How Origin Stories Shape Our Health

The other day I was listening to a podcast about origin stories - those defining experiences and influences that shape who we are.

I had never really thought about mine before, but something clicked. 

I started wondering:

What parts of my path, my talents, and my passions were seeded by the people and experiences that came before me?

Before I dive in, you might be thinking:

What does this have to do with health?

The short answer: everything.

Because our stories shape our thoughts, our actions, and our emotions. 

And all of those are directly connected to our health. How we feel, how we move forward, how we connect with others and ourselves - these are the threads that tie together emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Not all origin stories are easy or peaceful, but reflecting on them can be incredibly powerful. 

We can gain clarity about who we are, what we’ve inherited, and how far we’ve come. 

That awareness can help us move forward with more intention.

Tracing my Roots
As I looked back, I thought about the women in my life — my grandmothers and my mother — and how their passions and strengths have quietly lived on in me.

I’d never made these connections before, but now I see them so clearly.

Charlotte, My Paternal Grandmother
Charlotte was born in 1898. She married a small-town doctor, and shortly after, her in-laws moved in. 

According to family lore, her mother-in-law essentially took over the household. I imagine my grandmother may have felt a bit invisible. We lived far apart, and I didn’t get to know her well before she died, but she left a mark on me.

She gave me Charlotte’s Web when I was three, writing:

“This man, EB White, lives just down the road from us. I’ll show you his home next time you’re visiting Maine.”

She was a storyteller and a poet. I now have many of her short stories and poetry about Maine, nature, and family - and they are some of my most treasured possessions.  

You learn a lot about someone through their writing. 

It dawned on me: my love of writing - my comfort with expressing myself on paper - maybe that’s a gift from her.

Gladys, My Maternal Grandmother
Gladys was a formidable woman - strong, sharp, and full of presence.

My sister, who was 5 years younger than me, was afraid of her, but I loved watching her work.

She and my grandfather ran a funeral home in Syracuse. Actually they started the business after my Grandfather won the Irish Sweepstakes during the Depression. He figured he'd start a business … that would never go out of business. Not a bad way to think. 

He had the charisma; she had the operations brain. 

He died when I was five, and she took over the business - managing employees, balancing the books, making it all happen.

She was a woman running a business in a time when that was rare.

And I realize now how much that must have shaped me.

I went to business school. I worked at a Fortune 50 company for many years.  I launched my own business - Anne Engel Health. I never stopped to think how much of that might be rooted in her.

And My Mother, Nancy
My mother was an incredible woman.

She cooked beautifully - always making sure we had three vegetables of different colors on our plates. To this day, if I don’t do the same, I feel a little guilty. 😊

She was the ultimate community mom - head of every school committee, Girl Scout troop leader, fundraiser. She even helped us raise enough money to take Girl Scout trips to Mexico and Switzerland.

She worked before we were born, and again after we left for college in the school system.

In between, she gave everything to being present. I now see how much that influenced my own decision to prioritize being present for my four kids - and to make career choices that allowed me to do just that.

And of course, my love of healthy and delicious cooking? Taking the extra step to make things special? That all comes from her.  

Looking Back, Moving Forward
It’s a beautiful thing to realize that your passions and values - the things that make you you - didn’t just appear out of nowhere. They were shaped, gifted, modeled.

This history makes me reflect, with deep appreciation, on those who came before me - who laid the path and placed the stepping stones that led to where I stand now.

As we prepare for our daughter’s wedding (our first child to wed!) in Maine, I’m filled with gratitude.

I wish my parents were here to celebrate with us, but I’m beyond thankful that my amazing mother-in-law will be there - another strong, inspiring, and impressively kind woman who’s very much part of my daughter’s origin story.

From one generation to the next, we carry promises.

We hold onto the things that define us - that give us purpose, that shape how we show up in the world.

And as a Health Coach, I believe in honoring those roots while still growing forward.

A Reflection Invitation
What about you?

Have you ever thought about your own origin story? What gifts, traits, or lessons have you carried from those who came before you?

Sometimes the answers offer insight into what matters most - and where you might want to go next.

 If you want to chat about your origin story, and how it impacts how you move forward, schedule a call - would love to meet you.