Smile. You're Healthy Enough To Be Here.

A few months back, as I was waiting to begin another tough workout at Orange Theory, my coach Rebecca, was giving her introductory spiel to the class when she interrupted herself to say, “Smile. You’re healthy enough to be in this class.” To which I grinned from ear to ear.

You see, eleven years ago, like many entrepreneurs, I started my business on a wing and prayer. But I also had a secret. I was seriously ill.

After a few years and some major medical tourism, I finally had a diagnosis. It was Lyme disease. And with that diagnosis came a not-so-fun treatment plan. Long story short, treatment magnifies symptoms and makes for a pretty difficult existence. I prevailed with the help of my Lyme MD and my supportive family. After nearly five years of antibiotic therapy, I’m back to my old self in many ways. Including working out again.

The reason I bring this to your attention is:

1. Life is a roller coaster.

As with a roller coaster, in life, there’s a great deal of gravitational force, pushing you to the ground at all times. There are brief moments where you are able to use that force to push yourself back up, towards the sky. Together, they make up the highs and lows of life. One wouldn’t exist without the other.

2. It’s an infinite game.

Life is truly about the long game. Being able to continue to play the game is worth a lot of the grief that gets thrown our way. There is no freeze-frame at the end of a two hour segment where life ends happily ever after (that’s called a movie). However, we get an incredible amount of value out of continuing to play the game like, friends, memories and incredible experiences.

3. Reach a hand down, and pull someone else up.

Every day you spend in this long game, you have the potential to make life better for someone else. It could be through your product or service. It might be the smallest gesture that makes all the difference. In fact, you may never know the true impact of your actions as the trajectory of your life intersects and intertwines with other people’s lives for mere moments or for decades.

So, smile. You really are healthy enough to be here, right now, doing what no one is better at doing than you.