Bridget Maddox of Thornton on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Bridget Maddox shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Bridget, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
I think that it is very misunderstood that being a Personal Caregiver is “just a job”. I think this because I have often had people tell me to just go to work, do my job, leave and not get too involved. However, a Personal Caregiver is not “just a job”, but it is a way of fulfilling my purpose in life to care for and serve others. I don’t think people understand that my business allows me to become part of that persons life and provide them and their family members with care, compassion, understanding and love on a more intimate level than they would receive from a facility or a larger company. Lastly, I think the business that I work in is misunderstood because it’s not “just a job” that pays us to be there, but it’s a personal reward for doing what we are passionate about and LOVE!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Greetings everyone, I am Bridget Maddox, the small business owner of In Bridget’s Hands Services. I have been working as a full-time independent Personal Caregiver for three years. Before going into this field full-time, I worked part time as a caregiver for 8 years while working other jobs. I provide one-on-one care to infants, seniors and disabled adults. I decided to start my business when I realized working in facilities and with companies often made me become frustrated by always wanting to do “more” for the individuals, but couldn’t because of the policies and procedures that were in place. I hated seeing people hurting physically or emotionally and often didn’t have anyone to show them compassion or empathy. Being away of this, I knew the only way to change that would be to do it on my own.
I believe my small business is unique because I incorporate versatility among the clients I service and that allows me to stay aware of the each clients needs and not get too complacent with the care and services I provide.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
The person that taught me most about work was my mother. She taught me that sometimes work may not be what we think it should be, but it is what helps us care for the things in life that we need to live. In teaching me that, she also taught me not to just give the bare minimum but always give my best and the reward will come in the end.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me to always listen to the voice of God and trust in His word and His love for me through my situations. I believe success could never teach me this because I wouldn’t feel the need to lean and depend on God’s best for my life because the things that I would need to trust Him to do in my life, I had already gained it.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I believe one of the biggest lies the industry of caring for others tells itself is that doing the bare minimum is enough for the person they are caring for. Sometimes that client may need you to go a little further vocally, physically or emotionally because they don’t always feel that it’s safe to communicate particular feelings of sadness, hurt or the need for a hug. Being able to go above and beyond in the simplest manner could mean so much to the individual.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I have learned to understand that forgiveness is for ME and not the other person that I have chosen to forgive. Most people do not understand that forgiveness releases the heavy weight of the hurt that the individual caused you and it allows you to see life from a different view and move on in life successfully.