2017, a year I will never forget. Late in 2016 I learned of a change coming to my industry that would negatively impact my business. Over a 23 year period my team and I had successfully navigated several impactful changes to our business. This one was different. I won’t bore you with the details but the change took only 6 months to put my company in fiscal dire straits. No longer having the support of my bank (of which I didn’t blame them), I was left with no choice but to sell. Unfortunately, the other businesses, like mine, felt the same negative impact. Despite their interest in buying me out, they just couldn’t do so with any kind confidence. In short, 2017 delivered a situation I never thought imaginable. It took a tole on me, both mentally and physically. But, something else was happening that I wouldn’t realize until 2019.
In a year as difficult as 2017 was, what became unbelievably clear is what’s vital to me in my life. My marriage, to my amazing wife, and my faith in an amazing God. At a time where the strength of both of these should have been tested, they instead grew stronger.
I always knew, or I thought I knew, how important my wife was to me. However, what I didn’t know was just how vital - how absolutely important, essential; even treasured - she was. She was, and continues to be, my rock. She stood by my side every step of the way, believing in me and helping me navigate the most difficult year of my life. She was no longer "just my wife” she was my partner in life. Yes, there’s a difference…a huge difference.
Here’s the crazy thing…the same can be said for my relationship with God. Reread the above paragraph and replace “wife” and “she” with “God” and “He”. I’ll wait…….
Powerful, isn't it?
Both realizations were worth every sleepless night, every missed meal (because I was too sick to eat), and every day of sheer panic that I lived.
We survived 2017, sold the business in early 2018, and are more connected than ever before. I am now using all that I learned through that season of my life to fuel my latest project. To get others to realize who is truly vital to them, BEFORE having to realize it in a crisis. I got lucky. Most lose what’s most vital to them in a crisis, I learned exactly what mine was. It’s my life's mission to help people focus on who’s vital to them, and then show them by living a vīdl life - a life of gratitude, openness, and kindness.