In 2017, Kyle and Liam set out across America to meet and capture the stories of people who have overcome a life-changing medical event and are now thriving. In two and a half weeks, they traveled from New York to Nashville, Austin, Denver, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and finished in Seattle. They came home with a richer understanding of how the power of story connects us all and gained insight into how we overcome what seems impossible.
So, what does it take to overcome adversity?
1.Mindset
Remarkably, everyone we spoke to had a similar mindset; “I knew I was going to get through this.” Where does this come from? For some people it was their belief in a god, their kids, family, or sports. Whatever it is for you, having something out there in the future that is more important to you than anything else in the world can keep you in a positive mindset.
2. Community
“Every night, they had to kick everyone out of the hospital room.“ We heard this time and time again – through thick and thin, these folks had loved ones around to support them through the tough times. If there is someone in your life going through something, give them a call, reach out, and if you are going through something, reach out, too. You will be surprised who shows up; whatever you do, don’t go it alone. Building community around you during trying times is a key component to getting through to the other side.
3. Never Giving Up
No matter what comes up… you keep moving forward. Someone once said the only difference between the winners and losers is that the winning team just never gave up. Healing takes time and patience; sometimes you don’t know how long it will take. Instead of dwelling on the major goals and their timeframe, focus on the little wins and, most importantly, never, ever, give up.