The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life – My Top Takeaway

The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life – My Top Takeaway

I just finished reading The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life by Holocaust survivor and award-winning Author Dr. Edith Eger. The book had a ton of good takeaways on how to make yourself more resilient and live a better life but the one that most resonated with me was her first lesson Instead of “Asking why me? Ask what now?”

Life does not always deal us the best hand, few people could have been dealt a worse hand than Edith.  She was a teenager in 1944 when an unimaginable environment gave her every excuse to play the victim.  As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, the heinous death camp. Her parents were sent to the gas chambers but Edith’s bravery kept her and her sister alive.  Toward the end of the war, Edith and other prisoners had been moved to Austria. On May 4, 1945, a young American soldier noticed her hand moving slightly amongst a number of dead bodies. He quickly summoned medical help and brought her back from the brink of death.

Edith did not let her family’s tragedy define her she married had a family and had a highly successful career, becoming a sought-after speaker and author.

When you focus on the “Why Me?” you allow your adversity to get the better of you.
Asking “why me?” does not solve any problems. It is an unproductive approach to adversity.

The alternative is to ask “What Now?” This approach allows us to focus on things we can control.   This creates a sense of calm and optimism. It helps us look to the future instead of letting our past adversities get us down. It helps us take accountability when accountability is needed and is more likely to lead to your desired outcomes.

It always amazes me how two people can see and react to two identical situations in entirely different ways.  Dr. Edith Eger is a great example of how to find strength in adversity and how not to let your past define you.

Author Bio
Lorne Marr
Lorne Marr

My passion for fitness began in 1981, when my father, Larry Marr, bought me my first Weider weight set.

Hearing the clanking of those weights and, more importantly, wanting to get buff to impress my buddies, created an obsession that has lasted a lifetime.  Staying active and following a health minded diet and lifestyle has allowed me to live a more productive, happier and overall better quality of life.

There have been some hurdles along the way.  When I hit 45 injuries starting piling up and made working out and playing sports more challenging. So I took a step back and reexamine my training and diet. I reached out to a host of experts within my Fitness community on how to maximize performance and optimize my health and hence the genius of FitAfter45.
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