As humans we go through all different types of emotions every
single day. Some good and some bad. Now we all wish we only had good emotions
but that’s not what defines us. We all go through tough times, it’s how we deal
with those situations that makes us who we are.
I listened to a key note speaker recently by the name of Dr
David Patchell-Evans or 'Patch' as he prefers to be called. Patch is the
founder of Goodlife Fitness Centre in Canada. He started out with only 1 health
club and has expanded to over 300 clubs around Canada. Patch himself has been
through many crisis’s in his life but he choose to learn from those incidents
and turn them into an opportunity, or CROP as he calls it. Turning a crisis
into an opportunity.
Just take a minute and reflect on that.....when have you turned
a crisis into an opportunity?
Do you think it has made you who you are today?
I want to share an example with you. When I was young my parents
had just recently moved to Wallan where they had built a house for their young
family because they were renting a flat in Preston which was too small. In
order to support his family, my Dad worked 3 jobs, 7 days a week. He would be
up at 5am and head to his first job. After he finished working overtime, he
would head to his second job and work till about 8-9pm at night and by the time
he got home it would after 10pm, when I was in bed. He did this every Monday -
Friday. On the weekends he would work his 3rd job. My dad did this for many
years to support us but as a result I didn't get to spend as much time with
him. It doesn’t make him a bad father, he was just doing everything he can to
support us and give us the best opportunities.
Now you might ask why is this a crisis? Well as a young child, I
didn’t get to see my Dad and spend that quality time with him. Now I'm a
father with a beautiful little girl I turned my crisis into an opportunity.
That opportunity was to work hard and support my family but to always make sure
I have a great work/family life balance. I try to spend as much time as I
possibly can with my daughter and if I go one single day without getting a hug
or kiss from her (now she knows what shaking your head means so I do get
rejected from time to time - except when she is going to bed, I always get my
goodnight kiss), it disappoints me.
There are always going to be tough times throughout our lives,
unfortunately its apart of life, it’s how we overcome those tough times or
'crisis' that truly makes us who we are today. A crisis doesn't have to be a
big issue either because sometimes the smaller things hurt the most.
PLEASE remember, it’s never too late to become the person we
want to be!
Tristan Simmons
Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure
Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure
