Dr. Nancy Irwin transformed herself from an entertainer to a healer.
Who/what contributed to your inner strength?
My heroes are Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Margaret Sanger, Gloria Steinem and
Dr. Lois Lee, founder of my favorite charity, Children of the Night, which is a shelter for
sexually-abused adolescents. Each of these magnificent people who effected social change stood
in their power, never gave up their ideals, were dedicated to peaceful change and never made
excuses for why something couldn't be done. They listened to their own inner voice and followed
it indefatigably.
When in your life was your inner strength particularly tested and how did you deal with the incident?
In 1978 I was the target of a rape-attempt. In the early 1970s I was molested by a clergyman.
In 1993 I was held up at gunpoint in New York City. Each of these "negative" events was
actually positive. I learned that I am a survivor, that life is precious and that we always,
always, ALWAYS have the choice and the power to find some lesson in any experience. No matter
what is done to us by other people, NO ONE can EVER damage our inner voice and inner strength.
It simply can't be done.
What suggestions do you have to help people realize their capabilities?
First, accept that we are all born to win. As newborns, we all come into the world with only
one agenda: to love and be loved, and to experience joy. Everything else is learned. Does a
baby have any doubts whatsoever that he/she will learn to crawl, then walk, then talk, etc.?
NO! He simply watches and learns and does it. We do the exact same thing with fear, anxiety
and doubt. We learn it from watching others! So, the second step is to begin to model yourself
after people you admire: people who are positive, attaining their goals, and not allowing their
fears to stop them. Third, keep a steady stream of "mental protein" flowing through your mind
in the form of surrounding yourself with positive, supportive people, reading positive,
supportive books and writing daily affirmations for yourself regarding your own personal and
professional goals. Fourth, realize that the world will present some challenges to you. Your
inner strength will be tested. But if you follow steps 1-3 above, you will be ready to stand
in your power and pass those tests, and become even stronger.
Why is it important to focus on inner strength?
It's only important to focus on inner strength if you want to be happy! Our outer world is a
direct reflection of our inner world. Therefore, whatever our goals are (career, relationship,
financial security, etc.), they will only be achieved by supporting beliefs. We get what we
focus on. If we focus on never getting what we truly want, or that we are unworthy of it, or
that we can't have it, then that reality is what we will create. On the other hand, if we
focus on attaining our goal, taking active steps toward it (even when it is scary or
uncomfortable), keeping a positive attitude, knowing we are all worthy of our heart's desires,
then our goals are possible.
What are your next goals and what positive thoughts or activities keep you striving toward your goals?
I want to be the female Dr. Phil! I want to host a radio call-in show for adolescents, and
eventually have a TV show to free inner winners all over the country.
I stay focused on my goals by taking care of my health -- I exercise, eat
healthy foods, get consistent sleep, keep an open mind, use daily affirmations and maintain a
willingness to do whatever it takes to attain my goals.
