Other People.

If there is one thing that I have learned in this life is that we can not do it alone. Noone has ever created a happy, fulfilling and sustainable well being all by themselves. It takes other people in your life to support you, guide you, cheer for you, challenge you and nudge you forward.

I have leaned on coaches, teachers, friends, my sister, my wife, my dentist, my Uber driver, that lady from the corner store, neighbors, teammates and complete strangers to support me as I wind my way through this crazy thing we call life.

That woman who encouraged me to keep going at mile 12 of the Happy Valley half marathon taught me kindness. My mom taught me strength as I watched her battle bipolar disorder for 40 years. When we watched the Challenger fall from the sky, my second grade teacher taught me how to be vulnerable as I watched his eyes fill with tears in front of our class. My wife taught me the importance of sustaining friendships as I have watched her go on vacation with one of her best friends friends annually for the last 12 years. As I have watched my sister go above and beyond for her students by dropping off school supplies, gifts and connecting with families late at night on the phone, I have learned education is not just in the classroom. My dad taught me how to be loyal as I watched him walk by my mothers side until the last day of her life. My high school basketball coach taught me to be fiery and passionate about the things you care about when he broke that clipboard. My former boss taught me professionalism with his organized and well thought out emails, his fancy shoes and his demeanor. My great uncle taught me patience as he took a 12 year old girl to the golf course and taught her how to hit the bump and run with an 8 iron. My therapist taught me to set and keep boundaries when I saw her on the street and she smiled and kept going.

Who are the teachers in your life? Who do you lean on for support? Who are the people in your network? What are you learning from others? Is there someone that you can reach out to ands ask for more support? Is there someone who you can learn more from just by listening or paying attention to their actions more closely?

We can not and should not tackle this life on our own. Give others a chance to be a part of creating your world.

Keep Going. You Got This. Your Future Self Will Thank You.

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Student Athlete Identity

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Commitment