Written by Susanne Menge for Community Food Share. You can also watch our interview with Susanne by clicking here.

I never imagined I would be on the receiving end of Community Food Share.

On a warm summer day in 2021, I awoke with a sense of foreboding. Instead of looking forward to a day filled with the work I love, my beautiful daughters, and playing outdoors, I was preoccupied with thoughts of what I didn’t have, what wasn’t going right, and whether I could feed my family. These anxieties had become the narrative of my mind, leaving me exhausted and questioning life.

Let me give you a little backstory…

I was the classic Boulder stay-at-home Mom: we bought what we wanted, traveled as desired, and played a lot. I went to yoga often, was super fit, received weekly massages, volunteered at my daughters’ schools, and donated money to charitable organizations.

Then, life took a turn.

I was raped by a man in my spiritual community, and in the wake of that trauma, my husband blamed me and ended our marriage. At 41, I became a single mom, running a household alone for the first time in my life. I hadn’t worked in 14 years, and my confidence was at an all-time low. I lost my family and my spiritual community — I was alone, terrified, and I wasn’t sure I was up for staying alive.

Through a combination of faith and hard work, I found my way, one step at a time.

I walked into Whole Foods Market on Pearl Street and asked for any job they had. Slowly, I rebuilt my confidence, and I was blessed to work with a leader who helped me recognize my gift for impacting employees in ways far beyond the job: I would relax the “hurry-up” in people and inspire them to grow.

Three years later, in February 2020, I launched my own coaching and consulting business. It was time to truly own the extraordinary gift and calling that was put on my heart. A month later, COVID hit. I had remarkable clients, but the revenue was not keeping up. I began living off of credit card debt while attempting to deny the worries and self-doubt that had consumed my mind’s internal chatter.

It was quite the paradox: as a coach, I was working to fill the emotional hunger in our world and yet physical hunger was closing in on me.

I considered my options — give in or go again? I leaned into my faith, leaned into my friends, and I realized it was time to make a tectonic shift.

Humbly, and still with some resistance, I began to explore new options. I moved to a home with lower rent, and I took another job at Whole Foods to create a steady income. I decided it was time for me to humble myself and walk through Community Food Share’s doors.

I did it. I drove there, parked, and walked in. Every step required a deep breath and gratitude that, this time, I could be on the receiving end of support.

What I received from Community Food Share was, yes, a beautiful array of food for my family; more importantly, I received kindness and compassion from the people who welcomed me in and showed me how it works. I walked away with the emotional nourishment I needed to feel connected, to feel seen, and to know that I would get through this, doing what makes sense, one breath at a time.

I never expected to walk this path, yet my three visits to Community Food Share’s pantry allowed me to experience the nourishment that comes when we ask for help. I needed the food bank to break the cycle of poverty thinking in me so I could relax my hurry-up and take my next steps. Once I knew I could feed my family, I was able to reconnect to my mission of inspiring each person to relax their hurry-up and do what makes sense. I began to ask empowered questions like “How much fun can I have today?” and “What makes sense now?” and my life began to shift…rapidly.

I am beyond grateful for the support of Community Food Share. There is such extraordinary generosity in our world and though I am used to being the one that gives a hand up, in the moment I needed a hand, you were there.

I am blessed to be fully back on my path of inspiring individuals and teams to Relax Your Hurry-Up and Do What Makes Sense. I would love to invite you to receive Relax Your Hurry-Up Energy Shots: Everyday Encouragement via text message. All very brief — like a kiss when you run out the door. Or a high-five when you are going through hell. Text me at (303) 529-1585 to receive your gift today!

Interested in hearing more from Susanne? You can watch a conversation with Susanne and Julia on YouTube.

In this video, Susanne Menge, a Community Food Share supporter and participant, shares her story of “moving from hungry to full” and shares her experience in how you can too.

A message from Susanne:

No one is coming to save us; there’s no magic wand to cultivate the life we desire. But the good news is that we have all it takes to feed ourselves the nourishment that’s needed —if we know how to unlock the best parts of ourselves.

To receive the free Energy Shots that Susanne offers in the video, text “YES” to (303) 529-1585. You will receive an auto-text in response, asking you to add yourself to Susanne’s address book. Once you finish this step, you will receive one more auto-text with Susanne’s contact information. Add it to your address book. After those two initial text messages, every daily text is a straight shot from her heart to yours!