Do you have struggles that you are too embarrassed to share? I did.

Whether you struggle with reading, low confidence, or any other challenge that just seems insurmountable, you can take heart knowing that there are other people just like you, including OsteoStrong’s CEO, Kyle.

Like many, I have struggled through numerous challenges in my life. I was terrified of flying and was bullied in high school. To make matters worse, I could not read and had no idea why.

One memory sticks with me, no matter how old or more confident I get. When I was a kid, my dad tried to show me how bad of a reader I really was by recording me reading on a tape recorder and then playing it aloud. As if I did not already feel like a fool when I had to read aloud in elementary school, and having to listen to it with my dad was even more embarrassing. 

Lacking confidence in myself and my abilities was a struggle for most of my life.

When I graduated from high school, I had still never even read an entire book. I could read, but I could not concentrate. At that time, no one had even heard of ADHD, but now we know that I was the poster child for it. To make matters worse, I learned that I was dyslexic years later. 

When I went to college, I got a 13 on my first paper in English class. It was a disaster! Later on, one of my best friends who was an excellent reader took pity on me, and said, “Bite the bullet. You are going to learn how to read.” He then gave me a stack of books from Piers Anthony that he read when he was in junior high.

That summer, I got a job as a security guard for 12 hours per day sitting behind a desk. During every moment of that job, I was reading those Piers Anthony books. 

Over time, all that hard work and time started to rewire my brain. Although I still struggle with reading at times and am not very fast, I now have a newfound love for it.

Through all those trials and triumphs, I became an excellent writer. It was so encouraging to be able to write beautifully after all that hard work.

Despite reading still being a struggle for me, it is heartening to know that there are so many famous, capable CEOs, actors, and even billionaires who all struggled with the exact same thing.

Everybody is going through something; everybody has their challenges, but everybody also deserves grace and love. 

We never know what other people are going through.

For many, many years, I kept my dyslexia a secret from everyone I knew. I learned how to do what I needed to do to get by and kept that constant struggle to myself. However, one day I realized that there are people out there just like me. 

I share this with you because if you are going through any kind of struggle, whether it is how you are wired, dyslexia, or some other struggle that is holding you back, know this: you are not alone. 

Always forgive and love yourself. Be patient with others, and keep pushing past those struggles towards a better tomorrow.