Lead By Example
Heather’s example serves as motivation to keep pursuing your passions. “I think it is important to motivate spouses,” she says, “to encourage all spouses to continue to pursue something. I believe in continually educating yourself and contributing in any way – not necessarily being 100 percent reliant on your spouse because of the unknown. You have to take care of yourself and have something to fall back on. I’ve been there.”
Returning to school as a widowed mother of two is a rocky road. Despite having respite care, babysitters and help from her mother, it’s not the same as having another parent to leave the kids with. Yet, “I need to take care of myself to take care of them,” Heather explains. “The time management is huge — being self-motivated to get through school, prioritize and be responsible. All of these things have to align.”
Still, Heather laments the stigma surrounding mental health: “It’s very difficult and something not many people talk about. It’s viewed as a weakness,” she says.
Despite the tragic turn her life took, she’s channeling her energy into her family and into their future. “You can recover. You can keep going and move forward, hard as it may be at times.”
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