I wrote the words above almost three years ago when I first drafted the NAHREP 10. It was not a part of the original list, but a friend urged me to include something about health and fitness on the list and I thought it was a good idea. However, regardless of what I wrote, like many people, I have taken my health for granted for most of my life. But no more…Three weeks ago, I got hit with a double dose of pneumonia. According to my doctor, I had simultaneously contracted both viral and bacterial pneumonia and a few days later after my symptoms worsened, I was admitted to the hospital. While in the hospital, I wondered what percentage of pneumonia sufferers end up in the hospital— so I googled the question on my iPhone. The number was pretty high, but the statistic that shocked me was that 5% of those who are admitted to the hospital never leave…because they die. Lying there in the hospital with an IV in one arm while a nurse is taking blood from my other arm was not a fun experience, especially when I had just read that there is a 1 in 20 chance I wouldn’t be going home.
Okay, a lot of people get pneumonia and maybe I am being a bit melodramatic, but the feeling I had at the time was real—and while I was sick, I vowed to take #8 in the NAHREP 10 much more seriously. In fact, from this point forward it will be number one on my priority list. Good health is part genetics and part lifestyle. There is only so much you can do about genetics, but you have complete control of your lifestyle. I lost 15 lbs while I was sick. I call that a “silver lining” and I promise, I’ll drop another 15 by the L’ATTITUDE event in September. Most of us think good health will last forever, until it doesn’t. Take care of your health.
People sometimes get me wrong. They think that because I talk a lot about giving back and living modestly, I must not care about money. On the contrary, I care a lot about money because I understand how our system works.
We live in a capitalistic society. Economics drives everything. We work hard and we have more money to provide for our families and do the things we want. But what actually makes us happy? Some of us spend our lives looking for that answer and never find it. Some look for it in church, others pay life coaches, and some think the more money they have the happier they will be.
I teach my kids that they can do anything if they put their minds to it and do the work. I also teach them that life isn’t always fair, but you can’t let that deter you. I think we all try to teach our kids the value of grit and hard work. For most people, success is about perseverance and overcoming obstacles.