My Journey

I’m endlessly grateful to my parents, grandparents, and aunt for nurturing in me a deep love for nature, art, crafts, writing, singing, dancing, and music—in short, everything creative! Their encouragement planted the seeds of imagination early on, and those seeds have bloomed into a lifelong passion.

I learned to sew when I was just six years old. That early spark grew into a vibrant career—I’ve worked as a professional tailor, seamstress, fashion designer, costumer, and in the bridal and evening wear industries. Each role allowed me to express my creativity in unique and beautiful ways. Eventually, I found joy in passing that knowledge on. For many years, I taught arts, crafts, and sewing to children and adults of all skill levels—from beginners to advanced makers. Sharing creativity is just as fulfilling as creating it.

Eventually, I returned to college to study Multimedia Technology, drawn to the blend of traditional art with modern tools. It also deepened my skills in real estate—where I saw firsthand how tech-savvy agents could better serve clients and stay ahead in a changing residential and commercial market. 

As a  licensed real estate agent, I was privileged to teach first-time homebuyer classes for the City of Springfield, Massachusetts a.k.a. The City of Homes. It was deeply rewarding to guide participants as they put the puzzle pieces together—credit, savings, income—all lining up so they could achieve their dream of homeownership. That experience continues to fuel my passion for helping people -living all across America and beyond borders- strengthen their financial foundation, redesigning their lives one step at a time, through education.

Life Happened

Sometimes life throws us curveballs we never see coming. Due to a disability, I had to pause my plans while facing the challenges of spinal cord and joint disorders. Years earlier, I had already overcome a major health scare—Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (A.R.D.S.), a sudden and life-threatening condition that severely impacted my lungs (learn more at ardsglobal.org).

Though I won’t get into every detail, what I will say is this: recovery taught me the value of humility and the importance of truly listening to the incredible professionals who guided my healing. (Translation: I finally stopped being so stubborn!)

Life Continued to Happen

As medical bills piled up and my income dropped, my credit took a serious hit. It was a tough time. But with the unwavering support of my family, we slowly began to rebuild. And with each step forward, I found myself happier, more resilient, and deeply grateful for the transformation that was taking shape.

Still, I had no idea what was really hiding in my credit history until I began my journey into financial literacy. My daughter had been gently encouraging my husband and me to take a closer look for months. We thought things were just fine—after all, we were staying afloat. But we knew it was time to get serious about our future and finally sat down to create a will and trust.

That’s when we enrolled in a credit education program—and got quite the wake-up call.

A Financial Eye-Opener

My husband had one small issue corrected on his credit report, but mine was a different story. I discovered not one, but two serious errors—including a repossession listed under my name. I was shocked. I’ve never had a car repossessed in my life! To make matters worse, I learned I was a victim of identity theft. I’d been checking my credit score fairly regularly, about every other month, and had never seen any red flags. Thankfully, the credit attorneys stepped in and began helping me correct these damaging inaccuracies. Their support was a lifeline—and a turning point.

Redesigning Life with Purpose

Now, my husband and I are intentionally redesigning our lives. We’ve come to deeply appreciate the value of protecting our credit, safeguarding our identities, and building a secure future. This experience lit a fire in me to help others—especially those who genuinely want to improve their financial health and protect their families. I’ve made it my mission to pass on what I’ve learned.

Financial peace isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. And I’m still on mine. But with a clear vision, a grateful heart, and a positive mindset, I’m finding more serenity every day.

I’m not just rebuilding—I’m redesigning my life. And it feels amazing.

Ciao for Now,

Bernadine aka: L.J. O’Neal

To be continued in an upcoming blog post…