Book excerpt: Christina E. Foxwell’s life can be defined as a series of hardships, setbacks, and decisions made from fear or to meet the expectations others had of her. The daughter of a Pentecostal minister, the South African born author (Mother, wife, daughter, grandmother, business woman and Performance & Transformation coach) allowed other’s opinions of her, no matter how wrong or cruel, to define who she was as a young child, young woman, and ultimately, well into adulthood. Thus began a lifetime of self- doubt, shame, and self-sabotage. Often overlooked and underappreciated, she learned early on that her innermost thoughts and dreams and even her well-being weren’t of much importance to those around her. She was often ridiculed for her thoughts and perceived “bad” behavior. She had to cope with name calling, cruel taunts, and scorn for even minor infractions, or for no reason at all. In time, Christina did what so many in her situation would’ve done. She donned a proverbial shield of armor to protect herself from pain, just to get through day-to-day life and have some semblance of a life, even if it wasn’t of her own design. How she saw herself was shaped by what others said about her and how they treated her. The Glass Angel details the years she lived under the weight of those unfounded and incredibly harmful notions. This book is part memoir, part cautionary tale, part inspirational how-to for anyone who has ever felt like the world was against them. In it, she shares her journey from the darkest moments of her life to finding herself, learning to forgive the past and seek light and clarity and let them lead the way forward. Her story will open your eyes and mind to what’s possible. It proves that even when you are at your absolute lowest and fear you’ll never find your way out of despair, shame, or a lifetime of guilt, there is hope on the other side. While there are many reasons for her to feel sorry for herself, she chose another path – one that helped her heal from the trauma and discover who she was and what she had to do to feel comfortable in her skin and heal from all the things that weighed her down for years. She found a path forward. She made a pact with herself to stop living the life of a ‘broken angel’ and embrace what she calls her alchemy. That’s how this book came to be. It’s her way of helping others who’ve known pain and made it to the other side. She is giving readers permission to not only survive but thrive by igniting their own alchemy and using it to transform their lives from the inside out.