Guelph, Ontario

Community Box: Self-Care Edition

Featured Creator, September 2019

Paul’s Story

“It’s something unpredictable, but in the end its right. I hope you had the time of your life.”

This song speaks to a lot of things that are going on in my head. Even when you’re in a barrel of crap, if you have people around you that love you, you’re going to have the time of your life. Without the people around me, I wouldn’t be where I am.

I’m grateful for the chance to be alive. I didn’t have very good odds four years ago and I shouldn’t be here, but I am. I’m grateful for the chance to live a less angry life, to look at being alive as an opportunity to do a lot of good, and to just love what’s going on. I don’t know if I’d feel the way I feel right now if I hadn’t come so close to not being here.

I get upset sometimes, but not as much anymore.

The reality is, we can spend all the time talking about the past. To me, the past is there for you to learn. If you dwell on it too much, I don’t think you learn. You embrace it, you deal with it, and then you carry on. 

One obstacle I am overcoming is my health, both physical and mental. I have this nasty habit of overthinking things even as logic tells me to stop. I have two trauma surgeons in Hamilton who are taking care of me, so I shouldn’t and I’m not going to sweat that - I'm in good hands.

Most of my life was pretty good - I can’t complain about how I grew up. I’m doing what I should be doing, which is community building and supporting people. The good Lord wanted me to do something positive and that’s why he didn’t take me.

I got approached by HOPE House to be part of the board.  I love seeing how to see things work here.

I think people need to define for themselves what family means to them and to be true to that. To me, family is who you want to do life with and who you want to make plans with. It’s who you want to love who you want to watch grow.

In five years, I want to be in some kind of a home having Christmas dinner with everyone in our family, and just having that kind of moment of a big unruly bunch together. It doesn’t have to be the most glamorous house, just full of us and full of what we do - that would definitely be where I want to be.

The Community Box:

Self-Care Edition

ABOUT

Our third Community Box was created by five current or former users of HOPE House with a passion for self-care.

The Self-Care Box includes:

• A self-care booklet with gentle everyday reminders

• A handmade bracelet with a lava bead for essential oils or fragrances

• A gratitude card to share with people you are grateful for

• Three unique tea blends made in partnership with GROSCHE Coffee & Tea

HOPE HOUSE

The box was created in collaboration with HOPE House, a front-line poverty relief and social assistance centre in Guelph, Ontario.

PROFIT SHARING

Paul earned $50 for co-creating the products in his Community Box. Additionally, 50% of all our profits are shared with our Creators.

EMPOWER OUR CREATORS

Click the button below to build your Self-Care Box or to order individual items from the box!