Here is the link to
Believe Me: My Battle with the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease
www.youtube.com/Lyme Voice Radio
Growing up in a small Maine town, young Merry Lynch understood early on that she was destined for greatness…and adversity. Learning the power of focus and determination from her father, she was inspired, as well, by such greats as Zig Ziglar, Wayne W. Dyer, and Charles “Tremendous” Jones. Merry had no idea at the time how much one of those connections would impact her life down the road.
Jumping into a promising retail career with Neiman Marcus, she wasted no time rising to the top of the pack. Merry learned from great mentors and was on a path to success – until the storms of life rolled in and battered her. A nasty divorce at home, charges of kidnapping, and sexual assault at work hit her like giant body blows, nearly taking her down for the count. Everything she had loved and built had been taken away… just like that. Hurt and dazed, Merry started off on her own, desperate to rebuild the life that she had begun. Then, one day, a phone call came that would change everything.
Hired on to launch a new product for a stationery company, Merry traveled across the country, rallying ninety-five sales reps and recording unbelievable results. That company was later sold and Merry was ready for her next challenge… her own store. She opened Papier Gourmet in 1996, providing the finest quality products and services for enhancing the writing experience.
Merry excelled at her craft, and quickly became an etiquette authority. She also began to rack up an impressive list of high-profile clients, including President George W. Bush, Deepak Chopra, and many others. Merry learned early on in her career to never burn any bridges. This lesson served her well when her past employer referred her to a Dutch company. But standing out from her many talents, it was her dining skills that would land her next big gig.
That dining etiquette so impressed a company from the Netherlands that they hired her on to represent them in the US. That meal was ultimately worth one million dollars. Merry was in her element. Eventually, feeling it was time to expand her own business, she and her husband traveled to Poland, his birthplace, to start a new Papier Gourmet. Merry was seeing success in every business she touched. But what happened next would challenge her very identity.
A client had approached and offered to buy her Maine store, which shook Merry to her core. The deal went through and soon after Merry and her husband travelled back to Poland. A few months later the managing partners of her European store bought her out as well. Though overjoyed with the success of the stores, she found herself wondering what her purpose was in life. Merry set out searching for the next chapter to unfold.
Merry knew that she needed to seek some guidance. With both parents now gone Merry did not know where to turn. She felt the urge to contact someone from her past but wasn’t sure who or why. Though nervous and scared, she went for it and made the call. A few weeks later, she was in the office of none other than Charles “Tremendous” Jones. Her time with him was surreal and life-changing, just as she imagined it might be. In the end, he told her that she was born to lead and was surrounded by people waiting to be led. “So,” he had said, “when are you going to begin leading?” His words moved her deeply and the timing of their meeting was incredible, as Charles would pass away several months later. Merry was the last person he met with.
She went on from there and found work training managers of a luxury retailer. She realized that she had been leading others her whole life but never really realized it. Everything she touched was turning to gold and she began to grow in her leadership skills by becoming certified as a Behavioral Analyst and as an Emotional Intelligence facilitator and trainer. She was in her element of teaching, motivating and instilling a sense of purpose in others. Then one day, the lights went out.
Suddenly, Merry’s body began to stop working. Trouble walking, thinking, talking…. She tried to rest more but things just got worse. Visiting one doctor after another, none of them could find an answer. As great as things had been before, she found herself struggling to just want to live. It was a scary time. Then, one day, she found a new doctor who was able to do some tests and found that Merry was dealing with late stage Lyme disease also known as Chronic Lyme Disease. It was good to have it identified, but her body was continuing to shut down. The fear associated with Chronic Lyme Disease was becoming a constant companion and Merry wasn’t sure if she’d make it through. She needed a miracle…. And that’s just what happened.
Merry and her husband heard of a treatment for Lyme Disease in Poland and although illegal in the US they decided to give it a try. It took three months in total, but in the weeks that followed, she began to see big changes. Walking, conversing, healing. It was in this time that Merry had to learn to fight for her life and what she believed in, to lead herself… to choose life.
She and her husband ended up selling all that they had and began travelling, learning from Merry’s experience with Lyme Disease that each day is precious. Life certainly hadn’t turned out the way that she had imagined, but Merry still believes her Lyme Disease had been a gift. She had gone from being full of fear to becoming fearless.
Today, Merry, guides women in transition to transformation; from dis-ease to well-being where they learn to successfully navigate life to find passion and purpose through self-discovery and self-care. Connecting the dots with mind, body and spirit in learning, living and thriving through trauma or illness. Merry’s signature Core Confidence programs and Confidence In A Can products will take you from where you are to discovering where you want to go and grow. By uncovering your “WHY” and designing the image of your life you will be able to step with grace and ease into the life of your dreams. Merry Lynch’s global reach helps women around the world connect with their passion and purpose to build a life they love to lead.
