Surviving Life Lessons Guide: How Our Website Helps You Heal
Surviving Life Lessons Guide: Where to Begin
If you are new here, you may be wondering what this website is, who is behind it, and how it can help you. Maybe you found us while searching for help with divorce, cancer, grief, a new job as a supervisor, or just feeling stuck. Whatever brought you here, I am glad you came.
My name is Deborah Ann Martin. I am a Navy veteran, an MBA graduate, a mother of four, a grandmother, a rare cancer survivor, and the founder of Surviving Life Lessons. I started this website because life taught me a lot of hard lessons, and I did not want anyone else to feel as alone as I did while learning them.
This guide explains how Surviving Life Lessons works. It brings together our posts about who we are, what we offer, and how our blogs, journals, community groups, and coaching all fit together. Think of it as a map of the website, so you can find the help that fits you best.
Why Surviving Life Lessons Exists
Life does not come with an instruction manual. When I went through divorce after more than 20 years of marriage, then faced stage IV cancer, then had to rebuild my life and my health, I kept wishing there was one place that could help me with all of it. Not just the facts, but the feelings.
Not just what to do, but how to take the next small step.
So I built that place.
Surviving Life Lessons is built on a simple belief: life survivors helping life strugglers. People who have been through hard things can help people who are going through them now.
Everything on this website comes back to that idea.
In Surviving Life Lessons: A Guide to Life Lesson Recovery, I talk about how life's hardest lessons can become a path to healing. In Surviving Life Lessons: Healing, Growth & Community Support, I explain why this is more than a blog. It is a community.
Our Main Focus: Breaking Big Problems Into Small Steps
If there is one thing I want every visitor to learn, it is this: big problems feel impossible when you look at them all at once. They become manageable when you break them into small, clear steps.
That is why SMART goals are at the heart of this website. SMART goals are goals that are:
Specific: Clear about what you will do
Measurable: You can tell when you have done it
Achievable: Possible for you right now
Relevant: Important to your life
Time-bound: Tied to a time frame
You will find SMART-style examples at the end of almost every post on this site. They are there to help you turn reading into doing. Our SMART Goals series goes deeper into how to set goals for your health, money, relationships, career, and more.
What You Will Find on Our Website
Surviving Life Lessons has several parts. Each one supports the others.
Blogs and Blog Series
Our blog has hundreds of posts on topics like divorce and starting over, cancer and chronic illness, self-discovery, leadership, family, money at work, writing, and healing. Most posts belong to a series, and each series has a guide page, like this one, that lists every post in one place.
Journals, Books, and Printables
We create guided journals, workbooks, coloring book journals, and printable PDFs to help you put what you read into practice. In Discover Healing and Hope with Our Books and Journals at SurvivingLifeLessons.com, I explain how our books and journals can support you through grief, stress, and big life changes.
In How Surviving Life Lessons Blogs & Journaling Prompts Support Healing, I share how our blog posts and journaling prompts work together to help you reflect, process emotions, and grow.
Free Community Groups
Our community groups are free. They are places to ask questions, share your story, and learn from others who have been where you are. In Discover Surviving Life Lessons: A Place to Heal, Share, and Grow Together, I explain how our community works and why connection is such a big part of healing.
You can browse every group in our Community Groups Catalog.
Coaching and Support Services
Sometimes you need more than a blog post or a group. You need someone to talk to one-on-one.
How Our Products Keep the Groups Free
Surviving Life Lessons, LLC is a small, home-based business that I own. It is woman-owned and veteran-owned. Our books, journals, printables, and services exist for one big reason: to keep our community groups free for the people who need them.
When you buy a journal or book, you are not just getting something for yourself. You are helping keep a free support space open for someone who cannot afford to pay.
We also give back. Ten percent of the profits from The Ultimate Cancer Care Package and Joey's Hat Collection go to the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation, which supports people facing the rare cancer I was diagnosed with.
Who This Website Is For
Surviving Life Lessons is for adults 18 and older. Many of our topics are heavy, like cancer, divorce, abuse, grief, and loss, so we keep this space for adults.
This website is for you if:
You are going through something hard and feel alone
You want practical steps, not just encouragement
You want to learn from people who have lived it
You are ready to take small steps, even if you are not sure where they lead
You want to help others by sharing your own story
What Surviving Life Lessons Is Not
I want to be honest about what we are and what we are not.
We are not doctors, lawyers, or licensed therapists. Our posts share real experiences and general information, not professional advice. When you need medical, legal, financial, or mental health help, please talk with a qualified professional. Our job is to walk beside you, share what we have learned, and help you find your next step.
If you are ever in crisis, please call or text 988 in the United States, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
How We Choose What to Write About
Every topic on Surviving Life Lessons comes from real life. Many come from my own story:
divorce at almost 50 with teens and grown kids, raising four children, serving in the Navy, leading teams for more than 20 years, and surviving stage IV cancer. Others come from questions people ask in our groups, messages from readers, and things I wish someone had told me sooner.
When we write a post, we ask:
Is this a real problem people are facing right now?
Can we explain it in simple words?
Can we give small, practical steps, not just advice?
Can we point people to trusted sources and free help?
If the answer is yes, it belongs here. That is why you will find posts on everything from chemotherapy and health insurance to performance reviews and holiday traditions after divorce. Life does not stay in one lane, and neither do we.
Writing in Plain Words
Many of our readers are tired, stressed, or hurting. Some have been out of school a long time.
Some are reading on a phone in a hospital waiting room. That is why we try to write in plain, simple words, with short paragraphs and clear examples.
When we talk about money, we do the math step by step. When we talk about health, we explain medical words. When we share sources, we link to them so you can check the facts for yourself.
You should never feel talked down to or lost on this website.
Share Your Story
Your story matters too. One of the most powerful parts of Surviving Life Lessons is hearing from people who have been through hard things and come out the other side.
You can share your story by:
Leaving a kind comment on a blog post
Posting in one of our free community groups
Telling us what helped you, so we can share it with others
Asking about guest writing if you want to blog with us
When you share, you may be giving someone else the hope they need to take their next step.
That is what life survivors helping life strugglers looks like.
How to Get Started
If you are not sure where to begin, here is a simple path:
Step 1: Read one series guide that matches what you are facing.
Step 2: Pick one post from that series and read it all the way through.
Step 3: Try one SMART-style small step from the end of the post.
Step 4: Join one free community group that fits your situation.
Step 5: Sign up for our free resources on the Freebies page, which also adds you to our monthly newsletter.
Step 6: If you want more support, book a Neighbor Chat or Next Step Coaching session.
You do not have to do all of these at once. One step is enough for today.
Posts in This Series
Every post in the Surviving Life Lessons series, in one place:
Small Steps to Get the Most From Our Website
The heart of Surviving Life Lessons is breaking big problems into small, manageable steps.
Here are some SMART-style examples to help you start:
"Today, I will find one series guide that matches what I am going through."
"This week, I will read one full post and try the first small step at the end."
"This week, I will join one free community group and read the most recent posts."
"By the end of this month, I will post one comment or question in a group."
"This month, I will sign up on the Freebies page so I get the monthly newsletter."
If a step feels too big, make it smaller. If a time frame feels too short, give yourself more time.
Making These Steps Fit Your Life
Every visitor is different. Someone in the middle of a crisis, someone rebuilding after a hard season, and someone who wants to help others will all use this website in different ways. Look at your own life and choose the parts that fit right now. You can also learn from others. That is why we have free community groups, where people share what has helped them most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Surviving Life Lessons?
Surviving Life Lessons is a website with blogs, journals, books, free community groups, and coaching services to help adults heal and grow through life's hardest seasons.
Who started Surviving Life Lessons?
Deborah Ann Martin, a Navy veteran, MBA graduate, mother, grandmother, author, and rare cancer survivor, founded Surviving Life Lessons.
Are the community groups really free?
Yes. Our community groups are free. Sales of our books, journals, and services help keep them free.
Why are SMART goals such a big part of the website?
SMART goals help break big problems into small, clear steps you can actually take. That is the main focus of everything we do.
Is Surviving Life Lessons a replacement for therapy or medical care?
No. We share real experiences and general information. Please talk with a qualified professional for medical, legal, financial, or mental health advice.
Who can join the website?
Surviving Life Lessons is for adults 18 and older because many of our topics are heavy.
How do I get the monthly newsletter?
Sign up on our Freebies page. When you sign up for free resources, you are also added to our monthly newsletter.
Do you give back to any causes?
Yes. Ten percent of the profits from The Ultimate Cancer Care Package and Joey's Hat Collection go to the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation.
Where to Go From Here
Whatever part of this post hit home, there is a place for you here. At Surviving Life Lessons, we believe in life survivors helping life strugglers. Our Life Skills & Resilience Support Group is a place to build strength for hard seasons, and our Personal Growth and Healing group is a place to grow with others on the same path. You can also browse our Community Groups Catalog to find every group that fits where you are right now.
Next, read Break Big Problems Into Small Steps: The SMART Goals Guide or Finding Strength Together: People Helping People.
Your Story Matters
We need your nice comments below! Your thoughts, experiences, and lessons learned might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.
Drop a comment, Say Hello, and join the conversation.
Need More Personalized Support?
Everyone's journey is unique. If you're looking for personalized guidance, encouragement, or one-on-one support, explore our services to find the option that's right for you. We're here to help you take your next step with confidence and hope.
Helpful Resources for Your Journey
Explore our collection of books, journals, coloring books, and printable PDFs designed to encourage, inspire, and support you every step of the way.
Get to know the people behind Surviving Life Lessons: Meet the Team
References
Surviving Life Lessons: Community Groups Catalog: https://www.survivinglifelessons.com/community-groups-catalog
Surviving Life Lessons: Freebies and Newsletter Sign-Up: https://www.survivinglifelessons.com/freebies
National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation: https://nlmsf.org/
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
About the Author:
Deborah Ann Martin is the founder of Surviving Life Lessons, a published author, poet, speaker, and trainer with over 20 years of management experience across multiple industries. An MBA graduate, U.S. veteran, single mother, and rare cancer survivor, Deborah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her writing on resilience, leadership, personal growth, and overcoming adversity. Her mission is to empower others with practical wisdom and real-life insight to navigate life’s challenges with strength and purpose.
.png){kind=small}
Comments