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Rebuilding, Body and Mind: The Same, But Different

After 12 hours sleep last night, and before what will probably be another 12 hours tonight, I’m back at my computer, resting comfortably recounting the events of the past week. Quite a past 5 days for me, different than most any period I’ve had in the past 8-9 months since starting this second Cancer Journey.

As most of you know I went on a little tour of high schools this week, and had the pleasure of connecting with high school students in 6 schools in 5 communities across Newfoundland, from Holy Spirit in Manuels, to Leo Burke Academy in Bishop’s Falls, to Botwood Collegiate, to both divisions of Exploits Valley High in Grand Falls, and then wrapping of the week at Mt. Pearl Senior High on Friday morning. An action packed week for me that was quite significant as it marked my first, but not my last, trip outside St. John’s-Mt. Pearl to connect with high schools. Something I had planned to do a lot of this year, but was obviously side tracked with my Leukemia relapse last summer. It was a great week and I’m definitely looking forward to returning to those schools I hit this week.

The core of my presentations this week involved me talking about one of my favourite words – Challenge -, telling some of my story, and introducing RealTime Cancer, our mission and Challenging the students to join my email group, which many of them have. Another component we played with this week was the “Q&A” from students as after most presentations the students had an opportunity to ask me questions about my Cancer Challenges, whether it was in front of the full school or privately one on one. That part is usually my favourite, and this week was no different.

Shortly before beginning to speak this week I was asked a question by a group member, and that question came up several times throughout the past week as I interacted with students. It related to my career goals before having Cancer and then again after my first Challenge and now after my second Challenge, and how those goals differed or are the same. Specifically, are my goals different now?

The quick answer to that question would appear to be yes, and they are different if you are looking at the details. I was trying to build a business before my first Cancer Challenge, now I’m building a charity, at their core they would appear very different. One is focused on profit, the other is not-for-profit. But the reality is inside me they are very much the same, and I’ll tell you why.

I jokingly say that before I got sick I was into profit for my bank account, which is quite a joke if you were to look at how much money I actually made, however now I’m more focused on profit for the Soul. The reality is that I was and am still am focused on making an impact, that is where my interest lies and has always been, no matter what kind of “profit” it involved. I think the major difference is that before I wanted to make an impact out there… hold your hand out in front of you, that is where I wanted to make an impact, out there with your hand. Now I want to make an impact inside… take your hand and place it on your stomach, that is where I want to make an impact now. I am most interested to make an impact inside me, and I do that by following my heart – as my buddy Jiminy Cricket told me to do – and if while I’m following my heart I am also able to make an impact inside other people, fantastic.

I would never say that I won’t return to the business world I know and love, but I will say that for the foreseeable future I am most comfortable in the Soul business, and that means RealTime Cancer right now. While I know my approach to RealTime Cancer has evolved in the past 2 years – in a little over a month we will celebrate our 2nd Birthday, more on that later – it has been the natural evolution of an idea and an organization, but the core of education, the people of my generation and Positive Attitude has changed. Many of you know that my approach to my personal side of life has been a Challenge for me, especially since my second Transplant, and that is something I’m still working through.

Things do and have changed after my relapse last summer, my initial reaction was to hurry up, try and tackle everything all at once. I have learned that is a very natural reaction for a person in my position, as we very possibly have a more limited time here than most, it is also natural for my personality type, that ambition within me again. I have worked through that tendency to a large degree, especially with respect to my career goals, as I have made the observation, and I’m not the first to do so, that if I’m not here alive and well, then my career really isn’t going to matter. Thus I have put Me as the priority, not my career, which certainly wasn’t the case 3 1/2 years ago before getting sick the first time. And to me that is the biggest change or adjustment in my approach to life, the personal and professional sides, since getting sick the first time, again the second time and now as I rebuild and re-enter for the second time.

It’s a Challenge, every day, but remember my Foundation Beliefs, Life takes effort, because Challenges happen every day, and when they do we are always best to be Positive. Being Positive to me means taking care of myself first, then I’ll be better able to take care of others and other things.

Have a great day.

 

Always…
Live Life. Love Life.

Geoff

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