AMELIA'S STORY
GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE,
AND PULL UP A CHAIR.Â
LET'S GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
I'm Amelia!
I am a....
Teacher. Speaker. Friend. Daughter.
Being each of these things has led me to who I am.
They have instilled in me my deepest values.
They're also easy things to share about.
There are parts of my life that are harder to share.
But they are no less important to who I am.
Growing up, I had a pretty remarkable childhood. I was a smart kid, and started high school at the age of 12. I was active in a variety of organizations and consider myself blessed to have served in a number of leadership capacities. I won many competitive awards and (with the exception of athletics), I found success in most anything I set my mind to. I subscribed to the mentality that everything would go your way if you just worked hard enough at it and were a good person.
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Then, a chain of several events sent that perfect life crashing down. A chain of events that no matter how hard I worked, no matter how "good" I was, I could not stop from occurring. Reflecting on these challenges has taught me a lot about the importance of steadfast character, about leading others, and about making a lasting impact on the world while we're here. And I'd like to share what I've learned with you.
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The hardest parts of my life have led to my most fulfilling
leadership development and personal strength.
There is growth waiting for us on the other side of our obstacles.
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And the same will be true for you.
CAN I TELL YOU MORE?
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A HELPER.
This first manifested itself through me "helping" my mom do laundry by removing all the clean towels from our kitchen drawers and placing them back into the washer.
It continued throughout my adolescence, thanks to my amazing parents and leaders in my life who encouraged me to always serve others first.
I HAVE ALSO ALWAYS BEEN
A WEIRD KID.
This is important. I don't approach most things in life the way most people would. I see things differently, which has been a huge asset to me in my life journey.
It also meant I wore only corduroy pants until the age of 10, refused to eat birthday cake, and elected to wear long sleeves in the summer over my mom putting that horrid sunscreen lotion on me.
I WAS NOT ALWAYS A PUBLIC SPEAKER.
Like many, I was a shy kid
who dreaded public speaking.
My freshman year of high school,
I joined an organization - the FFA -
which would change my life trajectory.
I gained lifelong friendships, confidence, and became comfortable speaking in front of people.
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I would later become a State FFA Officer, which led to much of my early facilitation, training, and motivational speaking experience. It was in this role that I fell in love with connecting with audiences and sharing my experiences.
I FOUND A PURPOSE IN CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.
My helpfulness and quirkiness turned into ways for me to empathize and relate with audiences big and small. I have connected with tens of thousands of people as a keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and leadership coach.
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For several years, I was on fire with purpose: helping others pursue their goals, inspiring youth towards action, and mentoring many young leaders.
THEN, MY WORLD FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN.
I was 16 when my mom was diagnosed with cancer.
The first time.
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I was 20 when my mom was diagnosed with cancer.
The second time. The terminal time.
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My college experience turned into taking mostly virtual classes to stay home and take care of my mom.
I was her primary caretaker and stayed by her side through every oncology appointment, hospital stay,
and eventually, her hospice care and death. ​
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It was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. And I say that knowing what comes next.
5 MONTHS LATER,
I collapsed in my college apartment.
My roommates rushed me to the hospital, where doctors ran scans and began monitoring a tumor that would later be diagnosed as cancer.
I was 22 when I had brain surgery to remove the cancer.
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I told practically no one. A handful of friends, my dad, and a few close mentors knew. I wrestled with a bunch of complicated emotions - everything from losing my mom to being worried I was losing my mind. And I wrestled with those mostly alone. This was a mistake.
I HAVE ALWAYS
PUSHED FORWARD.
Throughout these setbacks, I was determined to continue striving for my goals. This determination left me hesitant to share my journey with others.
I didn't want them to question if I was capable.
So I buried my challenges underneath a mountain of accomplishment, where no one could suspect I was sick.
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I graduated from the University of Minnesota, and was honored to be selected as the student speaker to give remarks at the commencement ceremony.
After graduating, I began working as an agriculture teacher. I have the joy of teaching 6th-12th grade students how they can impact the world through understanding our food and agriculture system. It's the best job in the world, and am inspired by the youth I work with daily.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN ALONE.
As I reflected on the challenges I faced, there were a number of lessons I learned along the way. And little by little, I realized I needed to share what I had learned with each of you here today. To shine light on the many people who helped me, and to inspire you to be that person for someone else. Each time I felt like there was no way I could face the next mountain, there was someone there to help me find my own strength.
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When I started to connect with others through my experiences, I found power and purpose in what had previously looked like loss and heartache.
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When obstacles occur in our lives, we have to look for the opportunities they provide for us to connect. It is only by transforming obstacles into opportunities to serve and connect that we can live our most purposeful life.
ONCE AGAIN, I FOUND A
PURPOSE IN CONNECTING
WITH OTHERS.
But this time, I discovered the power of connecting with others
through sharing my most challenging experiences and offering what insight I have gained about overcoming challenges and leading well.
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When we connect through our experiences - good and bad -
we elevate the lives of everyone around us.
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We can all live purposefully.
We can all overcome our obstacles.
We can all be an inspiration to those around us.
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It all starts with connection. It starts with who you have always been
- be it a helper, a weird kid, an introvert, someone else entirely -
When we share a bit of ourselves, we inspire connection.
And connection inspires each of us to live more purposefully.