When you see Karen Cross coming, not only does her smile light up the room, but it also sets the whole building aglow. She is an inspiration machine!

Karen was born with a genetic disease that interferes with renal and optical development. As a result she has had only a five-degree window of blurry vision since birth, and a few years ago required a kidney transplant but, thanks in large part to her parents, none of this has slowed her down a bit.

Her parents could qualify as Neighbourhood Heroes. They treated her as they would any other child and as a result, she has become a strong, well-educated, independent woman who has drawn a circle of supportive friends and family around her including her husband, Daryl.

Karen started skiing when she was five and soon after that got her first two-wheel bicycle ... with training wheels of course ... but it wasn't long until she started to insist that the training wheels be adjusted higher and higher until one day, when her father was out fishing, her mom took them off entirely and set her free - She's been riding high ever since.

Karen graduated from NDSS in 1993, attended Malaspina U-C for three years and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Victoria in 1999.

She got her first guide dog, Kolo, when she started university. Her second dog, Cecil, came into her life last fall. Having a guide dog she says gives her a sense of independence and self-confidence.

"It's awesome, absolutely the coolest thing"

She has become an enthusiastic spokesperson for the Howie Meeker Golf Tournament, which raises money to train guide dogs.

Since graduating Karen has worked as a counselor first with Vancouver Island Rehabilitation services and now with Lifeworks Consulting. Most recently she has started her own Personal Coaching business as well.

Karen believes that no matter how many negative challenges we have in life, we create the lives we live. In other words, it's not the challenges themselves; it's how we respond to them that makes the difference, and we control how we respond.

Karen believes there are 7 essential elements to creating an incredible life. Here's her list:

1. Supportive family and friends - Surround yourself with people who encourage you. 2. Positive attitude - A positive attitude comes from two sources: others believing in you and you believing in yourself.
3. An ability to find solutions to your obstacles, barriers and adversities - A mindset that constantly leads you toward finding solutions keeps you moving forward instead of staying stuck.
4. A willingness to take risks - Taking risks is about expanding your comfort zone and stretching yourself to learn and grow.
5. Finding and creating opportunities - Get yourself known, she says, and thus open up new possibilities. If people don't know you, opportunities are harder to find.
6. Energy -- Put yourself in the driver's seat of your life and remember, if you don't look after yourself, you will not have the energy to create the life you want
7. Taking action - You can think, know, read, and learn about lots of stuff, but if you don't do something about the things that aren't working for you, nothing will change.

By following these seven steps Karen says you will gain confidence, independence, success, and an incredible life; however, you must always beware of fear, procrastination, lack of motivation, disorganization, and lack of focus. These are the stumbling blocks, the obstacles that can get in your way.

In her new personal coaching business, Karen helps people set goals, identify obstacles, and then take the action required to overcome their personal obstacles and move forward.

You can contact her at 714-0996 or email pathfindersolutions@shaw.ca