The Aspire Collective - Origin Story

(That sounds pretty cool, like a comic book or something)

Cue dramatic music.

A long time ago in a terrible job far far away, (7 years ago and 20 minutes from my house) I was working 60 hours a week. The company I worked for was horrible (or rather, run horribly). In short, you were treated like a unit of production, not a human being. To make matters worse, it was in the midst of this job that my dad unexpectedly passed away.  

WHOA, heavy intro… But seriously, this is how all of this, started. Just hang with me. 

Where was I? Oh yeah, depression… I had never known what depression was like. In fact, I was always the EXTREME opposite. Upbeat. Happy. Encouraging. Self described comedian. (I’m informed now that most things I say are “dad jokes.” Pfft, whatever.) Overall, I used to be a very positive person and that was no longer the case. I felt utterly and completely lost. 

In times like these, it’s extremely difficult to have any sense of hope or direction. I mean, what do you do when you lose someone that important in your life, at such a young age? And how are you supposed to process through something like that while working for a company that is eating your soul?! 

It was going to be a long road ahead and I knew I had to get moving. Despite not having any idea of where I was going, I knew it was important to focus on something and head in that direction. For me, that something was personal growth and holistic health. I figured, I might not know what I’m doing or where I’m going, but I might as well try and better myself while I figure it out. 

My next step was figuring out what I wanted — or needed — to improve in my life. 

Let me take a second to say there is a right and a wrong way to do this. The thing not to do, is negative self talk. You know, the thing we’re probably ALL guilty of at one point or another: “I suck because I don’t; A, B, C, or D. Come to think of it I don’t even E, F, G, H, I, or freakin J!" 

Don’t do that to yourself! Negativity is a thief of joy. If you’re not making an effort to be more positive in life, you need to start now! 

A Healthier Way
Identify some things in your life that you would like to change, and with a positive attitude, move forward one step at a time. Set goals. Talk to someone you trust that will encourage you or even work towards the same goal alongside you. If you mess up, get back up, tell yourself it’s ok, and keep pushing forward. 

Tangent over. Back to me self assessing my life in a healthy way.  

Here are some of the main areas where I really wanted to focus my growth: 

Finances & Financial Freedom
Over the years I had acquired a decent amount of debt. To be honest, I’m not even sure what from. I just didn’t know how to handle money (no one ever really taught me). I was either not prepared for life circumstances or bought stuff I shouldn’t have. Because this is AMERICA and if we want something, we “deserve” to have it — even when we can’t afford it.  #Murica   

Ok, where was I? Oh yeah… I HATE debt! For this area I turned to Dave Ramsey. I purchased his book, Total Money Makeover (a must read). I also spent most of my days at work listening to his radio show in order to reinforce everything I was learning. This became life changing for me in the way I view finances and the benefits of being debt free. It’s definitely been a journey. One that I have had multiple setbacks with and at times, have felt extremely discouraged. But like I said, keep pushing forward, one step at a time. My goal is to be debt free (not including a house) in about two years time.  

Next.

Getting Super Humongous Hecka Buff!
Ok maybe not. But, fitness has always been a big part of my life. It’s also one of the ways I still feel connected with my dad. I joke that I was raised in a gym. My dad would ALWAYS take me with him, drop me off in daycare, and then work out for like 900 hours! Or something close to that. 

Since then, I’ve been in and out of the gym. I’m by no means a “beefcake,” (“Hey, you got any brotein?”) I’ve just learned how much of an impact fitness has on my life.  More energy, focus, and a boost in endorphins — i.e., a better mood. In general, increased confidence and more drive — definitely something you need when experiencing depression.

Let’s not forget the strength to rip my shirt off for my wife! Jk… I hate clothes shopping therefore I would never do that. But I could, you know, if I wanted to. Just saying.  

Paired with fitness is nutrition.

Healthy Eating (or at least what it means to me)
The idea of drinking a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi while eating Sour Patch Kids and Kit Kats sounded fantastic when I was in high school. If I did that now, my teeth would leap out of my face and my stomach would murder me.

Since high school I’ve made a lot of great choices with food, but I’ve also made a lot of terrible ones. This, combined with a desire to learn more about food and nutrition, has given me much more insight into which foods best fuel my body. 

Once again, I’m trying to find ways to optimize how I feel — both physically and mentally. 

I should note that I definitely don’t follow a strict diet of any kind. Most of what I eat would be considered “healthy.” You know, organic, grass fed, free range, anointed with unicorn tears and fairy dust, type food. However, sometimes I want a cupcake. And you better believe I’m going to eat that freakin cupcake!  

In short, my view on healthy eating could be summed up as “intuitive nutrition.” My wife Vanessa, a certified health coach, talks in much more detail about this here www.instagram.com/vanessa.bradford. 

Moving on.

Spiritual Wellness (totally not hippie-dippie)
Everyone has faith. Whether its faith in something or faith in nothing. Personally, my faith is in Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t be who I am (or where I am) today if not for my pursuit of Him throughout most of my life.

When dealing with the loss of my dad, I needed Jesus more than ever. I spent a lot of time in prayer, reading the Bible, and listening to worship music. Whatever I could do to find some sort of comfort, understanding, or direction in my messed up life. 

To be honest, the things I prayed for didn’t always come right when I wanted them to, or in the way I felt they should. However, looking back now, I see how much of that journey God carried me through. Often times using one of the greatest gifts on this earth — which brings me to my next point…  

Relationships (“Hey, wanna come outside and play?”)
Ok, it’s not always as easy as that as an adult. But relationships are just as important today as when we were kids. Especially during difficult times. And ESPECIALLY during a tragedy. 

I knew I needed to surround myself with people, but at times it was the last thing I wanted to do. Fortunately as a result of being connected to a great church community, people reached out to me. Whether through phone calls, house visits, or friendly kidnappings, I was constantly surrounded by people who showed their love and support. 

Now, I’ve always considered myself an extrovert. I LOVE hanging out with people! But it was during this season of my life where I realized how deep of an impact relationships can have on someone. 

The more insight I gained like this, the more I felt the urge to share it with others. And possibly even cultivate some sort of online community centered around growth and relationships.

This has officially led to The Aspire Collective!

The Aspire Collective — a community centered around growth. One that strives to get the most out of life by being the best versions of ourselves. One that celebrates our wins and embraces our losses as opportunities for growth. One full of life, creativity, and authenticity. Simply put, a community that’s full of “AWESOME."

That my friends, is just a glimpse into my vision for The Aspire Collective. By the way, I have NO idea of what that’s even going to look like as it unfolds. But there again, that’s all part of the journey. What I do know is I genuinely care about you guys and want for us all to live incredible lives. 

With that said, I invite you along for my journey — because I know I’d love to be a part of yours! While we kick this thing off, I’d love to hear from you if any of this resonated. What areas of your life you are are you focusing on improving?

Let me know by connecting in any of the following ways:
www.theaspirecollective.com
www.instagram.com/theaspirecollective
www.instagram.com/seanhunter
@aspirecollectiv