What you give is yours to keep

The challenges 2020 brought to all of us were the kind of high-voltage bolt out of the blue that no one was ready for but will strike many of us in different ways eventually. Usually, midlife is prime time for such jolts, but we all found out last year, it can happen quickly with no advance notice. COVID 19 was the season for sudden job loss, loss of income, the deaths of loved ones, and all manner of health scares, disasters, and near misses. Research shows that most such crises are triggered by external events such as we all incurred with COVID, social justice questions, the election, in addition to everyday situations that occur.

We are coming up on the twentieth anniversary of September 11, 2001, and one thing that I learned shortly after that day was it is easy to blame events, but if you keep blaming events for your fulfillment and happiness, you never allow yourself to have joy and happiness. These events cause you to confront questions you hadn't encountered before or see that understandings you had of the world no longer apply. Some people think, "This must have happened for some reason — it doesn't make any sense to me, but I need to try to find some meaning from it. "

I had that struggle after my experience of the Miracle on the Hudson. For a period after January 15, 2009, I had so many things coming my way, I was going into overwhelm. But one thing I learned that helped me make the turn from my turmoil to triumph was I became more compassionate toward the plight of others.  

How did that happen? I was blessed that the CEO of the American Red Cross in Charlotte, Pam Jefsen, invited me to speak at their annual event. At first, I didn't know what I could add to their event, but I started to learn about their mission of eliminating human suffering after the event. I was immediately attracted to not only support them as a way to say "thank you" for what they did for the other passengers and me that day on the Hudson River, but I started to focus on how I personally could help eliminate suffering on a personal level. I found that the more I gave of myself financially and my time and talents, the more joy and happiness I personally had, which helped my relationships with others grow deeper.  And I remembered something that my mentor Bill told me and Tony later shared with me, and was then validated as I shifted my priorities;

What you give is yours to keep.

A question I was asked this week during a podcast interview was, "why do some of us crumple in the face of trauma and turbulence, such as COVID 19, while others emerge stronger than ever? How did you do it?"

I told the interviewer that I approached this last year like it was a plane crash as I had a strong reference on how I grew from that experience. I started to focus on one of the six human needs that Tony teaches, and I believe it is the key to having a life of happiness and fulfillment, the need to contribute. I told him that in 2009, I didn't blame a worldwide recession or a plane crash for my happiness and fulfillment. I found that the more I contributed, not financially, but of myself, the more happiness I got to keep. The people who are growing and thriving out of this past year's challenges are the ones who are looking at how to serve others first and have reframed the meaning of turmoil. The primary question those who emerge stronger rather than crumple have a common theme, how they can contribute more AS they enjoy the process of giving to something bigger than themselves. They transform themselves through gratitude. 

This past week, during a conversation with a friend who is coming out of a turbulent time in her life, I was introduced to someone who opened up a pathway for me to support those who gave their lives on September 11, 2001.

On August 7, 2021, I am honored and humbled to be going back into the strong currents of the Hudson River with the Navy Seals on their 3rd anniversary of the Nave SEAL Swim and Run to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the attacks on September 11. This year's swim will also honor the ten-year anniversary of Extortion 17, which was the call sign for a U.S. CH-47 Chinook military helicopter that was shot down on August 6, 2011, in Afghanistan. 

 The question I am getting now is: "Why would you get back into the Hudson River after you had to swim to save your life?"

Today, more than ever, people need firsthand experience and guidance on how to bounce back from the tumultuous times we have all experienced this past year and grow from traumatic life events and crises. My goal is simple. I want to support those who have sacrificed their lives to give us all our freedom by showing how to bounce back from the turbulent times our veterans and first responders have faced by going back into the place where I had the most turbulent time in my life and raise money for those who sacrificed their lives and now need us to step up for them to make sure they have a home to live in.  

A pathway to grow out of the traumatic times we have all faced this past year is to focus on how we can serve others first because in life,

What you give is yours to keep.

My mission is simple; help those who may be going through their own turmoil from the past year with a pathway to victory and triumph and understand that you didn't get this far only to go this far!

Treat the TURMOIL of 2020 as your year of preparation and 2021 as your year to TRIUMPH!

LEAD YOURSELF FIRST and CREATE YOUR FLIGHT PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE!

 Dave Sanderson is the President of his firm, Dave Sanderson Speaks International, based out of Charlotte, NC. On January 15, 2009, Dave was one of the last passengers off the plane that crashed into the Hudson River, best known as The Miracle on the Hudson, considered the most successful ditching in aviation history. He has built a career as a motivational speaker, mentor, and author. Recently named one of the top 100 Leadership Speakers in Inc.com. Dave averages over 80 speeches a year for major corporations worldwide.