I’ve been called a lot of things in my life—middle-class kid with a big head, bad haircut, and worse skin. But behind all that was a story that shaped me into who I am today. You see, I didn’t just stumble into the world of health and wellness. My path was carved out by hard lessons, a battle with epilepsy, and a few awkward teenage years spent trying to fit in.
As a kid, epilepsy was terrifying. The unpredictability, the fear of the next seizure—it all weighed heavy on me. But even as I fought that battle, I learned that health is not something that happens to you, it’s a choice. A choice you make every single day.
In high school, my dad insisted on me wearing padded headgear to protect me during sports, which, let’s be real, made me feel like a total outcast. The guys probably laughed—I could hear it in the locker room. And when you’re already a kid with a gangly frame and more questions about your place in the world than answers, the last thing you want is extra attention. But I wore that headgear because safety mattered. Looking back, I see how much my dad wanted to protect me. And I became an All State linebacker my Senior year, in spite of the helmet.
Still, it didn’t stop him from telling me that because of my height, I’d never be a quarterback. He figured the only position I’d be good for was kicker. So, he offered to put up a net at the edge of the woods near our house. It was a practical idea, sure. But, for me, it was more than that. It was a nudge to work hard, to embrace my strengths, and to own who I was—whether or not it aligned with what everyone else expected.
In the end, those experiences didn’t define me, but they shaped the way I approach wellness today. I speak to the inner nerd in all of us—the part that’s been laughed at, doubted, or told to play small. I’ve stood in your shoes, and I know that health is something we fight for, embrace, and ultimately, choose. Every day.
To your health and organizational success!
