026: The Inner Strength of the Heart Strong Collective with Jessica Lindberg

How can we take the traumatic challenges that life presents us, like a difficult diagnosis or the loss of a child, and create something beautiful? 

Today's guest is Jessica Lindberg, and her story is a lovely example of what is possible when you let your passion be your guide. 

Jessica is a mom to four beautiful boys (three living) who tragically lost her oldest son Ethan to congenital heart disease when he was only seven. And if that experience wasn't enough, she is currently navigating the journey of a rare muscular dystrophy diagnosis with her youngest boy. 

Having firsthand knowledge of how difficult those challenges are, she knew she wanted to help others. This experience led her to create The Heart Strong Collective, a non-profit that encourages people to be resilient and supports families impacted by congenital heart disease and rare muscular dystrophy.

Today, she shares how you can live fully and freely, even amidst those struggles. She shows us how we can turn traumatic events such as lengthy hospitalizations into moments of bonding and connection. She encourages others to live "heart strong" and discover their inner strength.

Jessica also discusses the gift of everyday life, finding community through loneliness, and reminds us that we are much more capable than we think we are. 

Key Takeaways with Jessica Lindberg

• How to harness the challenges in our life and create something beautiful from them.
• The importance of community and fostering connections with your family during those isolating experiences of having a child in the hospital.
• How to stay present and find joy in everyday life.
• That there are several ways to help families battling with an illness, such as financial, research, alternative therapies and more.
• How to show up consistently for a family you love that is going through hardship, rather than just during the acute phase of the illness.
• The main pillars of the Ethan Lindberg Foundation: family support, research, and music therapy.

Show Notes:

Get Full Access to the Show Notes by visiting: MatteasJoy.org/26.

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