Honoring Those You Have Lost

If you live you will lose - as they say two things you can be certain about are death and taxes.

Loss can be one of the most devastating and life altering events you will ever go through. It can rock you to your core and the aftermath of it could derail your life, permanently, if you do not deliberately take steps to get back on track and move forward after your loss.

The challenge of course is "how." How do you do that after you have lost someone you love so deeply.

How?


In the last few years I have lost three very important people in my life: one of my best friends to suicide, my Dad unexpectedly two weeks after being declared cancer free (you can read those stories here) and my best friend to a car crash.

Each of these deaths came with additional life struggles... relationships ending, struggling to "fit in," unmotivated, uninspired, etc...

Through all this, I kept coming back to the question of "how?" How do you move forward after loss?  How do you move forward to not merely exist, but to truly live?  How do you move forward to live a happy and fulfilling life?

Having gone through the challenge of loss myself, as well as with numerous clients from all over the world what I have found to be most effective in doing the above is deciding on a path that honors your loved one and traveling it.

When we allow ourselves to begin to live a life to honor those we have lost, it can give our lives a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.  Two vital ingredients to a fulfilling life.

Recently I shared a video of an event I have hosted for the last three years... it is part of an ongoing mission to live my life in a way that honors my best friend.  Every year, on his birthday, people take a photo of a sunrise and/or sunset and share it on social media.  I take several of the photos and put them together in a video which you can see below.

If you are reading this and you are at a time in your life where you find yourself struggling with loss, I encourage you to look within and ask yourself, "how can I begin to live my life to honor who I have lost?"

Your answer may present the meaning and purpose you seek.

Carpe Diem and with Love,

Jesse

P.S. I also lovingly invite you to check out my "Healing from Loss" program You can learn all about it by clicking here.

http://www.jessebrisendine.com
http://www.facebook.com/1year1000challenge

Sunrise and Sunset Around the World Day 2016

For the last several years I have hosted an event called "International Sunrise and Sunset Around the World Day."

Each year 1000's of people from all over the world share a picture of the sunrise and/or sunset from wherever they are.  The event is amazing because there is such a strong sense of community and connection shared by the participants.

In 2010 my best friend Paul, created a charity called Reach Out WorldWide (ROWW), to help people affected by natural disasters.  You can learn all about ROWW by clicking here.

Sadly, in late 2013, Paul was killed.  I was moved to do something that would both honor him and help raise money for Reach Out WorldWide.

International Sunrise and Sunset Around the World Day was moved to its' permanent home on September 12th and became a birthday celebration for Paul along with a fundraiser for ROWW.

I am proud to report that our global efforts last year resulted in more than 3,000 sunrise and sunset photos being shared along with well over $50,000 being raised for Reach Out WorldWide.

If you did not see last year's video, click here.

On Monday September 12th, I'll be hosting this amazing event again and I would love for you to be a part of it

Watch the video to learn more and then click the link below to access the facebook page for the event.

Click here to access the facebook event page.

I am looking forward to sharing a special day with you on Monday September 12th.

Carpe Diem,

Jesse

P.S.

Reminder this Saturday (September 12th) is International Sunrise and Sunset Around the World Day, a fundraiser for Reach Out WorldWide.  You can learn all about it here.

International Sunrise & Sunset Day 2015

When I did the 1 Year 1000 Challenge, hands down my favorite of the over 1000 challenges/experiences I did that year, was an event I called International Sunrise and Sunset Day.



The 1000 Challenge community had grown to several thousand around the world.  I had the idea that it would be really cool if on one day, we all shared the sunrise and sunset together. 

The result was amazing! 100's of people from all over the world participated.  You can see that first video by clicking here.



In late 2013 my best friend was tragically killed. Being that he was a well known public figure, the world talked about him, a lot. 


As his birthday approached in 2014, I wanted to do something that would honor him for the man he was/is and not his job.  I decided to move International Sunrise and Sunset day to his birthday and have it be a celebration day and fundraiser for the his charity Reach Out World Wide.

The day was amazing!  Over $50,000 was raised and more than 3,000 people participated in the event.


This year I recently hosted the event.  Again over 3,000 people participated with 10's of 1000's of dollars being raised for Reach Out World Wide.




As I did in years past, I put a video together to commemorate the day which I have shared below.  I hope that when you watch the video, you take the message to heart and it adds an enormous amount of love and value to your life.

2015 Sunrise Sunset Day video

International Sunrise & Sunset Day is such a special event to me.  Not only does it mean a lot being able to honor my friend, I love the experience of so many people from all over the world coming together to share their sunrise and sunset. 

Even though we live miles a part, we are all neighbors here on Earth.  It was a joy watching the sunrise and sunset with You, neighbor.

Carpe Diem,

Jesse

http://www.jessebrisendine.com
http://www.facebook.com/1year1000challenge

P.S.

Did you participate?  What did you learn from the video?

P.P.S

The Sunrise and Sunset photo albums will be posted to the 1 Year 1000 Challenge page this week.

Happy Birthday Paul Walker & Reach Out World Wide Fundraiser

HI!!!

We are just a couple days away from International Sunrise/Sunset Day aka Happy Birthday Paul aka One Million for ROWW day!

I am really excited for the big event.

As a follow up to last weeks video/blog,  I recorded this video that shares some of my experiences about Reach Out World Wide's first trip to Haiti as well as Paul's commitment to helping people.

To see the photo of Paul I mentioned in the video, click here to go to the Reach Out World Wide Haiti page.

Earlier this year I wrote a blog recounting more about my trip to Haiti.  If you would like to read that blog, please click here.

Friday is the big day.  Remember to post all photos directly to the 1 Year 1000 Challenge Facebook page.

The Goals:  1 Million dollars raised for Reach Out World Wide, A photo of a Sunrise and or Sunset taken on September 12th, from 100 Countries.

This will happen because you all are making it happen by sharing and promoting the event.  I thank you all for all you have done thus far.  We are on the final push... please keep spreading the word.

I look forward to spending Friday with you.

Carpe Diem,

Jesse

https://m.facebook.com/events/1468415000077566?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A22%7D&aref=22&ref=bookmark

Suggested hashtags: #InternationalSunriseSunsetDay #1Year1000Challenge #HappyBirthdayPW

https://donate.roww.org/fundraise?fcid=339063

Suggested hashtags: #HappyBirthdayPW #ROWW #OneMillionForROWW

Honoring a Friend... Happy 41st Birthday Paul

Hi all,

The blog is going to be switched up a little bit these next two weeks so that I can use it to communicate with all of you about the up and coming International Sunrise/Sunset around the world event.

As many of you know, my best friend was killed in a car accident late last year.  I wanted to do something special to honor him and celebrate what would have been his 41st birthday on September 12th.

What I have done is organize an event that has two parts to it.  You can view the event information in its entirety by clicking here.

This event means so much to me and I wanted to try to convey just how important it is to me so I recorded this video to share with you all.

I hope that the video motivates you to take part in Paul's birthday celebration on Friday, September 12th, 2014.

Paul Walker was my best friend.  I miss him everyday... this is one small gesture that I feel will help keep a part of him alive.

Carpe Diem,

Jesse

p.s. please share the event info and video with your friends and family.  I need all of you to reach the goals I have set.

To view the event on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/events/1468415000077566?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A22%7D&aref=22&ref=bookmark

Suggested hashtags: #InternationalSunriseSunsetDay #1Year1000Challenge #HappyBirthdayPW

To donate to Reach Out World Wide, use this link: https://donate.roww.org/fundraise?fcid=339063

Suggested hashtags: #HappyBirthdayPW #ROWW #ISupportROWW #DonateToROWW