Wisdom, guest column

Wisdom is an invitational column where an outstanding woman will share a message that we hope you'll find inspiring, motivational, and empowering.

Try whatever you failed again, a different way. Be sad, get mad, get frustrated, get angry, but don't give up.

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When Hope Fails

Denise Saunders, Former anchor, CBS-3 TV

What should you do? How should you think? What should you change? These are questions I ask myself each and every time I fail. And sometimes I feel like I fail everyday. As a successful television anchor, as some would say, you would not expect the word failure to be in my vocabulary but it is. I fail when I'm reading a story on air and stumble. I fail when I submit an award-winning story but don't win the award. I fail when I mispronounce words. I fail at keeping relationships. I fail at not keeping my house clean. I fail at not returning phone calls. The list goes on and on. Everyone has a list of failures whether important or trivial. We all hope for success but sometimes that Hope Fails.

So, what do you do, think and change when Hope Fails? You simply don't give up! Yeah, that's right, three words… DON'T GIVE UP! I like to believe that I live by these words even when the struggle shows no hope.

When HOPE FAILS? You change directions. The road might be bumpy but hold on. The waves might be rough but go with the flow. Make it your do over. Try whatever you failed at, again, a different way. Be sad, get mad, get frustrated, get angry but don't give up. I believe it's okay to give into your emotions for a day, a week or even a month but NOT for the rest of your life.

When HOPE FAILS? Hope to be strong. Hope to find another way to succeed.I am not a motivational speaker. I am not an author. I am a human being first. I breathe, eat, fail and get depressed just like you. I pride myself on being able to relate to others and life realistically, by making the connections through experiences. So, I offer you, my own experience. I succeed because I have failed over and over and over again.

When HOPE FAILS for me? I tap into my inner strength, my inner voice that tells me to keep going no matter how hard it is. Life is different everyday and just because I can't see the light today, doesn't mean it won't be shining tomorrow. Oh, don't get me wrong, sometimes the LIGHT is blocked and I feel like giving up.

But I still HOPE for a view.

Biography

At a very young age Denise knew she wanted to be a journalist. By the time she turned 13, her journal entries turned into writing for the school yearbook, school newspaper and church newsletter.

Denise has proven that dreams can come true. She is now an Emmy award-winning journalist and the co-anchor of CBS 3's Eyewitness News at 4 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Denise joined the station as a general assignment reporter in March, 1999 from WBFF-TV, the Fox station in Baltimore, Maryland. She has also worked in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lexington and Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Denise has won numerous broadcasting awards, including an Emmy award as "Best Anchor" in 2003. She has also been honored for a documentary she produced about animal cruelty. Her resume includes national news reporting and continuous coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Denise has also covered political conventions and campaigns, and interviewed numerous celebrities.

Denise is an active volunteer. Through her support of the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure, Denise has created "Sister's For The Cure", an education program that targets breast cancer awareness in the African American community. She also sits on several boards, including the Tribune Charities and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

In her spare time Denise collects art, paints, and makes pottery.