The Power of Giving Back

“There is great comfort and inspiration in this feeling of close human relationships and its bearing on our mutual fortunes—a powerful force to overcome the “tough breaks” which are certain to come for most of us from time to time.”

Walt Disney

Tough Breaks happen to us all and appear in many ways. From personal tragedies to professional setbacks, life’s journey is not for the faint of heart.

Today’s blog, while quite short, contains a message I hope you find helpful.

Coping With Grief

The darkest period in my, and my wife’s, life occurred when one of our children suffered a mental health breakdown. The many months of worry, combined with multiple trips to psychiatric facilities to visit our child, took a massive toll on our own physical and mental health.

In addition to the support we received from family and friends, my wife and I found tremendous solace in the programs offered by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

We certainly benefitted, as NAMI proved to be the silver lining to a very dark cloud by helping save our child’s life (and our own mental health!).

Perhaps NAMI can provide you, or a loved one, with similar support.

Giving Back

Paradoxically, I wrote my Disney U book during this time of grief and exhaustion.

This is precisely why my wife and I have donated all author profits from corporate sales of Disney U to NAMI for the past ten years. I still get chills of delight when signing copies!

Many thanks to the many companies who supported NAMI via their purchases of Disney U!

And my gratitude to McGraw-Hill for being such an awesome publisher!