function hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); bubble.style.display = "none"; } function hide_user_promo_bubble() { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 0 } }, 1, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); setTimeout("hide_user_promo_bubble_second_stage()", 1100); } function handle_promo_username(params) { var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); var img = $("user_promo_bubble_image"); var anchor = $("user_promo_bubble_link"); if (params.has_photo == "true") { img.src = "http://images.huffingtonpost.com/profiles/" + params.user_id + "-tiny.png"; } else { img.style.display = "none"; Dom.addClass(anchor, "wide"); } anchor.innerHTML = "Shared by " + params.user_name; anchor.href = "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/" + params.user_name; bubble.style.display = "block"; var myAnim = new YAHOO.util.Anim(bubble, { opacity: { to: 1 } }, 2, YAHOO.util.Easing.easeOut); myAnim.animate(); } if (HuffPoUtil.getUrlVar("user_promo")) { YAHOO.util.Event.onDOMReady(function() { var parts = document.location.hash.split(","), shared_by = "", badge = "", i; if (parts.length < 2) return; for (i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) { if (parts[i].indexOf("sb=") !== -1) { shared_by = parts[i]; } if (parts[i].indexOf("b=") !== -1) { badge = parts[i]; } } if (shared_by == "" || badge == "") return; var bubble = $("user_promo_bubble"); if (!bubble) return; var entry_id = HuffPoUtil.GetEntryID(); if (!entry_id) return; var user_id = parseInt(shared_by.substr(shared_by.indexOf("sb=") + 3)); if (!user_id) return; var badge_type = badge.substr(badge.indexOf("b=") + 2); if (!badge_type) return; script = document.createElement("script"); script.setAttribute("type", "text/javascript"); bubble.appendChild(script); script.setAttribute("src", "/include/share_track.php?a=view&eid=" + entry_id + "&uid=" + user_id + "&b=" + badge_type + "&cb=handle_promo_username"); }); } PARTICIPATE: Pick The Most Inspiring 'Breakthrough' Story Of The Week (VIDEO)

Editor's Note:Voting for this week is now closed. Our winner is Robin Von Ohlsen! Read her story!

We've all experienced crises in our lives. But crisis doesn't have to mean failure, loss and powerlessness. According to inspirational speaker and bestselling author Tony Robbins, it is precisely these moments of crisis that propel us to lead richer, fuller lives.

Now, HuffPost Living -- in conjunction with "Breakthrough with Tony Robbins," a six-part primetime special airing July 27 on NBC -- asks YOU to share your personal story through text or video.

(Scroll down or click "Read or Add Comments" below to watch Tony Robbins explain how to add your voice!)

Tony Robbins designed five questions that are very simple, but very useful and for some of you extremely powerful. He hopes answering them will trigger you to remember the path you took to solve your own crisis, and will also allow you to share it with this community.

Post your answers in either written form with a photo, or in a short (1-3 minute) video.

Here are the five questions (write your answer in the caption field.)

Story continues below

1) What was your life right before the challenge or crisis hit?

2. What was the crisis you faced? What happened, and when it did, what did you feel and experience?

3. What pulled you through this difficult, unjust or impossible time? What was the trigger or catalyst for change? What is a belief, a strategy, a faith, a person, a tool? What made the change possible?

4. Once you turned the corner mentally or emotionally, what did you do to turn your life around?

5. How is your life better today because you lived through the crisis? How have you transformed? How are you stronger emotionally, physically, spiritually? What gifts do you have to give because of this?

How To participate:

1. Click the blue "Add a slide" button below.

2. A HuffPost Social News box will open where you can upload a photo, write a title and a caption.

3. If you want to upload a video instead, simply click the "Video" button and drop in the embed code from YouTube, Vimeo, or whichever site you used to upload the video. You can also add a title and caption.

4. Click "Upload" and your contribution will be sent to a HuffPost editor.

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Comments

[La Sammons]

1) What was your life right before the challenge or crisis hit? Happy, in love & making plans for a future.

2. What was the crisis you faced? Domestic Violence
What happened, and when it did, what did you feel and experience? Physically, mentally, financially, verbally abused by someone I trusted & loved. Felt: Worthless, loss of self-esteem, unhappy & controlled by another, afraid, scared, defenseless.

3. What pulled you through this difficult, unjust or impossible time? Supportive friends, D.V. Shelter Counselors to help find strength w/in self.
What was the trigger or catalyst for change? Could have been killed. Concern & safety for my child. What is a belief, a strategy, a faith, a person, a tool? What made the change possible? Searched deep inside self to find the real me again.

4. Once you turned the corner mentally or emotionally, what did you do to turn your life around? Applied for college for a better future for daughter & self

5. How is your life better today because you lived through the crisis? How have you transformed? How are you stronger emotionally, physically, spiritually? What gifts do you have to give because of this? Stronger, I found myself again I thought I had lost. I help others now.

My Story: "Strength to Persevere" one survivors story: http://www.couragenetwork.com/magazine/read/strength-to-persevere_67.html w/additional links to know me now & my attempts to make my dreams happen.

[La Sammons]

Can someone please tell me if I did this right? Didn't understand where you meant click: Blue (add a slide for box to open to add title & picture. So posted in comment area did I do this correctly? Just asking.

[KennyFox]

I like Tony Robbins. He does a lot of good and is probably, in person, a high energy, highly successsful and upbeat person who is even more upbeat and positive because his dreams have come true. He wants to help others, because that helps him achieve his own success. However, the problem with the parapalegic on the eve of his wedding rediscovering life and marriage is this: life doesnt happen in a week. Life, while ultimately short, is a process. We have our ups and our downs. When you have more downs than ups, you all know the outcome. Robbins cannot possibly chronicle this in a reality show. While Breakthrough is mean for inspiration, it is not real enough in that real enough is not possible. Realness happens over time. A year long great marriage to a man who was on drugs and thought he was incapable is nothign to the lifelon great marriage to a man who was on drugs and thought he was incapable. Time marches on and onlly time reveals those ups and downs. We win mini battles. We go on.

[Itsbeenalongday]

The biggest breakthrough was the main media pouring cold water on the Wikileaks scoop because they didn't have it.

[Robin Von Ohlsen]

Tony Robbins is opening our eyes people! We hear about unemployment, war veterans and their families and our economy collapsing taking the "once comfortable middle class" with it. We are seeing increases in depression, suicide and crime due to many of these situations that are out of our control. "Breakthrough" is meant for you to realize that there IS something you as an individual can choose to do. The fork in the road is before you, neither choice is easy, but one can allow you to enjoy life, the other will only make it worse. Listen to Tony, listen to the stories, it may just help you find a way to your own Breakthrough. It doesn't matter that Tony has money and fame, whether you like him or not, what matters is that he is reaching out to help all of us find OUR OWN way through this crisis. And if your life is great at this moment, believe me, a crisis is something you don't see coming, but now you will know how to "take it on" should the opportunity present itself.

[themodernleader]

The most inspiring story should be the one that explains how Americans in unitity should be dealing with their problems instead of reading fanciful stories how storied glorifiers have allegedly dealt with their problems.

[garystartswithg]

ok i am trying, really i am, but a few of these people seem a bit histrionic. should we enpower histrionics with 15 minutes of spotlight time? after working with a histrionic self help addict that made everyone's life a living hell while she bullied her way out of what she percieved was a horrible situation to create a ficticious positition ("branch administrator" -- for two very small localized branches that had directors) for herself and an overblown salary at tax payer's expense because everyone was afraid to stop her, i am perhaps not the best to judge misery anyway. there is a difference between living for forgiveness and living for vengeance.

[lglglg]

I have a crisis for you: will this show even LAST for six episodes?

[Scott F Peterson]

Sandi's story is a great one. Not only does Sandi teach Wordpress, list building, Auto-Responders, etc. She is giving a testimonial of what Tony has been talking about for over the 20 years I've been following him....."your destiny is formed by the decisions you make today". She took responsibility for her decisions! Sandi made a decision to LIVE! and decided to change her life; she became committed to LIFE (not death); look at her now! She speaks with integrity, conviction and certainty......what an inspiration!

[Robert Burkhardt]

Crisis is a great motivator, but the way out often takes much longer and involve many more miracles than the Sandy Krakowski story. I have had several breakthrough's coming out of the horrors of family medical problems three years ago.The, wife, husband, and daughter had major hospitalizations at the same time(year) but not enough to break through, completely on the Financial and Medical horrors. Still working through it.

[vanalmen2]

This comment was removed in accordance with HuffPost's moderation guidelines.

[vanalmen2]

I have been seeing this all night from the HuffPost censors.

[vanalmen2]

I have been seeing this all night thanks to HuffPost censors!

[vanalmen2]

Why reply?

[wm1066]

I have been getting that too, and some of my comments where agreeing with the story and had no swear words in them ! whats the deal?

[KennyFox]

Probably a random glitch guys.

[GnosisMan]

Willow Bay asked Tony what a breakthrough is. I wrote it down as he spoke- because I wanted to know what he meant by it. Unfortunately, he leaves much to be desired. First off, and as always, Tony's says that something is wrong with you, that your suffering, your problems arise from your bad thinking and attitude. But in all the talks I've heard from him, not once does he mention the "sociological imagination" i.e. how social causation operates in societies. And of our greatest harm -causation- is our financial system that created a mass crisis through no fault of our own. Oil spills, wars, and the hollowing out of middle class through no fault of our own but caused by aimless political leaders. So Tony wants to give us pep talks to makes us feel better? It's upsetting! Tony should know better. Sir Ken Robinson said that a REVOLUTION is needed to address our dysfunctional educational system. Education, he says, needs to be seen as a farmer in which you cultivate an environment allowing young minds to grow. Our financial and political system also needs a REVOLUTION and for Tony to assume that our political and financial crisis has nothing to do with human suffering implies that we are solely to blame for our lot. I’ve always had grave misgivings about Tony and I always will!

[patsydecline]

well given tony's background, baskin and robbins, why would he need to realise what the little people go through...just another rich person letting the victims blame themselves...
i pray the lemmings wake-up...

[editorjuno]

The late Irv Robbins, co-founder of ice cream store chain Baskin-Robbins, is not the same person as self-improvement tycoon Tony Robbins.

[Inge Burbank]

I wanted to share my own breakthrough story (via text rather than video), but after I added my photo and caption, it didn't take me to a place to answer the five questions. I emailed the Huff about my technical difficulty and haven't heard back...and really DO want to share my story. :-(

[Meghan Neal]

Hi Inge, so glad you want to share your story! You can just type the text right into the caption field. Thanks for sharing!

[Fiona Rantfoo]

Hi Tony,

I wanted to invite you to rant with me on rantfoo.com! Go here to sign up: rantfoo.com/accept_invite/?c=e8nr6qh

Hope to hear from you! (:

[RKRacine]

looking forward to watching this show. i haven't had a breakthrough seems like most of the time things around me are breaking, but i persevere.

[paulin1160]

Really excited about this show.. Been inspired just as much by Brian Johnson's philosopher's notes!! the guy rocks as well!! Been a tremendous help to me. There is indeed power in crisis and the power we have about crisis can be summed up in one simple question: what is/was my participation to the situation that is now a crisis? (All crises personal or cultural financial come down to affect us on a personal level). May it be living out of integrity with my core beliefs and values, and why? What purpose did it serve How can I change that? That entails taking one good hard look at where we are, accepting and embracing ourselves without judging ourselves as most of us tend to do way too often and taking BABY STEPS consistently, persistently every moment of our lives until these become second nature.. Not easy to do I know but it all starts with accepting ourselves as we are where we are without judgement!!!

[roynaim]

Whoa. Didn't think I would hear Brian's name here. He is an awesome dude and has some much value. I learned a lot from him.