My Story
Hi, I'm Paul Snow, the creator, and founder of ZUP2U. Welcome, and thank you for stopping by.
All my life experiences and passion for helping others inspired my mission to help you activate your superpower of being yourself.
Too often, you pretend to be someone you're not to fit in or be part of the group because you live in a prison of what other people might think or say. I know I was this person for years and still have to keep myself in check.
As a child, you were TAUGHT to fit in; when you get older, you are TOLD you don't stand out enough. Please read that again, and let it sink in.
If you're like me, when you look back on your childhood, your parents (or any authority figure) taught you how important it was to get along with other kids and fit in with the group. But as you get older, you are told you don't stand out enough.
Ok, which is it?
Should I fit in or stand out? Now, you can see why you may struggle to be yourself.
So in my quest to discover my superpower of being myself the best I can. I decided to look in the mirror and dig deep into my most impactful life experiences, looking at every detail of those situations to reveal my true self and purpose.
Here is what I discovered.
My why is to inspire, encourage and develop others so they know they have the ability, tools, and confidence to overcome whatever life throws at them.
During my discovery journey is when I realized I've been doing this most of my life on a small scale.
I will be vulnerable, open, and honest by sharing some of my most impactful life experiences. I need you to know this is not for sympathy; it's to provide you with perspective.
It all started in elementary school when my teacher noticed I wasn't learning as fast as the other kids—looking out for my best interest; they placed me in special education classes.
Suddenly, I was viewed differently and made fun of for not being like everyone else. This was devastating for me; at that time, I had no idea how much it would mold my life.
That treatment from other kids continued through junior high school; my self-doubt kept growing, and I was afraid to be myself, which I still have to keep in check today.
So I threw myself into sports, specifically hockey, I was pretty good, and no one made fun of me. Quite the opposite, everyone respected me and wanted to be on the same team.
My failed hockey career is a story for another day, but I'm so thankful I could find someplace I felt accepted.
Growing up, I never thought much past the current day, living carefree and loving every minute just as kids should. But sometimes, things in life happen that leave a lasting impact.
For me, it was when I was nine years old. My friend and I went to her house to ask her mom if she could go swimming with us when the unimaginable happened.
I opened the laundry room door to find her mother hanging; she had taken her own life. I can recall almost every detail like it was yesterday, but it's been over forty years.
Later in my early teens, two of my neighborhood friends took their lives. I had no idea they were hurting so bad that they felt the only option was to end it all.
Many family members have struggled with the addiction disease, even to the point of losing their lives. One of the hardest was watching my mother battle alcoholism; she was in and out of rehab for years.
My father was at work and had this feeling that his father (who passed many years before) urged him to go home and check on my mom. He did, found her unresponsive and almost dead. She was rushed to the hospital; the doctor told my father she would have died if he hadn't checked on her.
Ironically, my father had packed a bag that morning with no intention of going home because he felt he could no longer help her. Shortly after, my mother went into treatment and was sober for 14 years until she passed away due to heart surgery complications.
I was naive and did not fully understand that addiction was a disease until I witnessed my mother struggle. That was a rough time, especially for my father.
A little over 20 years ago, my life was going great, and I was looking forward to the future. I had an amazing woman in my life, a great career, great friends, and not a care in the world.
I had no idea life was about to be turned upside down, and I would never be the same person again.
Doree was that amazing woman. She started having all these pains in her body, so we took her to the doctor after doctor, and they all said it was just cramps or muscle aches.
Her pain was so bad that she asked me to make a fist and place it in the small of her back. Then I put all my weight (about 180lbs) into it, relieving her pain.
What was going on; how could putting that much pressure/weight help relieve the pain?
Something wasn't right. We went to the hospital to figure out what was happening. They gave her some pain medicine to relieve the excruciating pain and started running different tests.
Finally, the doctors had the answer, but it wasn't good news. She had cancer! I went numb and started crying.
We asked what kind of cancer the doctor said she has rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the skeletal muscles, which explains why she's been in so much pain.
This cancer is rare, highly aggressive, and usually found in young children. It was stage four and had metastasized throughout her body. The survival rate is less than 8%, and the treatment is very aggressive but not very successful.
She started treatment right away and fought for 11 months, with me, right by her side every step of the way before she passed away in my arms.
My life is no different than anyone else's; everyone has been through challenging things in their lives. As you read my story, something from your life was most likely going through your head.
If anything I said or have been through resonated with you, and you feel like I may be able to help you embrace your superpower.
Please reach out, schedule a 15-minute call and let's chat.
Thank you for the time
Best,
Paul Snow
@ZUP2U
UNLEASH YOUR SUPERPOWER!
For years I lived in fear and judgment of others, and that's why I created this free 9-step guide to help you embrace your superpower of being yourself because I know how difficult it is when you're afraid of being judged by others.
YOUR GOALS & DREAMS AWAIT!
I created this free Vision Board because it's one thing to talk about wanting to live a better life; it's another to put it on paper and hold yourself accountable for your dreams and aspirations.