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When Life Seems Impossible, Inspirational New Guide Illuminates a Way Forward

Faith Thomas

Some days, perhaps especially these days, an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and adversity seem to exist everywhere. Sometimes finding a way forward, toward living the life you truly hope to live, may feel impossible.

Faith Thomas ‘18, author of the new book, From Impossible to I’m-Possible: Relinquishing the Hurt, is familiar with this kind of adversity.

“I've been through some very difficult things,” Thomas says. “Everyone has. Many people experience the same things, but they have no clue how to get through it. A lot of people can’t pinpoint [the problem]. Many will just wipe it away and push things down, and that builds pressure. So when you're really overwhelmed, everything blows up.”

Part inspirational memoir, part practical strategy guide, From Impossible to I’m-Possible is for anyone feeling trapped within cycles of fear, doubt, depression, or despair. It’s also for anyone struggling to identify and achieve their goals in an increasingly complex and confusing modern society.

While other books may cover similar topics, what’s often missing, Thomas says, are actional ways to apply the experiences of others to one’s own life.

The joy of helping others

For Thomas, providing this kind of transformative assistance and inspirational encouragement has been a driving force throughout her career. Because in addition to her work as an author, she’s also a social worker.

After graduating from Miami University with degrees in social work and criminal justice, Thomas became a Nationally Certified Guardian for Lifespan, Inc., where she works with individuals deemed incompetent by a local probate court. Her clients include the developmentally disabled, those with mental illnesses, and the elderly.

“They're all adults, and we basically serve as their legal guardian,” Thomas says. “But even though we decide things on their behalf, we don’t necessarily override them. You get to know them. You're still learning about this person. You get their perspective on what their wishes are in life.”

The social work field ultimately showed her how rewarding helping others, particularly, finding ways to move people closer toward their goals could be, which is also what she hopes to accomplish for a much wider audience as an author.

“Being able to help people to that next step gives you so much joy,” she says. “And they gain joy as well because then they can say, ‘I'm closer to where I believe I'm supposed to be in life.’ So taking the mindset that things are possible, instead of looking at things in life as impossible, that's what I think social work is all about. It’s what social workers bring to the table, and having that drive also relates to the purpose of the book.”

“You can do it.”

Each chapter of From Impossible to I’m-Possible begins with an example of Thomas’s experiences with adversity, before breaking down the specific strategies that readers can then apply to their situation.

Along the way, the book also covers five key points that include how to: 1) Recognize your greatness, 2) eliminate fear, 3) overcome the odds, 4) identify your process, and 5) change your mindset.

Readers will also learn how to find a better work/life balance, the importance of practicing self-care, how to set and achieve realistic goals, and more.

“You can do it,” Thomas says. “You can be great and achieve what you desire to do in life. It's all about being able to be honest with yourself, setting boundaries, and taking things little-by-little, day-by-day.”