My name is Kay Cooper and I have a small shop in Perth, Western Australia. We have had the business for 14 years however, 2 years ago we were going to shut it down as the bottom had fallen out of retail. My husband had lost his job and things were looking very bleak. We decided to take a small holiday and think things through, but had all but decided it was time to call it quits. I have a few learning disorders so reading was not easy for me and a friend suggested downloading Audible books. The first book I downloaded that I was really drawn to was ‘Hero’ by Rhonda Byrne. As I set off on our holiday my husband suggested watching a movie on my iPad. I declined and I said that “I am sure I need to just listen to this book” and so that is what I did. I had not gotten very far into the book when my eyes filled with tears. “What is wrong?” asked my husband. I just looked at him and said “I was so meant to hear this, it is like it was written just for me.”.

By the time the book finished I was beside myself, it was like something had been unlocked in me. I asked myself the question, “What is my bliss?” and making teddy bears was the answer. What do I want to do with my life?. I want to help others and encourage them to be all they can be, unlock their dreams. How can making bears do that? I had no idea but I just had to go for it.

So I threw myself into my bear making by entering contests and designing new bears and creatures. Before long the idea of opening a ‘Bear Hospital’ came up. So I did that, repairing ‘old friends’ for people and then it just followed on from there. The shop picked up within a few months. I started reading The Secret and put it into practice. I always have one of three books playing every day around me, The Secret, Hero and The Power. My life has been changed forever. People started appearing in my life that helped me move on further.

I have recently written a children’s book after creating a little character for an organization called Art vs Depression. Since it was a subject with a very ‘adult heavy topic’ he needed an avenue for talking to children. So Dud the bear, who was a little less than perfect, was born. At present the book and the bear are being trialed in a school with huge success. On the 29th of June this year there will be an official launch, and this little bear Dud has already started to change lives with the starting of the Resilient Friends Club. So you see, something as simple as making a teddy bear can lead to anything. Never limit what you love doing. If you love it, there is a reason for it. Thank you.