It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged! My move to grad school is coming (14 days, but who is counting?), so my mind has been elsewhere, but today, I’m back!

Darcy sent me a link this morning to a blog post written by Tiffany Jenkins. She is the author of a popular new book that she was promoting on the Today Show this morning, and typically writes on her blog “Juggling the Jenkins” about motherhood, addiction, marriage, and life. The blog post Darcy sent to me is her “collection of soul-feeding links to follow before you lose your mind,” where she lists a number of different resources she uses when “[she needs the] motivation to get out of bed, or a reminder of how wonderful life is.”

So, in taking a page out of Tiffany Jenkins’ awesome blog, I am going to present my own resource guide… For when you feel the crippling stress of CF coming on. Maybe it happens before a clinic visit, after a tough clinic visit, the night before a procedure, or just one of those days when you feel like CF is seeping into your life… and you just don’t have time for it!

1. When I feel the undeniable power of stress washing over me, I flip on Admiral William H. McRaven’s 2014 commencement address at the University of Texas: Make Your Bed.

2. If I feel weak, I read a few pages of my favorite book, Fearless by Eric Blehm, which details the life of Navy SEAL Adam Brown, the most badass dude who ever lived, and his wife’s unwavering love for him.

“And he always stood up for the underdog–never realizing that because of his size he was one himself.”

3. If I desperately need a laugh I click to one of these two videos…

4. If I feel like I need advice and I am afraid to ask for it (yup, asking for help is hard!) I listen to: Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

The race is long, in the end it’s only with yourself.

5. When I feel tired and overwhelmed because of my health, work and life responsibilities, I watch this YouTube video: How Bad Do You Want It?

When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful

6. If I feel like I’m losing, which does happen, I’m not superman; I listen to the narration (you’ll need the volume here) of a soldier’s letter addressed to his wife written in the event he was killed. It is read at the end of Black Hawk Down. I think it’s the single greatest motivator I have, and it has served me well for close to 10 years… Keep smiling and never give up!


My love, you are strong and you will do well in life.

I love you and my children deeply.

Today and tomorrow let each day grow and grow.

Keep smiling and never give up even when things get you down.

So in closing my love, tonight tuck my children in bed warmly.

Tell them I love them, then hug them for me and give them both a kiss goodnight for daddy.

7. When my anxiety wins, I unplug and play Fortnite.

Want to join the squad? Add me on Epic – CrossFire47

Finally, if I feel like I am winning, I take the opportunity to follow my heart, do what feels right and challenge myself to be better.

Motivation is a personal thing, but I hope that some of my above motivators may help you, too. Remember, motivation can be a short-term or a long-term thing. Getting out of bed in the morning when you feel like crap could require short-term motivation, whereas pursuing the next big goal in your life might be the kind of thing that requires a relentless drive to succeed. You need to find it somewhere!