"One vague online post completely changed my life."

"Lucy has become my sidekick, and I feel so blessed she came into my life when she did. Rescuing Lucy and Linus is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If their original owner is reading this, please know they are deeply loved, safe, and well cared for."

"Fast forward 25 years, and I’m now a Program Director in Washington, DC at the highest grade in civil service. I'm in the process of applying for disability retirement because I have multiple chronic illnesses and pain management issues (I’m only 45). I've been sick since my early 20s, and I honestly never thought I’d make it this far in my career…But I did it at the expense of my health. It's been a tough decision to leave behind everything I’ve worked for, including the pay; however, I’m looking forward to being able to focus more on my physical and mental health.I went from considering quitting college to having a solid career and making six figures because of that one decision…sometimes, when you’re at a low point, things just work out. 🤷🏻‍♀️"

"The trainer had a family member who worked in racetrack management and often came out to the barn. We became friends, and that relative realized I would make a good racing official. He made some calls in Chicago so that when I returned in the spring, I had an office job. I loved it and soon got free of the alcohol and drugs. I rose up the ranks fast, and at the age of 26, I was named Director of Racing."

"Several months later, I had burned out and quit on the spot from the laundry facility, and I'd been jobless for a couple of months. All of a sudden, while scrolling through Indeed, the name of the running store where I bought my shoes came up. They were looking for active people to become shoe fitters. I had never run in my life at that point, but fuck it, I needed a job, and I was willing to do anything, so I applied. Got an interview, thought I bombed it, but I got a call a few days later from one of the owners who offered me the job for $2/hour more than what I was making at my previous job. I immediately said yes. When can I start?"

"They saw nothing but potential in me and have supported me every step of the way. Because I showed up, was willing to work hard, and learned everything I could, they promoted me to shift lead. Last year, I signed a contract to become the official store manager for the location where I work. I'll have been there three years as of Valentine's Day, and I can't imagine having a better job. I've watched the store grow from having just myself and the owners as employees to having and leading a team of seven (which is decent for us; it's a small store, so we don't need much more than that).

Because I came to the store and bought one pair of sneakers, I got an amazing job helping people, and I gained enough knowledge to keep me mostly pain-free (about a 95% reduction from before). The lack of stress from a better environment and better pay also led me to drop about 45 pounds without trying much, and for the first time in my life, I feel like this is how my body is actually supposed to look and feel."

Please note: some comments have been edited for length and/or clarity.