How I am Perversely Thankful for Entrepreneurship and Purpose in Adversity - and What We Could Learn

This is the toughest half-term of my life - and I was born in the 70s so I have lived through many school breaks, both as a student and now, parent. My husband has just had a stem-cell transplant and while there is no rule-book for the partner of anyone going through cancer of any kind, I can tell you that I am perversely grateful for the all-encompassing obsessional focus of entrepreneurship with true purpose. I am even finding myself missing the hard graft this week while entertaining my children, perhaps because when with them I am reminded of a family that feels incomplete somehow while my husband lies in his hospital bed. We had had a blessed life as a family I guess with retrospect. Until now so while forced upon them, in this horrendous situation, my children are also learning to dig deep and be resilient as "normal" life carries on in a blur around us, blissfully unaware of what we are dealing with.

If I had a job I didn't care for, I know how much I would be struggling to make it in each day but after my daily hospital visit, when my husband is being beautifully cared for 24/7 by the most incredible NHS team, and when my children are at school, I can throw myself into my other love - my business. Honestly, I'm not sure how I would be coping without it. We tend to focus so hard on the negativity around the workaholic element to entrepreneurship which is highly valid. And I never thought I'd find the beauty in the real grit, somewhat ironically.

If there's any message that I hope can be useful here to anyone reading this (who I sincerely wish does not also have a loved one fighting a disease), then it would be; Do try to find your passion. Or as the Japanese say your "ikigai" - your reason to jump out of bed each morning. Life is very short. Let's live it with meaning if we can. If the going gets tough in your personal life, you still have something to get up and throw yourself at each day.*

*And thank you. To my brilliant team. And to those who are kind. This experience has taught me that most people are. Though I knew that already. I'm an Entrepreneur. Glass always half full, right?!