#whatsyourpurpose
It's the time of year where I start asking for donations again. I can't thank all my family and friends enough for the support over the years in my various fundraising requests; I know it's not always easy donate. This year, I wanted to provide a little more information about why Wellness and Fundraising for a cause is important to me. My "Why" my "Purpose." I typically give the generic answer that goes something like, “it’s a great way to foster teamwork” or “it’s important for employees to relieve stress in a healthy way”. These are both true, but they aren’t really why I do it. They aren’t my purpose.
So what’s my purpose? What’s my reason? The answer is simple but here is my story to provide context.
Several years ago I woke up one day, and struggled to leave the house. My stomach was in knots and I didn’t think I could do it. I was physically struggling to leave, and there were days where I either couldn't leave at all, or I left but quickly turned back for home. This then turned into missed social events leaving Emily to go alone; missed family activities where she made polite excuses for me; I was distancing myself from family and friends and I didn’t know why.
Emily supported and encouraged me throughout but also pushed me to figure out what was wrong. I saw a bunch of doctors, from our GP to Psychiatrists as well as alternative medicines and finally I was able to find some answers. In retrospect, it should have been obvious but it took me months/years to realize that I was suffering from anxiety and that anxiety was causing physical health issues, which were then feeding back into the anxiety; it was a negative feedback loop.
Through consistent work, meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, antibiotics, and anxiety medication, endless family support I finally started to recover. Nobody but Emily really knew what I was going through. To everyone else I smiled and pretended all was well. My excuses for missing things were practiced and effective. From the outside things looked great. I had a beautiful family, a good job, a nice home and all the things people work for. But, I was struggling and moving towards depression.
With Emily's support and encouragement, and some work on my part, I got through the anxiety and was a path to recovery when life gave me one more foot stomp on the importance of wellness. A routine physical returned some high cholesterol results, which sent me to a cardiologist who insisted on a Calcium scoring test which revealed that, despite my active life, I had early heart disease. WTH! This didn't sit well with me, and I distinctly remember looking at my oldest son one day and future tripping to his wedding and I started to cry thinking I might not live to see that day. That was my nudge.
I doubled down on health and wellness making sure my exercise made sense; making sure my food choices matched my needs; making sure that I rested; making sure that I had a "complete" wellness plan that focused on quality of longevity and connection to what's important. I can tell you today that while I still need to remain diligent, my anxiety is managed through exercise and meditation and my heart disease is being handled (thankfully) without medicine through diet and exercise.
There are no guarantees but I’m giving myself the best possible chance to be there to see my boys’ future - whatever that may look like. And, more importantly I am able to enjoy my family today; fully.
So, What’s my Purpose? My family. My Emily; My Sammy; My Benny; My Freddy; and all my family and friends. It is so important to me, that I want to make sure others have the encouragement and starting point to develop their own plan - which is why we created this program. We chose the Ulman Foundation as a charity because they are supporting people who found out they don't get the same luxury to spend time "figuring out' what they need to do for a holistic wellness plan. They are fighting to survive; it's cancer - not a life choice. WE have a chance to provide them with home and a community when they are at their most vulnerable - when they need it most.
Please do consider donating if you're able.
Join me in our Summer of Purpose by answering #whatsyourpurpose and tagging us on your accounts
Join me in our activities and fitness activities!
Most importantly, join us by donating to our fundraiser for those that have a very real purpose – beating cancer and getting back to living!
