GED Stories

My mother and sister both dropped out of high school to get married. I was determined to get an education so I would not feel trapped as my mother did. She stayed with a man who cheated on her and abused her physically and emotionally because she did not have the self-confidence or education to support herself.

I graduated from high school, then college—supported by my father’s child support and my earnings working in a cannery every summer. Now I am a Self-Confidence coach. I am working with The GED Academy, making little movies and writing a blog to help people have the confidence to get back in the game. I even designed a site, Mojo Juice Bar: Finding Humor and Grit for tough Times, because I wanted a site devoted to people who need some encouragement to make their lives better.

I’m legally blind now and have been for 14 years. I am living my dream as an international speaker and consultant. I write books, and have produced two CDs of my songs so far. I am a believer in following your dreams because that is what I am doing.

I think it would be helpful for people to eavesdrop on a coaching session with someone who is either thinking about getting a GED, is in the process, or who has gotten their GED and is wondering what comes next.

If you want to volunteer for this here is what you will get for free:

• a coaching session with me, maybe more if we have a lot of fun and think it would be good to check in on a regular basis for awhile.
• Your anonymity. No one needs to know who you are except The GED Academy and me.

You can get to know me by taking a look at my website, www.stepintoyourgreatness.us. You will see the Mojo Juice Bar logo. Click on that to go to the Mojo site and see some movies I have already made, such as “What if School Failed You?” You can also check out the Academy bookstore for three of my books. If you would like to email me personally my email address is vickihannahlein@gmail.com. I’ll send you one of my songs for free if you would like.

Here is what I know for sure:

• it is never too late,
• there is always time and money for what we think is important,
• and we can chunk any big goal down into little steps we can start taking now.

You can do it and you are not alone!

Vicki Hannah Lein, 56, Corvallis, Oregon