Reflecting on our daughters' journeys, my wife helped me realize that the generational cycle of being an emotionally distant parent had been broken. Though I am far from perfect and have made my share of mistakes as a father, my wife and I—working together as a team—have been able to show our daughters how much we care for them. We have played a role in shaping the values they now embody as young adults, demonstrating that we can choose a different path from the one we inherited.

We watched as Andrea came to a fork in the road and chose between blaming life for circumstances beyond her control and playing the victim, or persevering and making the best out of what she had been dealt. She chose the latter, demonstrating true resilience. She accepted her challenges and turned them into opportunities for growth. This is what resilience is all about: making choices and thriving despite obstacles. To say we are proud of our daughter is truly an understatement.

Life can change in an instant, and it is important to fight for and become a warrior in prioritizing the things that really matter, such as my physical and spiritual health, caring for my family, and honoring my relationships.

In the midst of this journey, I find comfort in illuminating the path toward self-love. I've come to understand the significance of a different kind of growth—not just the pursuit of perfection but also the journey of embracing oneself unconditionally. It's about acknowledging every aspect of who I am, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and nurturing my soul with compassion and kindness. Instead of perpetuating an internal struggle, I must cultivate gratitude and appreciation for myself.

I frequently contemplate the inherent rhythms of life, with its peaks and valleys. A significant factor in how I navigate these fluctuations is my emotional makeup. I experience emotions deeply, so my joy is profound when life is on an upswing. Conversely, when facing my lows, the depth of my pain could, at times, be equally intense. Facing my lows often involves grappling with self-limiting beliefs that tend to dominate my thoughts…

Accepting the concept of "being content with what you have in life" was (and to a certain point still is) difficult for me because I had envisioned a particular lifestyle that I had not achieved, leading to feelings of failure.

Throughout my adult life, I struggled the most when dealing with uncertainty about my future and the possibility of failure. The thoughts of failure have had such a firm grasp, leading me to act with a hyper-focus mentality and a need to control circumstances as much as possible. These actions carried an immense sense of responsibility that weighed a ton on my shoulders, causing me to live in a consistently overwhelmed state.

The next step in my healing was to move into a place of ACCEPTANCE- I remember hearing a quote from Peter Crone that hit me to the core: "What happened, happened and couldn't have happened in any other way… because it didn't". It was time to accept my past and focus on ways to use it for good instead of resenting it.

Giving back to others often requires sacrifice, but the blessings far outweigh what it costs, as those we help usually choose to pay it forward and continue to impact others positively. What Mr. Ruby did for me twenty-seven years ago continues to ignite my purpose today.

I have been on the impossible mission to meet people's expectations for most of my life. I disguised this unhealthy focus with the idea that I was striving to become the best version of myself, which seemed like an accomplishable and honorable task. I just needed to be the best son, husband, father, friend, and leader. Unfortunately,  what seemed a virtuous drive led me to live in a constant state of guilt, self-disappointment, and emotional fatigue.

Living in a consistent state of distrust was very costly for me, and even though it was not ideal, I had difficulty changing my perspective. So, I began digging deep and trying to understand why it was challenging for me to Trust. Although it was a painful process, I learned that understanding my past was vital in why I hesitated to Trust others.

From this experience, I realized that it was okay to show my weaknesses, to become vulnerable and ask for help, to laugh at myself, and to admit that I had nothing to worry about regarding others' perceptions. In a way, I often imagined that others would judge me, but in reality, it was my self-perception that was negative.

I wore my "strong leader" mask as I entered the corporate world. I could not let others know of my internal struggles, fears, and pain. Wearing the mask temporarily worked great for me…