Amy Thurman – 52
Best-Selling Author, Inspirational Speaker
About me
Amy Thurman, co-author of the International Best-Selling book, Resilience A.F.: Stories of Resilience, has a Master’s Degree in Educational and Community Renewal from the University of Oklahoma and is the author of Finding My Hero Within: A Journey from Incapacitation to Empowerment, a memoir that will help you polish the mirror of your life and will compel you to confront the excuses holding you back from living the life of your dreams.
As a former social worker and educator at the university level, I dedicated my life to helping others. Until 2014, when my world came to a screeching halt.
After passing out and landing on my face on the hardwood floor, I ended up with a sheared brainstem, a traumatic brain injury, and a broken neck that went undetected for six months.
Because of this, I was forced to lay flat in bed for 23 hours a day for nearly a year and could literally do nothing for myself (including taking myself to the restroom).
I completely missed my daughter’s Senior year of high school, my son’s Freshman year of high school, and my younger son’s fourth year of life because I could not lift my head off the bed. I was no longer able to help people as I had been determined to in my life prior to this.
As you can imagine, I reached the point where I did not want to live because I felt like a burden and was merely existing, so I seriously considered ending things. Until I realized that maybe I could still help people, just in a different way.
That’s when my business, Polish the Mirror, was born. It is a way for me to use the tragedy of my own experience to help others through their experiences, too. I had to reframe what I was experiencing and turn it into something that would work FOR me instead of against me.
Living the past ten years with a broken neck and shifting my mindset to fighting to live instead of fighting to die, along with learning to polish the mirror of my life, have become my driving forces. These philosophies have been the catalyst to becoming a best-selling author and an inspirational speaker.
Now I get to use my story to help others. I believe every person has a story worth sharing and owning it and sharing it in a way that works for you can be a powerful tool for change.
What do you do and why do you do it?
When I shifted my mindset to fighting to live instead of fighting to die, I did so with the intention of helping others; that was my sole intention. So, that’s what I do!
I use my story to help others through my Polish the Mirror philosophy, which teaches you how to find your hero within. I do this through speaking on stages and authoring books.
What changed for you after age 50?
I stopped looking back and regretting the past and started looking forward with anticipation of what lies ahead. There’s so much more to life than I was allowing myself to experience before 50. I stopped worrying about what others think and started following my own path.
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
You ARE good enough! Perfection only exists in the mind and life is much more pleasant when you live from a place of authenticity.
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
I’m so glad you stepped out of your comfort zone and chose the risky route instead of the safe route. It was so worth it!!
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
Increased visibility can profoundly impact my business in a positive way by letting people know I’m here and eager to help them be better versions of themselves.
Who or what inspires you and why?
My 26-year-old daughter inspires me because she is the most fun, thoughtful, accepting, and authentic human I’ve ever met. She has a heart that wants the best for everyone and will do everything within her power to help and encourage others. She respectfully takes a stand for her beliefs and does not waiver or change for anyone.
Something else I’d like to share
My business name, Polish the Mirror, is based on this poem by Rumi:
“Ye who seek God, apart; That which you seek, thou art. If you wish to seek the Beloved’s face, Polish the mirror and gaze into that space.”
This tells me that every answer I seek can be found within if I choose to look inside and listen. Our souls know the way, if we will only slow down long enough to allow them to speak to us.
