CENTURY 21 Atwood Real Estate shares the extraordinary story of Jeremy Westrum.
“If you could have one thing in life, what would it be?” Many people think about it and give the answer “happy, I just want to be happy”. Happiness can be manifested, but health can not.
“Adapt, change, grow. It was the only way.”
Some choices we can control, some circumstances we can’t. Somewhere along the way, mindset can make the difference. What is the hardest obstacle you have had to overcome? Did you create that obstacle because of your choices, or did you receive a blow that you were not expecting? Each of our stories are unique, and sharing those stories brings people together and can help to propagate new beginnings. Jeremy Westrum, founder of Rootz of Inspiration in Rochester, MN, is bringing the community together through his relentless story, and quite literally propagating new beginnings on many fronts.
Jeremy will be the first to tell you that many of his obstacles were created by his own choices. Going down a path without really following a passion, he struggled to create happiness. Thinking that a job or a lifestyle might be the key, he tried different roles and leaned into various substances, which ultimately led to mental health issues and addiction. Life became harder because of these choices and he paid the price in many ways. Loss of friends, loss of freedom, loss of his well-being. Things were only going to get worse for Jeremy before they got better. In the midst of it all he suffered a severe stroke which took away his ability to know how to talk, and had very few people remaining at his side to help him recover. He had to learn how to talk again – learn words and sentences. Still fighting the effects of addiction, the stroke, mental health and emotional issues, Jeremy realized a passion that uplifted him, something positive he could shift to. From that, eventually, Rootz of Inspiration was born, along with his re-created life.
Breaking off one leaf from a plant, a succulent to be specific, was its own form of therapy for Jeremy. Mindset shifted and it became clear to him that happiness is not found, or the result of something material, it is manifested by each individual. Replanting that leaf and propagating it into an apartment FULL of succulents was like life itself - you can be broken and start from almost nothing, and little by little grow into abundance. Jeremy started to help people in the community learn to propagate their own succulents, and passion for creating a different beginning for himself grew organically with his plants. Through this he saw an opportunity “do good things” and pay it forward. He employs community members with disabilities as well as other individuals that fell on hard times and needed a second chance in society. “If you do good things, good things will come” as Jeremy said, and Rootz is now a fully operative business in Rochester, growing little by little. That road was not easy either, taking on a new retail storefront lease last March during the onset of a pandemic, but the relentless mindset Jeremy has adapted has helped him persevere.
“Do good things.”
At Rootz of Inspiration, you can find plants, consignment art, window planters, wedding pieces, display cases and more. All curated with the help of his team, led by Jeremy, your relentless neighbor. CENTURY 21 Atwood loves this relentless story and the passion for “doing good things” for the community. Thank you for sharing your story, Jeremy.
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