Roome: The chasm between striving and thriving
When we face struggles, it is easy to fall into a mindset of simple survival. That focus can become all-encompassing and often will prevent us from finding the road to thriving. In those moments, the expanse between “survive” and “thrive” can seem insurmountable.Jim RoomeFour years ago, I was given an opportunity to learn that the chasm between “survive” and “thrive” is only as wide as our mindset. Many of you who have been following Words of Encouragement from the beginning know that my work as a writer started when I was supporting a friend, Shane, who was battling stage-4 colon cancer. In January 2021, Shane had taken a leave of absence from work to focus on trying to get better. I went to visit him during that leave, and as we sat and talked, he told me that the chemotherapy he was taking was making him so ill that he had decided to focus on the quality of his life, not the quantity. He explained to me that he was stopping chemotherapy and that the remainder of his life span would be measured in weeks. As he told me of this decision, I began to tear up, and as the first tear fell onto my cheek, he waved his hand in the way that only he could and said, “We are not going to do that; we are going to celebrate.”With a lifespan remaining that could be counted in hours and pain growing in his body daily, Shane made a very conscious decision. He was not going to simply survive each remaining day; he was going to thrive.Over the next few weeks, he went to watch movies in theaters that had been rented out exclusively for his extended family, had dinners fixed by chefs who came to his house and attended a parade in his honor. He had the opportunity to talk with friends, spend precious hours with his wife and daughters, and even play in a poker tournament at his house.It was inspiring to watch and learn from Shane during that time. The experience left me with the confidence to know that thriving is a conscious decision. It is both scary and empowering to recognize this reality.When we understand that our mindset is the catalyst to thriving, then we are not able to hide behind our struggle, satisfied with the idea that we made it through another day.Don’t misunderstand me. Your struggle, my struggle, they are not easy things to navigate, but they are not insurmountable. The only thing that can keep us from thriving is ourselves. Shane demonstrated this in the most difficult situation possible, facing his own mortality.When we take the time to truly look at the world around us, we will see we have front-row seats to watch insightful, heroic, and authentically brilliant moments in the human experience unfold before us.Shane’s unwavering commitment to thriving is an example of this and gives me an invaluable reset button for when I find myself stuck in survival mode. It is my sincere hope that you, too, can learn from this incredible model.You have got this.I hope my words encourage you, and that you will share them with those who need support. Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far. I truly appreciate hearing about the valuable ideas you find in these columns and how you use them to uplift those around you. You can reach me at [email protected] Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences.The post Roome: The chasm between striving and thriving appeared first on Colorado Community Media.
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