*A Journey into the Heart of Mental Wellness and Emotional Intelligence*
Hello there,
I wanted to take a moment to share a little bit about why we embarked on this incredible journey of creating our charitable foundation in the Greater Las Vegas area. Our mission is clear: to teach emotional intelligence, support adolescents in their pursuit of better mental wellness, and empower these young minds with invaluable life lessons in gratitude and positivity. But why these particular areas of focus, you might wonder? Allow me to shed some light on that.
**Why Mental Wellness?**
Mental wellness, in simple terms, is the state of well-being that encompasses coping with stress, working and learning productively, and relating to others in a healthy manner. The reason I began with this definition is because it strikes me that a staggering 99% of people don't even know what mental wellness truly means. It's a term often overshadowed or misunderstood in our fast-paced lives.
The mental wellness of our teenagers and the world they inhabit is at an all-time low. The pressure, stress, and anxiety that our youth experience every day are nothing short of catastrophic. As a community, it is our collective responsibility to address this crisis head-on.
**Why Emotional Intelligence?**
Nine years ago, I found myself working for my dad's business, managing a franchise for Snap-On tools. I embarked on this journey with a deep desire to give back to my parents for the incredible life they provided me during my formative years. However, each day I showed up to work felt like a never-ending struggle. I carried negativity and a dismal attitude home with me, affecting not only my own well-being but that of my wife and kids as well.
It was during this challenging time that I realized I needed to shift my perspective. Gratitude became my guiding light. I started writing in a gratitude journal every day, and it transformed my life. Not only did it provide an outlet for my emotions, but it also ingrained gratitude into my very being. For five years, I faithfully documented the things I was grateful for, and it changed the way I approached life.
The reason our foundation has chosen to focus on emotional intelligence is because we firmly believe that children are not adequately educated on the profound impact of emotions like gratitude, positivity, accountability, and self-awareness. We live in a society that often reacts to problems rather than addressing them proactively. Blame is cast outward, and we often find ourselves in artificial environments, disconnected from our true selves.
Our children don't even know where to begin when it comes to navigating their emotions. It's essential to lead by example, and that's something I've strived to do my entire life. Admittedly, it's a bit selfish on my part because I have three young children, and I don't want them to grow up in a world like the one we currently live in.
I've been helping kids for years in my free time, but now it's time to get serious. I'm not one to stay quiet when I see an opportunity to make a difference. I've been gifted with a positivity that's truly contagious, and our youth needs it now more than ever. They need to be uplifted, supported authentically, and shown the path to emotional intelligence.
We're leading by example, and we're already making a difference in the lives of these incredible kids. Together, we're on a journey to empower our youth with the tools they need to navigate life's challenges and find the beauty in every moment.
Thank you for joining us on this remarkable adventure. Stay tuned for updates on the impact we're making and how you can be a part of this incredible movement.
With gratitude and warmth,
Dominick