Mistakes That Became Miracles

Some stories feel like they reach right into your chest and sit with you for a while. Marilyn Dogan’s is one of those stories. She has lived through moments that would break most people, yet she chose to see her struggles as seeds for something greater. From a rocky childhood to becoming a leader, coach, and grandmother of 17, Marilyn’s story reminds us that resilience is not about going back to who we were before life got hard. It is about choosing to build a new track when the old one no longer serves us.

In these two episodes, Marilyn shares her journey with raw honesty and an open heart. Listening to these episodes is like pulling up a chair with a wise friend who wants you to know you are stronger than you think.

Featured Episodes

Episode 56: When Life Derails You, Build a New Track

At sixteen, Marilyn became a mother and faced the painful decision to place her baby for adoption. By seventeen, she had left home, determined to break free from dysfunction and create a new path for herself. Life, however, had other lessons in store. She entered a marriage that reflected the same patterns she had tried to escape, but she eventually found a turning point through the Landmark Forum.

This experience gave her the courage to process her past and see her future in a new light. She went on to achieve incredible milestones, from becoming the first Black woman to attend carpentry school in Houston to rising into leadership positions, including serving as an executive director at the YMCA.

Episode 57: Finding Light in Life’s Darkest Moments

Just when Marilyn thought a reunion with her firstborn was impossible, the unimaginable happened. Strangers showed up at her mother’s home with information that led her back to her son. It felt like nothing short of a miracle, and it reminded her that surrender often brings unexpected blessings.

Her professional journey also carried its own trials. As a woman entering carpentry school, she faced opposition at home and harassment at work. When a supervisor tried to exchange advancement for inappropriate favors, she chose her integrity over opportunity. Her words still ring true: “You gotta like you.”

That sense of self-acceptance and authenticity is what carried her forward into coaching and mentoring others. Marilyn reminds us to see challenges differently.

Themes and Takeaways

These episodes speak directly to the values we carry in this community:

• Stand Strong Against Challenges – Strength shows up in the decision to walk away from what does not serve us.

• Make Resilience a Superpower – Hardship became Marilyn’s fuel for growth.

• Learn Through Our Journeys – Mistakes and heartbreak became her greatest teachers.

• Turn Challenges into Opportunities – Closed doors eventually opened to new possibilities.

• Build Strong, Supportive Communities – Marilyn poured her lessons into building spaces where others could thrive.

• Prioritize Well-Being – Healing her trauma gave her peace and purpose.

• Learn from Setbacks – Every setback became a stepping stone.

• Cultivate Emotional Intelligence and Empathy – Her experiences gave her deep compassion for others.

• Lead with Integrity and Authenticity – Refusing to compromise her values kept her whole.

• Pursue Knowledge and Self-Improvement – Personal development and growth became the tools that reshaped her life.

Marilyn’s story is a reminder that resilience is about walking through adversity with honesty, courage, and faith. Subscribe to the ThinkLetter and the Reignite Resilience podcast to keep filling your heart with stories that inspire, tools that equip you, and reminders that you are never walking alone.

Tools to Resiliency

Here are a few practical steps inspired by Marilyn’s wisdom:

1. Name the Pattern – Notice when you are repeating old cycles and call them out.

2. Choose Integrity Over Ease – The harder choice in the moment may be the one that protects your spirit.

3. Find a Growth Space – Whether through a course, therapy, or a workshop, give yourself tools to process your story.

4. Practice Self-Liking – Ask yourself daily, “Do I like me?” and take steps to grow in that answer.

5. Look for the Rainbow – Train yourself to find even the smallest blessing in the middle of difficulty.

Marilyn reminds us, “God takes our mistakes and makes them into masterpieces.” No matter where you are today, your story is still unfolding, and there is beauty waiting to be written in the chapters ahead.

With love and resilience,
The Reignite Resilience Team 💛