Daniel Hale Discusses Unexpected Blessings Through Loss

_{(Please be advised, today's episode deals with infant loss.)}
How could your life change if you turned a tragedy into inspiration? In today's episode, I spoke with Daniel Hale who lives everyday as a tribute to his infant daughter, Bridget, whom he and his wife lost to Trisomy 18 at 31 days old. 

Daniel is a math teacher-turned-entrepreneur located in New Jersey. In 2018, he and his wife discovered that the baby she was carrying had a rare genetic disorder called Trisomy 18. The prognosis was grim, but Daniel and his wife decided to carry their baby to term, and they were able to enjoy 31 days with their baby girl, Bridget. Her death caused a transformation in their lives, and since then, Daniel has challenged himself with physical feats that he lovingly calls "Bridget Challenges." It was a pleasure to talk to Daniel today and I hope all my listeners are inspired by Bridget's short life and her parents' amazing journey of healing. 

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Daniel's struggle with health and weight loss prior to his wife's pregnancy in 2018 (3:09) 
• His decision to focus on becoming healthy and fit, despite the devastating news about his unborn daughter (6:53) 
• The brief time he spent caring for Bridget and how important it was to make the most of those days, not knowing how long they had with her (8:37) 
• The importance of being fully present in your life and learning to let things go (12:21) 
• How losing Bridget allowed him to take a step back and realize what is truly important, and how that has affected his relationship with his wife and new baby, Grace (15:37) 
• The creation of the Bridget Challenges and what Daniel has accomplished through them (21:00) 
• How Daniel handles any anxiety and worry surrounding the challenges (24:13) 
• The training involved to prepare for each challenge (25:16) 
• Creating small habits over time that can help you realize your goals (28:14) 
• The non-negotiable routines and habits Daniel implements each day to help him stay on track (28:34) 
• The reasoning behind leaving his teaching career and starting a new tutoring business (31:16) 
• How Daniel incorporates micro-workouts into his day, which allows him to be fully present with his family when he returns home each evening (37:44) 
• The angst surrounding a "working for the weekend" mentality and how that all changes when everything you do has a purpose and helps get you closer to achieving your goals (42:42) 
• How the loss of Bridget has strengthened his relationship with his wife (46:22)

To learn more about Daniel and his incredible story:  

Your Friendly Math Tutor 

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