So I was waiting tables at this Italian Restaurant in Beverly Hills trying to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I’d been miserable at this job for months but I stayed because it was easy and I was making pretty good money.

One morning, one of my guests told me that she wanted the oatmeal and, was in a big hurry. Now we made our oatmeal from scratch so I let her know that it would take at least 20 minutes and suggested, since she was in a rush, that she order something else. She insisted on the oatmeal.

About 10 minutes later she started snapping her fingers and shouting across the restaurant, “Where’s my oatmeal?!” So, I walked over to her and told her, again, “Our oatmeal is made from scratch and takes 20 minutes to cook.” She started screaming at me and demanding that I bring her the oatmeal… right now! So, I walked over to the cook’s station and asked for her oatmeal. They told me it was raw. I told them, “That’s how she wants it!”

I got fired that day!

I was in shock. I mean I wasn’t sad to leave a place that was sucking the life out of me, but I was completely humiliated and embarrassed and job-less. I remember driving over Cold Water Canyon in Los Angeles. First, I was just angry. I wanted to just scream at that woman. Then, when I hit the top of the mountain and started to make my way down the canyon towards home – all I could think about was how much of a loser I was…how I had nothing: no money, no plans…no future.

Then, I panicked. The more I thought about it, the worse it got. I became so depressed I would go two days without getting out of bed to do anything but drink a glass of water and use the bathroom. I just couldn’t figure out how I had gotten here. I had a college degree, I was smart. What had happened? I just cried and cried and then cried some more. I threw things around. I moped. I freaked out. I just didn’t know what to do and was too embarrassed to ask for help because then I’d have to reveal that I’d been fired and was a failure.

After about a month of what felt like pure hell, it hit me – hard! I heard a song on the radio – a silly little song called Freedom by George Michael. I couldn’t get the chorus out of my head and at some point during the day, the word freedom clicked with me. Freedom! What does that mean? I started to think about it and suddenly, as if lightening struck me, I realized…I was free. I WAS FREE! Why was I upset? I hated that place. I had been unhappy for months. I was settling every day that I walked into that restaurant. And now, I was just wasting time, obsessing about my problems, feeling sorry for myself, blaming others, and getting nowhere. Getting fired meant freedom. It was an opportunity for me to create the incredible life I had been putting off. I mean, let’s be honest, I got myself fired. I knew that when I brought crazy-lady her raw oatmeal – it wasn’t going to go down well for me. But now…I was FREE and that failure opened up a world of possibilities and an opportunity for me to succeed.

In that moment, I went from feeling sorry for myself to being excited. I put on my mix tape, got out a piece of paper and started brainstorming. I remember listening to Donna Summer, singing and dancing…thoughts flying through my head. My dream had always been to be an entrepreneur and now, I could do it. I was going to do it! I couldn’t contain myself. I was going to start my own company!!!! I had so many ideas. I couldn’t write fast enough. I’ll admit, for a second, I had a “what if I fail” moment, but, I pushed it out of the way…quickly. I didn’t care. I was tired of being afraid and ready to just do it.

One year later, I was up, running and making money. I learned about branding, marketing, sales, accounting, and customer service. I had no idea what I was doing, made tons of mistakes, but I figured it out. With commitment, resources and support, I did it!

The realization that my entire life could change in one moment simply because I shifted my thinking was the most powerful insight I had and have ever had. My life hasn’t been the same since. With the appropriate thinking and the appropriate actions, your dreams actually can become a reality. No matter what the problem or obstacle is that you face, you have a choice about what your life looks like. And if I can do it…you can do it!

Getting fired was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.