Inspiration Everywhere

Prior to this recent season of my life I don’t believe I was very aware of the inspiration to lead our best lives around us everyday.  I lead a great life, it is just that simple.  Sure there has been challenges here and there, but until the past year I never reflected on how thankful I am just to be alive and wake up each day.  Yes, I know this is heavy, but it is real.  Life is precious and short and a blessing that has been bestowed upon us.  How we show up each and every day, how we treat others and how we spread love is something we don’t often put a lot of thought into- we just go through the motions of daily life.

This past week I found myself falling back into this pattern, going through the motions of work, the gym, dinners with friends and not purposely living.  I was letting little things get to me and take time and energy when at the end of the day they did not matter. Luckily, over the past months I have become connected to many individuals who are going through cancer or a struggle of their own.  This band of warriors brings me back to the moment and the reality of everything I have learned I must not forget.

My family is a band of warriors, so I do not need to look far for inspiration.  I look at my parents, sister, brother-in-law and brother with awe in how despite being thrown massive curve balls they still laugh and love hard.  Sure we all have bad days, but overall they are all quite positive. There was never a day they allowed me to shed doubt on my recovery process, it was just something we handled – Together.  They all inspired me to stay positive and know that this was just going to be a short detour on a much longer journey.  My niece, Makenzie, is walking example of how cancer never goes away, she is 8 years in remission and still lives everyday as a survivor.  A diagnosis at 2 years old changed her path of life forever, she beat stage IV and still fights everyday with the effects of the treatment that saved her life.  I am now in the same boat, still in the midst of treatment, and I somehow was still able to forget the important things for a couple of days.  Thankfully here I am writing this today and ready to live with purpose, sometimes I guess we just need a reminder.

Another warrior who helps me to stay present is a little girl named Arlie. Arlie’s mom has been sharing their journey, she is just 4 years old and is battling through her second war with cancer.  She is winning the battle but it sure has been a tough one.  Just seeing her smile is enough to put life into perspective and remember to show up with purpose.  Her parents recently launched a non-profit, Living for Everything (go to the site and get yourself an awesome shirt!), the name alone tells you what you need to know and it is ever so true. A huge shoutout to Lisa (Arlie’s mom) for sharing their families journey and educating others along with spreading joy even in the hardest of times.

Live each day like it is your last, tell the people you love that you love them, take chances, take the time to do the things you love  and then take 5 minutes a day to reflect on how great the world is and your ability to live in it.  I have never been good at expressing my affection and love for others aloud so here I sit today making a commitment to myself to share my feelings with others purposely…heck what do I have to lose.

Inspire, Love, Live with Purpose.