Inspiring Others By Doing What You Love
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Ben Nemtin seemed to have it all. He was a young, athletic first-year college student training for the World Cup in Paris when he was unexpectedly stricken with severe depression that ultimately caused him to drop out of college and retreat to his parents' home for refuge.
At one point, his depression became so severe that when he tried to follow his parents' suggestion to take daily 15-minute walks, he froze at the sound of the door closing behind him, and instead hid out in the garage for 15 minutes.
"All of the things I worked so hard for were suddenly crumbling down," Nemtin said.
But with the help of his three best friends, he decided to create a bucket list and set out to achieve those dreams. What began as a way to help overcome his anxiety and depression has led to a worldwide phenomena in which Nemtin and his friends have inspired millions of people to live their best lives personally and professionally.
As Monday's C3X Keynote Speaker, Nemtin challenged attendees to figure out “What do you want to do before you die?”
“We have all these things we want to do, but they are buried,” Nemtin said.
Nemtin and his friends kicked off the creation of their bucket list with these two ideas: “Pretend you have $10 million in the bank; and what would you do with it?”
Finding himself at a crossroads Nemtin made a decision.
“I decided to only surround myself with people that inspire me,” he said. “I didn’t know it then, but that one small decision would completely change the rest of my life and lead me down a path where I would learn my most valuable lessons."
Nemtin said he’s learned how to navigate hard times through the ups and downs of his life. From those lesssons he's created a "Resilience Tool Kit" and here is what he said the kit should include:
Gratitude: Pick one thing in the morning and one thing in the evening that you’re thankful for.
Exercise: It helps relieve stress. An exercise routine is critical, he said.
Mindfulness: Nemtin said there are many forms of mindfulness, and if you want to feel less anxious, take mindful breaths.
Digital Detox: Nemtin said often he finds himself starting to feel depressed when scrolling through social media. He recommends taking a 24-48 hour break from social media and the news. “This is about taking a step back so you can gain control so you can come back to the news and social media feeling better,” he said. This is about focusing on things that we can control in a world that feels like it’s out of control.”
He reminded C3X attendees to stay connected with people, saying now more than ever connection is extremely important; to find purpose in their personal and professional life, to help others because it helps you feel better about yourself.
"Prioritizing your own personal goals is vital for your wellbeing," he said. "You can't take care of other people if you don't take care of yourself. You are in the service industry. You can't do do that if you don't feel well."
He encouraged everyone to avoid putting off their dreams and personal goals.
"There are deadlines with our personal goals, and we put things off until we are out of time," he said. "We need to create accountability for our goals. You are the architect of your own happiness."
