Life in the Face of Adversity with Mark Ewing

Imagine you woke up tomorrow and your life was completely different and totally altered from what it was yesterday. Suddenly, somehow, some way, you have a stroke and your entire left side of your body is paralyzed and life as you know it, may never be the same, you might not even live. 

This is part of what I talked to my guest, Mark  Ewing, today. 

Mark Ewing owns a couple of successful businesses, is a husband with two kids and 2020, along with the challenges that it brought for most of us, had a little extra for him, when he was in his early forties and he woke up in the middle of the night with a full-blown stroke.

Fortunately, Mark has made a full recovery. Mark’s story brought me to my knees and it makes me think that we cannot take for granted the blessings we have today in our lives.

What You’ll Learn

5:00 Interview Begins

10:14 Love Redefined

Mark Ewing’s talks about When his children were born he redefined love, it is a new experience to know that you are in charge of two people for whom you are 100% responsible. That you need to be at your best because you are their role model 

14:05 Vows

Love with your spouse is not a conditional thing. I will love you really needs to be valid and committed as it must be truly unconditional, even if you’re pissed off.

16:30 Mark’s Story

Mark Ewing tells the story of how his life changed from one minute to the other. Mark, as an EMT and his wife as a nurse. His wife had him go through certain steps to evaluate if he was having a stroke or not. Mark describes it in the following way:

“I felt like I was stuck in my body knowing that I was having a stroke, knowing that I hadn’t said goodbye to my kids and knowing that I could possibly die within the next hour or two,

or if I didn’t die that I could just be a vegetable or that I may not ever talk again.”

30:09 Life on Autopilot

Mark describes his life before the stroke as being on autopilot. Many times we put ourselves on autopilot in life, and when something happens to us we see that life is finite and that you have to take advantage of every moment, both personal and family, tell your loved ones how much you care, do what you like, because you do not know at what point it may end.

34:14 Carpe Diem

Mark Ewing shares how now, after his heart condition that caused a stroke, his life is different. He tries  to take advantage of the small moments in life, say yes to spending more time with your children or your family or your wife because in the end that is what they will remember, and what will stay with you.

38:41 Advice to Younger self

Mark Ewing talks about what he would say to younger self if he could give one piece of advice to his past self, it would be to be more patient, let go of criticism and rigid mental structures, exchange them for curiosity and patience with himself and others; take advantage of the moments with his children, try to see and focus more on the positive. rather than the negative things in life.

45:23 Living the Moment

We must learn to live in the present, to live in the moment. Most people have not understood that life is finite and that you must put intention into it, be aware of the decisions you make, who you spend time with.

Mark Ewing’s Links

LinkedIn-https://www.linkedin.com/in/markewing/ 

Website-https://fly.photos/