No Exceptions
By Carl Boockholdt
IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME
By Paul Cummings
I Hereby Promise to begin today
To Manifest
The Personal Greatness
That I Know
Lies Within Me
To Improve
The Quality Of My Life
To Learn More, Laugh More , Care More,
Share More and Risk More
I Control My Personal Destiny
And I Recognize
If It Is To Be …
It Is Up To Me
This is the day
In My Life
I Summon the Courage
To Face My Fears and
Turn Them Into the
Stepping Stones Of Success
I Will Be The Prisoner Of Nothing
I Am Someone Special
I Will Live My Life
At Level 10
Every Day Every Time Without Fail
No Exceptions
Paul Cummings relies on these insights to motivate him in his daily combat to overcome the lingering effects of the ischemic stroke that suddenly, thoroughly and ruthlessly disrupted his life nearly 5 years ago.
At the time of the stroke Paul had earned recognition as an internationally renowned speaker, teacher, entrepreneur, and 5-time author. His most recent book, It All Matters:125 Strategies to Achieve Maximum Confidence, Clarity, Certainty, and Creativity, reached #1 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller’s List). As a trainer he had taught Fortune 500 companies around the world how to improve their success, how to be more profitable and how to create effective teams. The training company that Paul founded had taught millions of people around the world how to better their lives. Then, on May 13, 2018 a massive monkey wrench was flung into the midst of his efficient, well-oiled machine.
An undetected blood disorder was thought to be the underlying factor in the stroke that landed Paul in the hospital for 2 weeks. The aftermath of the stroke left Paul with a drooping mouth, aphasia, motor apraxia, and dysarthria. These disabilities are beyond devastating for anyone, but for a guy whose empire was built and sustained with his razor-sharp mind, his skill at communicating clearly, and his ability to command the stage and compel audiences they were ruinous. Paul still struggles with aphasia. Everyday is a therapy day for him. But as a motivational speaker Paul has applied the lessons he taught others to his own life. When it comes to therapy Paul opines “…mindset is everything”. And for those times when his mindset begins to waver Paul depends on family, friends and prayer to buoy him up. “Without my family and friends, community groups I would hate to think where I would be.” Paul confides.
Before the stroke Paul used his passion for helping people to enable corporations and individuals to make significant business and personal gains. Paul’s current perspective is, “I’ve been humbled by my stroke but I am (the) same fired up guy that I always have been”. And what is firing him up now is a strong desire to help his fellow stroke survivors. Paul is enlisting his skills and experience as a master communicator and educator to produce and host YouTube programs geared to those who are struggling with the aftermath of stroke. Morning Coffee LIVE with Paul Cummings is a podcast that is dedicated to bringing hope and joy to viewers, Paul, along with Brad LeMie, host Happy Hour, which is a show where people with TBI, stroke, and aphasia can look forward to laughs, smiles, games, trivia, and songs, and his I Have Something To Say podcast is dedicated to aphasia awareness. Paul also hopes to open a retreat center for people who have aphasia, TBI and stroke. The center would be a place of learning and inspiration.
With his mindset of “If it is to be, it is up to me” Paul is clearly a Stroke Survivor who Can!. And with his passion for helping others learn and grow it equally clear that he can help create other Stroke Survivors who Can! as well.
If this blogs touches you, won’t to please consider to make a donation to Stroke Survivors CAN!, a nonprofit devoted to helping stroke survivors find hope and empowerment. Your contribution helps this site possible!
You can write a check to:
Stroke Survivors CAN
3023 E Copper Point Dr., #108
Meridian, ID 83642
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