17/52 Elise Pulver

17/52 Elise Pulver

“Never the less she persisted: I wore this on the way out of the hospital after my third back surgery. A spinal fusion… What does it mean to me? It means everything. It defines who I am. I’ve never given myself a choice. I have never let any of my adversities define me and I've had my fair share.

Getting divorced with a 2 year old and 4 year old was life altering. How couldn't it be? But from the adversity came prosperity. I have two kids, a fiancee and a step-daughter. I have a friendship with my ex husband and his new wife and my kids have a half-sister. Life is beautiful.

Here's what I think makes me who I am and what differentiates me from others...
I have always believed that good things come when you have a positive mindset and when faced with adversity. Knowing that it too will pass, not letting the anger you feel towards the world break you. Ya life can be unfair, but it's how you deal with the unfairness. I never wanted to be the person that 5 years later was no further ahead because I was still angry at the world. No one in my life had time for me complaining about my divorce or my surgeries, for example. I know everyone cared, but I didn't need to be "that" person. People don’t want to be surrounded by a Debbie downer all the time. It’s ok to have your moments, but it’s important to learn from them and move past them. In the past few years I’ve made huge life changes, I think I realized that I just wanted to be happy. I chose to be happy. Now I do yoga, I’m healthier than I’ve ever been and I can walk for hours without pain.

I worked for 17 years as a lawyer in a law firm environment and it was really intense and took its toll on me and my family. I was always emotionally exhausted...I had no balance, I thought I was happy but now I realize I wasn't. My mind was always with my clients and I was always thinking about work. And now my kids say to me “mommy we used to try and talk to you and you would just be standing at your computer typing”. I’m in a much better place now. I needed to get through the fire to realize there is another side.”