clear that once you have forgiven you must learn to know yourself, believe in yourself and love yourself to truly become who you want to be.

During a time of intense pain and struggle I began writing this book because I was fighting for my happiness and learning how to believe in myself so I made a challenge, to be the one. The one God needed me to be and the one who I wanted to be. I needed to be accountable for the issues in my life like my weight and hiding my feelings of pain.  I did everything my first book suggested like asking for help, striving for self respect and achieving balance.  I did not make the mistakes I made during the first tragedy of my life.  I needed to kick myself in the butt on some issues and cut off some hurtful relationships in an effort to protect myself and my family.

 When I shared my expectations of my husband, my friends my family and my students they changed and expected more from themselves. 

Today I challenge you to Respect Yourself, Ask for Help and Strive for Balance only then can you…Be The One  

     To be the one means to be the one person that your clients/customers say “you have to call her/him they will help”  Miracle Resources heard clients say that phrase over and over and we decided to strive for it to be said by all of our customers.  If your mission is to bring value to clients, your purpose is to serve them by sharing your resources, expertise and by building a relationship of trust. 

     A wise woman named Linda Bloom asked me, “Katherine are your clients your best friends”   I quickly replied, “No, we have a professional relationships” Linda then shared the secret to keeping business relationships.  The secret is to build a trust that displays how you can help and to build a bond that is so strong it will never break.  I needed to hear this because my relationships consisted of visiting clients with my staff and I was very formal, always showing perfection. 

     My mistake was that I trying so hard that clients did not get to know me.  As I became accountable, I looked at my public speaking, I was formal and people would often write to me that they learned so much but knew I was very busy and they did not want to bug me after my speech.  How sad, I tried so hard to be perfect that I was unapproachable and did not truly build relationships. 

     As a  Corporate Motivational Speaker and  Marketing Keynote Speaker, I knew I had to open up, tell my truth and treat clients as I treat my friends and family.  I started telling stories about the crazy mistakes I make and I used my mistakes to help others.  Miracle Resources started to have coffee or lunch with every client, no agenda “just come to the table and we will listen”.   As we listened, we saw so many people hurting and carrying shadows that held them back from success.  When I started teaching college and saw students who struggled just as much as clients and audience members at my speeches I tried to find a book that would help but could not find one.  In an effort to help others, I exposed my mistakes, pain and tragedy in my first book   “Discovering Your Dawn”.

     The book has been a wake up call and help people in three countries. Miracle Resources has been amazed at how supportive clients were of the book.  Miracle Resources relationships grew deep and during the tough economy our clients stayed and although the economy made it tough to get new clients we could survive with the clients we had.  It became clear in 2010 that many of our competitors would close and what may surprise you is we did not race to get their clients. Our networking and relationship building led to our competitors sending their clients to Miracle Resources. 

     A note from Miracle Resources:

We have been blessed to belong to The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Katherine was trained by AFP to become a fundraising leader. Katherine built deep friendships with fellow AFP members and they learned to depend on each other.  During good and bad times, Katherine has the support of her AFP members and is honored to be asked to speak Thursday, December 2, 2010 as the Keynote for the AFP Annual meeting. AFP also requested a book signing.  The book signing will be held at Holiday Inn Rockside at 1pm  “The greatest blessing is to be recognized by the experts in my field and to have my book showcased” Katherine Miracle

As a  Corporate Motivational Speaker I meet people who tell me that they are unhappy, depressed and cannot move forward. These people ask me what is wrong and what is missing.  I share that for me I knew something was not right but I buried it until my MBA professor asked us to tell our shadow and that if we did not address it we would never be successful. As each person shared their story (some were CEO’s, VP’s and all were fighting back tears) each person opened up and was honest. Yours truly, Katherine Miracle the same person clients call the one. That is the one who provides them expert marketing strategy and helps them with leadership issues, got very quiet in the class and her wake up call was that the instructor never called on me. Why, because she could see in my face the pain that I needed to overcome and I was not ready to share.  So I wrote a book about my shadow and now I help people address solve their real problems through motivation and marketing.  I wish I could tell you it was easy and that involved no risk but my Wake Up Call was painful, embarrassing and involved me becoming accountable.If I wanted to accomplish my goal of helping others I had to help myself. 

 Increasing your Passion and Productivity and performing  Exceptional Teamwork can only be achieved by waking up and solving the real problem. 

So many times Miracle Resources meets with a company about marketing and the real problem deals with the shadows of the leaders and employees. Step one is realizing the problem and as an inspirational speaker I work to find options that create a strategy.

Step two is finding the motivation to accomplish the goal. As a Motivational Speaker it is my job to find several motivations that will create a mindset for success.

My wake up call on weight loss has led me to lossing 39lbs and I followed the advice of my book “Discovering Your Dawn”  I needed to respect my self and motivate myself to do the work. I asked for help by finding the best personal trainer in Stu Harter and I have maintained balance by ensuring I have time to work out!  My mindset has been to live my life in a new way where food is fuel not an escape or comfort.  If I am every going to hit this goal I have to focus on it as a dominate thought.  Weight loss has been the one goal I have not met but the rest I have accomplished so why has this one been so tough? Because I did not ask for help in the past and my shadow made me feel I was not good enough.  Are you good enough?  If you do not know yourself, believe in yourself and love yourself you can never meet your goals. 

If you want success and happiness, you have to fight for it! Miracle Resources and Katherine Miracle want to help you unlock your potential.

Miracle Resources is a consulting, training and educational resource for businesses and non-profits. Miracle Resources consultants specialize in the areas of advertising/branding, public relations, marketing and revenue development. Miracle Resources consultants have served clients including the Cleveland Clinic, Northwest Mutual, The American Red Cross and Dunkin Donuts. 

When you “Discover Your Dawn” you learn your truth, it is the moment when your mistakes, guilt and regret are clear so you can learn from it and move on. Only when you “Discover Your Dawn” can you learn from your past and combine it with your passion to create your future!

Your goals to Discover your Dawn

Achieve Balance

Strive for Self Respect

Ask for Help

We are here to help you achieve your goals:

Katherine Miracle, LLC

km@miracleresources.com

www.katherinemiracle.com

www.miracleresources.com

330-777-2003 ext 100

The return on investment for “Discovering Your Dawn” 

“This book was my wake up call to realizing the real problems in my life” Brittany, Ashland, OH

 “I could not put your book down because I could see myself through your words” Ryan, Akron, OH

“I suffered an attack 10 years ago and told no one until I read this book. I have been angry and let this shadow ruin my life. Discovering Your Dawn helped me see I must get help and become stronger” Marissa, Cincinnati, OH

“As a Vietnam Veteran, I have survivor’s guilt and your book kicked my butt because it showed me my friends would not want me to life the way I am living. I need to use your journey journal and ask for forgiveness” Frank, Cleveland, OH

“Your book was what I needed to read as a college student because I just went through a break up and your book helped me see I need to ask for help ,respect myself, keep my balance and not overload” Scott, Oakland, CA

“I gave your book to a friend who seemed sad. After he read the book, he came to me and told me everything. My friend had been considering suicide and told me that reading your book helped him see that he will be okay if he gets help. I told him that when I read the book I learned that if you isolate yourself you hurt yourself and others” Ray, Brisbane, Australia

“The relationships in your book show me what I need to learn from my past relationships. Reading your book inspired me and I want to live my life as Dawn did. I want to be bold, help others and stand up for myself and my friends” Katie, Virginia Beach, VA

“Discovering Your Dawn makes me want to be a better person. Your words helped me realize I need to know myself, respect myself and believe in myself  before I become involved in another relationship” Jared, Wellington, New Zealand

“Indeed, this is truly exciting work and evidence of your dedication and enthusiasm for our students and for your field. Engaging our students is an extremely important aspect of what our professors do daily. Thank you for understanding this and challenging our students to achieve excellence.  We at The University of Akron are proud to claim you as one of our own” Luis M. Proenza, President, The University of Akron

Discovering Your Dawn proceeds benefit:

The University of Akron Foundation

The Virginia Marti College of Art and Design Foundation

Alpha Delta Pi Sorority Foundation

     As you read Discovering Your Dawn you realized that Labor Day is always my most dreaded day of the year. As this anniversary of Dawn and Wendy’s death approached I decided that I would try to change my attitude and not think about the tragedy of that fateful Labor Day weekend but instead focus on the love and memories that have stayed with me.

Since I published Discovering Your Dawn I was not sure how Miracle Resources clients would perceive this work and would they want me to focus on their marketing needs only. Our surprise as a staff has been that our clients now open up about what is holding them back and what shadows they are overcoming as a result of reading the book.  As a  Business Motivational Speaker I have audience members write to me on Labor Day to check on me.  I am so blessed because this year I received a special card from a Vietnam Veteran named Jimmy, Marlene the Executive Director of VMCAD Foundation and Margery, the most intelligent operation executive I know.  The card gave the words of God and soften the intensity of this weekend.

My sorority sister Sherri sent me a note that helped me realize that our love for Dawn and Wendy never died and that although we were forced to grow up quickly our bond as sisters deepened through this tragedy.

My husband joined me for the very first time at Dawns graveside today. Our prayer was that Dawn would be happy with my life and feel the love we have for her always. As I speak on college campuses as a  University Guest Speaker I meet students who struggle and our story helps them see the light at the end of the tunnel.

As we start this week lets agree that we need to see our blessings not focus on our losses. Miracle Resources staff hopes to see you September 14th at 7pm at Legacy Village, Joseph Beth Booksellers for our networking event and book signing.

Wishing you all the very best,

Katherine 

     As requested I am posting the commencement address I gave on 

August 21, 2010. I was so proud to serve as  Business Motivational Speaker and  inspirational speaker for ACRT graduation. I love being a  University Guest Speaker and  Motivational Speaker because commencement marks the beginning of a new journey! 

                Class of 2010 you have worked hard to get to this day.  Your class is talented, hardworking and everyone at ACRT is excited for your future. 

As a class I would like you to remember your first day at ACRT.  Remember how you were nervous and it seemed that graduation day would never come.  You made it and you are about to begin a new journey, to enter a job market and business environment that offers challenges and competition.  As ACRT students, you are taught to learn from difficult situations and rise up to create solutions. Your course work, your instructors and your experiences have taught you to look at new ways to overcome problems and form alliances while working as a team to achieve success.

        Your graduating class is made up of working people, military personnel, non-traditional students and people who never thought an education was in their reach.  ACRT helped you by making our education affordable, flexible and designed for your learning needs.  As ACRT students, you have many people who help you and inspire you. It may be an instructor who has become the voice in your head as you make decisions, it may be a staff member who took the time to help you enroll at ACRT or it maybe a family member who believed in you and encouraged you to keep going. 

 As you look at your classmates you can see that they also taught you the most important lesson, which is that a successful team is like an excellent family; you support each other, lift each other up and work through your problems as a family. 

        As you graduate, you will use your education to help others and achieve your dreams. You will use your past, including the tough times and combine it with your passion to create your future.   As graduates, you have been given the tools and inspiration to pursue your dreams. Your talent, dedication and hard work have led you to this day and you have grown stronger.  You are an inspiration to those who only wish for what you have accomplished. You had to risk to get to this day and we learn from  great people who have risked more than others think is safe. Harriett Tubman went back not once but 19 times to save more people. To get complete your education you invested in yourself and you cared more than some people thought was wise.  Mother Theresa cared more than others thought was wise and she helped millions of people and inspired even more people then she ever imagined. As students you had a dream and today you celebrate that your dream came true. Martin Luther King had a dream that would change our world and we have to remember that we must continue to have dreams and goals for our future. Your family and friends are here today to celebrate and show their love and support. They are proud that you expected more from yourself and you set a goal and achieved it.  Abraham Lincoln expected more than others thought was possible and we must continue to expect more from ourselves than even we think is possible.

        As instructors, we share the reality of our coursework and how to apply what you learn in the real world.  As a business owner, Business Motivational Speaker and instructor I meet people everyday who work hard but cannot unlock their potential. ACRT has given you the tools, resources and training but today begins your journey to unlock your potential and ensure your success. Everyone wants happiness and success but few people achieve both. The secret to unlocking your potential lies in learning from your past, forgiving yourself and others, learning to love yourself which is the foundation of building the confidence you will need for your career and your personal life. Life will present trails and you will overcome obstacles if you ask for help, achieve balance and strive for self respect.  In the workplace you will be challenged and you will have to respond not react. If you strive to be that one person that your company cannot live without, your value will guide you to promotion and leadership. In your personal life if you strive to be the one person that your family cannot live without, you will be a foundation for love and happiness.  Being the one, does not mean being perfect or being a pushover, it means being the one person that people can count on to help them grow and unlock their potential.  Over the years I found that people said, call Katherine she’s the one you need or call Miracle Resources they are the ones that can help.  Being the one in business means you are a resource, an expert, you are dependable. In your personal life it means you are the one who can provide, support, love and direction.

If you truly want to be the “one” you have to commit today to taking the oxygen before you help others. When you fly the flight attendant shows you putting on the oxygen mask then  helping the person next to you.  Too many leaders give to others then burnout, promise me you will not be the person in your company or family who gives so much then burns out before you can achieve success and happiness.  To be the one, means you are expectional and you are a leader. You will only achieve this by forgiving yourself, learning to love yourself, giving of yourself and committing to your continued education and personal growth. When tough times come please remember this quote that I wrote when I suffered a personal tragedy.

“Whatever you are going through use it,  if you lose love learn to love yourself, if you are hurt help another, if you lose faith search to find it and always, always fight for your happiness.”

        As a class, you represent hope, wisdom and you are a light that others will look to for inspiration. Class of 2010 this is your time to shine and no matter what darkness you face you will take what you learned and seize every moment and make the most of every opportunity.

You are the miracle of resilience and you have overcome obstacles and you are now a member of a unique and talented group of people. Remember it is better to be an academy graduate than compete with one! So be the one, The one that your company and family cannot live without but most importantly be the one that you have always dreamed you would be!  You are stronger, wiser and more resilient than the challenges you face. Congratulations class of 2010! 

     Today I challenge you to be the “One” !!! 

As a business owner, Business Motivational Speaker and college instructor I meet people everyday who work hard but cannot unlock their potential. I have learned that everyone wants happiness and success but few people achieve both. The secret to unlocking your potential lies in learning from your past, forgiving yourself and others, learning to love yourself which is the foundation of building the confidence you will need for your career and your personal life.

Life will present trails and you will overcome obstacles if you ask for help, achieve balance and strive for self respect.  In the workplace you will be challenged and you will have to respond not react. If you strive to be that one person that your company cannot live without, your value will guide you to promotion and leadership. In your personal life if you strive to be the one person that your family cannot live without, you will be a foundation for love and happiness. 

Being the one, does not mean being perfect or being a pushover, it means being the one person that people can count on to help them grow and unlock their potential.  Over the years I found that people said, call Katherine she’s the one you need or call Miracle Resources they are the ones that can help.  Being the one in business means you are a resource, an expert, you are dependable. In your personal life it means you are the one who can provide, support, love and direction.

If you truly want to be the “one” you have to commit today to taking the oxygen before you help others. When you fly the flight attendant shows you putting on the oxygen mask on yourself then helping the person next to you.  Too many leaders give to others then burnout, promise me you will not be the person in your company or family who gives so much then burns out before you can achieve success and happiness. 

To be the one, means you are expectional and you are a leader. You will only achieve this by forgiving yourself, learning to love yourself, giving of yourself and committing to your continued education and personal growth. When tough times come please remember this quote that I wrote when I suffered a personal tragedy.

“Whatever you are going through use it, if you lose love learn to love yourself, if you are hurt help another, if you lose faith search to find it and always, always fight for your happiness.”

Wishing you all the very best,

Katherine

     My title may concern you but as you send me comments I am inspired by your ability to overcome obstacles, find your passion and discover your truth(what I call your dawn).  As a  Christian Speaker for a retreat last weekend we discussed that people will betray you and you will put faith in people who let you down. God is the only one who will not let you down.  In an executive womens retreat I served as a  Motivational Speaker and Womens Speaker and we discussed how to increase revenue in a tough economy I realized how blessed I am to have a staff who works hard to help businesses and non profits increase their revenue. We were excited to be featured on Outreach News this week. Check us out on you tube  http://youtu.be/y4YBgCCapqw

   My work as  Marketing Speaker and Keynote Speaker is featured on this broadcast and I share how non profits can hit revenue goals in a challenging economy.  My prayer for you today as you grow your non profit or business is to look at the pain and become motivated to turn it into beauty.  One of our clients lost an employee and created a memorial and engage vendors in an effort to raise money for cancer. The event was beautiful and the tributes to the employee motivated all of us to continue our work with passion. 

   Have a great weekend everyone and remember during pain it is hard to see beauty but even in betrayal you can learn great lessons.  I wrote this quote after a very painful realization happened to me this week. “Whatever you are going through use it,  if you lose love learn to love yourself, if you are hurt help another, if you lose faith fight to find it”

     I write with a heavy heart today.  A very dear friend of mine has passed and it is hard to hold back tears.  As I spoke with the family we focused on the fact that he is in a better place, in god’s loving arms, as we reviewed the what if’s ,if he had been in prolonged pain or had to be on life support it was clear that we we striving to see the good in this horrible time. 

     I know that looking at the positives helps us become stronger, motivated and helpful to others.  When I wrote, Discovering Your Dawn, I knew I had to share that when I became negative I created a personal prison. When I share the mistakes I made it has helped others. I have learned that even when I am speaking about leadership people relate to us and learn from us when we share the reality of our lives.

     As a Corporate Motivational Speaker I have seen people hear my message and act on the ways to unlock their potential. My friend who pass ed shared his business struggles with me and helped me see how I would grow my business one day. He also let me share my personal struggles and he and his wife showed me how faith can help you overcome anything.  As a  Christian Speaker I share how God sent people to help me.  My friend Ned and his wife Geri were the first people I ever met who were open about their faith.  They gave me a great gift in my friend Renee.  Renee gave me friendship that changed my life.

    As Renee and I shared our love for her father Ned we remembered how he taught us  Exceptional Teamwork and he always valued his employees and everyone he met.  Ned modeled to me, Increasing your Passion and Productivity and now as a  inspirational speaker I have the blessing to share ways to motivate people and change their world.

    Through my tears I can see the sunset tonight and say “What if I had never met Ned”  he changed my life, believed in me and helped me help others.  God Bless you always Ned you are the very best of what a business owner, a father, a mentor and friend should be.  I am sure God is looking at you saying, “Well done good and faithful servant” 

Love you always,

Katherine

As a business motivational speaker, I was asked to explain how passion leads to productivity.  I shared a story about a student who had tremendous talent but was numb to learning. The student had not found his passion.  As a corporate motivational speaker I meet employees who have lost their passion and become frustrated. 

I am blessed to work with a client this week who needs me to speak to provide resources and motivation to employees.  My speech is called “The power of Leadership, Problem Solving and Positive Attitude”  The client is showing their employees they care about employee retention, motivation and passion.  The first step to taking care of your employees is to give them tools to increase their passion and work smarter not harder.  The result of giving employees tools and resources is employees who are stronger, healthier and productive.

 Passion is gained through not finding exactly what you want but starting a journey to find your purpose and putting your commitment to the test.

Risking, giving up everything and believing in your purpose is tough but living your life without passion means complacency and living a lie. My mentors taught me that you must find your truth!  I call it discovering your dawn, the moment when your truth is known and you learn from your past.

One of my mentors says this is the day when you begin to live. It is not easy and does not mean your life is always happy it just means that you cannot deny what your purpose is and you cannot go back to the way you used to live. 

Some people wait for someone else to take action and I found that I was waiting for someone to write a book to help college students and my mentors pushed me to realize I had the story, the experience and the passion to help college students.  Mentors see potential in you that you cannot see.

Today secure mentor who will help you find your passion and take a risk to find your purpose.  You will unlock your potential!   

Wishing you all the very best!

Katherine