A matchless story, interwoven with the dynamic evidence of spirituality and unstoppable perseverance that will break your heart and push your personal strength beyond its limitations. Tammy Jo was twelve years old when her premeditated suicide was hijacked and she shot her own mother instead. Just like so many teenage girls, Tammy Jo suffered silently in mental and emotional distress that harboring secrets of bullying and sexual abuse can induce. Her dark skin, under-developed features, and thick glasses dubbed her "the ugly duckling," destroying her self-esteem and killing her young spirit. Tammy Jo was thrown into the juvenile correctional system until her twenty-first birthday. Feelings of safety and uncertainty matured her intelligence and cultivated her growth continuously. Once released, her survival was based solely on her own ideas and imagination of what adult life was supposed to be. Along with the love and support of a small dynamic group of people, she began on an unfamiliar journey, From the Ground Up. Tammy Jo's profound insight and authenticity shines when she steps onto the platform of leadership and personal development. As a Changing Future Outcomes Expert and Founder of Breaking Ground Learning Systems, Tammy Jo's story--although a piece of her past--endorses her vision to "re-build the foundation" of young women all over the world. Her passionate confidence is astounding and applauded with the turn of every page, re-defining the arisen "beautiful swan." From the Ground Up powerfully introduces a unique idea that sets ablaze personal responsibility and initiates true confidence building from the inside out. Tammy Jo leads you on a reflective journey that Awakens Inspires Redirects and Dares you to step out and embrace your "You-ness" Do you know any women who have endured profound pain and suffering, lived through it, and paved the way for others to have a clearer path? Well...you do now. "One of the ways I began to rebuild my confidence as a woman was to first accept that I would never be a perfect one. Ever." --Tammy Jo"