On 2/15/17 Kev writes, I type...
We all have people, places and things in our lives that trigger negative thinking patterns and behaviors. We cannot change everything around us, but we can learn to maintain our own personal serenity...When we allow outside forces to affect our well being, we are feeding ammunition to a gun of negativity that will ultimately lead to our own self- destruction. When we wallow in our own self-destruction we are incapable of being of service to those around us, and most importantly to those who love us. We must realize that we cannot change the things that trigger us, but we must learn to change how we react to those things...
It is our own mind that becomes the most deadly weapon we use against ourselves. When we learn to conquer our triggers...We will begin to unload the bullets from that weapon.
Today's positive affirmation: I will arm myself with a positive mindset in order to conquer my fears.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017
Evasive Action
On 2/12/17 Kev writes, I type...
We must learn to evade fear by fighting back with hope. We have nothing to fear but ourselves..If we become examples of positivity, we avoid the pitfalls of negative outcomes in our lives. I truly believe we were created not to harm each other because in doing so we harm our species as a whole. Fear leads to ignorance and it is that same ignorance that destroys the true connection we are meant to share with one another. The truth is.. we are built to love. Some of us have never been shown what real love truly means. True love is not found through our own selfish satisfactions, but is found through the selfless expression we share with each other. Being able to accept all life as the same precious force that drives and connects us all is the very thing that will lead us to understand love and help evade hate.
We evade death by accepting that life, all life, is the most beautiful thing that exists. We are all connected....every flower will bloom, every flower will die but if we do not nourish the very soil we sow our seeds in we will perish.
Each day when I wake up , I remind myself of all the things I am grateful for...I remember where I have been and use that reminder as a guide for personal growth. Life is not perfection, life is progress. When we are able to take the right steps forward we are able to leave a path in which future generations can follow and learn from.
Think of your selves as a business. If we make healthy investments we will reap healthy returns but if we make negative investments not only do we destroy the future for ourselves, we destroy the future for each other. It is true that change happens through trial and error and we must learn those errors in order to change. If we sit in our indecisions, we end up closing the door on life. Sometimes we have to keep walking through that door in order to get where we truly need to be. Redirect yourself when you find life becoming the thing that holds you back from living...
Today's positive affirmation: I will accept all life for the benefit of life..
We must learn to evade fear by fighting back with hope. We have nothing to fear but ourselves..If we become examples of positivity, we avoid the pitfalls of negative outcomes in our lives. I truly believe we were created not to harm each other because in doing so we harm our species as a whole. Fear leads to ignorance and it is that same ignorance that destroys the true connection we are meant to share with one another. The truth is.. we are built to love. Some of us have never been shown what real love truly means. True love is not found through our own selfish satisfactions, but is found through the selfless expression we share with each other. Being able to accept all life as the same precious force that drives and connects us all is the very thing that will lead us to understand love and help evade hate.
We evade death by accepting that life, all life, is the most beautiful thing that exists. We are all connected....every flower will bloom, every flower will die but if we do not nourish the very soil we sow our seeds in we will perish.
Each day when I wake up , I remind myself of all the things I am grateful for...I remember where I have been and use that reminder as a guide for personal growth. Life is not perfection, life is progress. When we are able to take the right steps forward we are able to leave a path in which future generations can follow and learn from.
Think of your selves as a business. If we make healthy investments we will reap healthy returns but if we make negative investments not only do we destroy the future for ourselves, we destroy the future for each other. It is true that change happens through trial and error and we must learn those errors in order to change. If we sit in our indecisions, we end up closing the door on life. Sometimes we have to keep walking through that door in order to get where we truly need to be. Redirect yourself when you find life becoming the thing that holds you back from living...
Today's positive affirmation: I will accept all life for the benefit of life..
Friday, February 10, 2017
Invisible Beauty
On 2/9/17 Kev writes and I type...
Sometimes the most beautiful things cannot be seen, they have to be felt.
Place your hand over your heart....do you feel that beat? That timeless melody that carries our soul..that voice that teaches us to love...
Sometimes you have to close your eyes to see what you can't when they are open....just listen to that song that plays within you,There is no song sweeter than the one we sing with our soul.
We are all instruments in a much bigger symphony...what way will you sing your song?
This life is a blank canvas just waiting for a masterpiece to be painted...
True beauty....
Is a soldier that carries a wounded friend from the battlefield, A doctor saving lives. A mother giving birth. True beauty is a moment where life becomes real, and love becomes seen.
I once watched a news clip where a man was trapped in flooding water.....bystanders locked arms in a chain that reached into the river and saved that drowning man. When those arms locked together with selfless purpose...you could feel that invisible moment where separate lives came together for the benefit of one another...that was beauty.
When multiple instruments play together, a song becomes more beautiful. When we lay down our personal satisfaction to satisfy humanity..our whole world becomes more beautiful.
Life will always come and go like the swaying of the tide, but the sun will always be the mainstay.What we leave in the light before darkness comes will dictate the future of days to come...
What song will you leave inside the breeze?
There is invisible beauty inside us all,,we must reach down and share it with one another...we must learn to play our song.
Today's positive affirmation: I will be an instrument of love, and a song worth hearing.
Sometimes the most beautiful things cannot be seen, they have to be felt.
Place your hand over your heart....do you feel that beat? That timeless melody that carries our soul..that voice that teaches us to love...
Sometimes you have to close your eyes to see what you can't when they are open....just listen to that song that plays within you,There is no song sweeter than the one we sing with our soul.
We are all instruments in a much bigger symphony...what way will you sing your song?
This life is a blank canvas just waiting for a masterpiece to be painted...
True beauty....
Is a soldier that carries a wounded friend from the battlefield, A doctor saving lives. A mother giving birth. True beauty is a moment where life becomes real, and love becomes seen.
I once watched a news clip where a man was trapped in flooding water.....bystanders locked arms in a chain that reached into the river and saved that drowning man. When those arms locked together with selfless purpose...you could feel that invisible moment where separate lives came together for the benefit of one another...that was beauty.
When multiple instruments play together, a song becomes more beautiful. When we lay down our personal satisfaction to satisfy humanity..our whole world becomes more beautiful.
Life will always come and go like the swaying of the tide, but the sun will always be the mainstay.What we leave in the light before darkness comes will dictate the future of days to come...
What song will you leave inside the breeze?
There is invisible beauty inside us all,,we must reach down and share it with one another...we must learn to play our song.
Today's positive affirmation: I will be an instrument of love, and a song worth hearing.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Pain As A Platform
On 2/7/17 Kev writes and I type:
It only takes a small glimmer of light to spread like wildfire. The more light that spreads in the face of darkness the easier it will be to find a brighter future.
I once listened to a preacher speak about using our pain as a platform..We must begin to learn from our past experiences ad use that pain as a catalyst for progress. The resentments we hold against each other will only work to pull us apart. Integrity is a stronger binding agent than hate...We must learn to accept each other an d ourselves in order to move forward. We were all created I the same image and must be able to accept each other's differences. The point is that we are all of on conscious. We are all connected because we are all..Human. We must stand together in order to serve our greatest concern and that is the survival of our humanity. The pain of being human is our greatest platform to stand on. We all relate to one another in some way or other, and we must be able to realize that standing together instead of standing apart is key.
Whatever type of pain you have experienced in your life..you must remember that someone else has shared that same pain. If we begin to share our experiences with each other..we can begin to use that pain to create hope. Our connection to each other is one of our greatest strengths.
One of the best concepts I've been able to experience through recovery is found in the shard experience of one addict helping another. This same concept can be used to help more than just addict to find a better way of life. We learn from each other but until we are able to accept each other, we learn nothing.
I'm asking all of you to give each other a chance. Realize that no matter how different in appearance we may seem that we have one thing in common...We are human! Show you care by showing you are the same...Share your triumph over the struggles in your life with the next person and use your pain as a platform
Today's positive affirmation: I will share my experience, strength ad hope with the next person.
It only takes a small glimmer of light to spread like wildfire. The more light that spreads in the face of darkness the easier it will be to find a brighter future.
I once listened to a preacher speak about using our pain as a platform..We must begin to learn from our past experiences ad use that pain as a catalyst for progress. The resentments we hold against each other will only work to pull us apart. Integrity is a stronger binding agent than hate...We must learn to accept each other an d ourselves in order to move forward. We were all created I the same image and must be able to accept each other's differences. The point is that we are all of on conscious. We are all connected because we are all..Human. We must stand together in order to serve our greatest concern and that is the survival of our humanity. The pain of being human is our greatest platform to stand on. We all relate to one another in some way or other, and we must be able to realize that standing together instead of standing apart is key.
Whatever type of pain you have experienced in your life..you must remember that someone else has shared that same pain. If we begin to share our experiences with each other..we can begin to use that pain to create hope. Our connection to each other is one of our greatest strengths.
One of the best concepts I've been able to experience through recovery is found in the shard experience of one addict helping another. This same concept can be used to help more than just addict to find a better way of life. We learn from each other but until we are able to accept each other, we learn nothing.
I'm asking all of you to give each other a chance. Realize that no matter how different in appearance we may seem that we have one thing in common...We are human! Show you care by showing you are the same...Share your triumph over the struggles in your life with the next person and use your pain as a platform
Today's positive affirmation: I will share my experience, strength ad hope with the next person.
An Equal Yoke
On 2/3/17 Kevin writes:
We are all connected and bound together through our actions and experiences in life...presentation is everything. We must be willing to become a equal yoke that represents a worthwhile existence. Alone we are only able to be single pieces of fabric.. When we become a combined effort and place our strength in righteous cause we become a foundation that young minds can stand on, build from and make a better future.
Imagine the human race depicted as a massive body of water. We ebb and flow together through time. The more we resist the currents of our inevitable connections, the more we end up becoming a sea of uncertainty and chaos. We must be able to embrace each other's flaws and imperfections. We are life cycles that affect the next spin, and until we are able to lay down our ignorance and embrace our fellow man we will continue to crash like waves against a disappearing shore.
What will you stand for? What will you represent? Let us be the tides that turn..changing the course of expected history one wave at a time.
We must not hold unreal expectation for one another. Where you are in your life whether it be spiritual, mental or emotional does not mean the next man is in the same place. We must be able to respect our cultural differences, and learn from each other. Trying to understand what drives another man's actions brings us greater insights within ourselves. We strive for progress but must realize that there will always be room for us to grow.
Have integrity...be responsible for planting seeds that are worth growing.
I hope together we can grow, blossom and spread a meaningful existence for our children and most importantly for ourselves because the true change begins with our own actions. We must portray the image we want to be painted...and we are all an equal yoke.
Today's positive affirmation: I have the willingness and understanding to accept my fellow man and continuously strive to be a positive example.
We are all connected and bound together through our actions and experiences in life...presentation is everything. We must be willing to become a equal yoke that represents a worthwhile existence. Alone we are only able to be single pieces of fabric.. When we become a combined effort and place our strength in righteous cause we become a foundation that young minds can stand on, build from and make a better future.
Imagine the human race depicted as a massive body of water. We ebb and flow together through time. The more we resist the currents of our inevitable connections, the more we end up becoming a sea of uncertainty and chaos. We must be able to embrace each other's flaws and imperfections. We are life cycles that affect the next spin, and until we are able to lay down our ignorance and embrace our fellow man we will continue to crash like waves against a disappearing shore.
What will you stand for? What will you represent? Let us be the tides that turn..changing the course of expected history one wave at a time.
We must not hold unreal expectation for one another. Where you are in your life whether it be spiritual, mental or emotional does not mean the next man is in the same place. We must be able to respect our cultural differences, and learn from each other. Trying to understand what drives another man's actions brings us greater insights within ourselves. We strive for progress but must realize that there will always be room for us to grow.
Have integrity...be responsible for planting seeds that are worth growing.
I hope together we can grow, blossom and spread a meaningful existence for our children and most importantly for ourselves because the true change begins with our own actions. We must portray the image we want to be painted...and we are all an equal yoke.
Today's positive affirmation: I have the willingness and understanding to accept my fellow man and continuously strive to be a positive example.
Walking With Our Shadows
I missed this post from Kevin early on and wanted to get it on here.
On 1/23/17 Kevin writes, I type:
Don't ever be afraid to peel off your darkness and leave it by your side. We all have to be able to walk with our shadows. Realize that one thing can never define you unless you allow it to. Life is mostly a complex string of events defined by our reaction to them. You can either let a moment hold you hostage or you can use it to push forward. Life is going to come at you regardless, and we can't always duck or dodge what is in front of us. We must realize that the more we stray from our path to run from something we have fear of facing...the more lost we end up. True strength comes from standing your ground in times of adversity.
I've made my mistakes in life, but I've learned I must never let it define my future self. My past mistakes are the shadows I keep beside me. I allow them to be a healthy reminder of where I have been, Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow and learn to be content within the moment. I feel like throughout each day its important to refocus our minds. We are beautiful machines...but like every machine we all require maintenance. Daily maintenance is an important part of our lives. When we hold onto a moment for too long we can become consumed by it. Daily maintenance is about keeping vigilance over your thoughts and emotions, and is about being able to let go and live on. I believe that true happiness comes from being able to have acceptance. Not just being able to accept you own self for the beautiful person you are, but being able to accept others for how they are and where they are in life. When we learn to keep our side of the street clean, we become examples for our neighbors. We feed off each other.. misery loves company. We must understand that a light will always shine brighter in the dark. When we learn to walk with our own shadows, we learn to shine for others.
Today's positive affirmation: I am the lighter in the darkness providing warmth for my fellow man.
Read! Comment! Reflect happiness, hope and strength. Become a mirror of acceptance.
On 1/23/17 Kevin writes, I type:
Don't ever be afraid to peel off your darkness and leave it by your side. We all have to be able to walk with our shadows. Realize that one thing can never define you unless you allow it to. Life is mostly a complex string of events defined by our reaction to them. You can either let a moment hold you hostage or you can use it to push forward. Life is going to come at you regardless, and we can't always duck or dodge what is in front of us. We must realize that the more we stray from our path to run from something we have fear of facing...the more lost we end up. True strength comes from standing your ground in times of adversity.
I've made my mistakes in life, but I've learned I must never let it define my future self. My past mistakes are the shadows I keep beside me. I allow them to be a healthy reminder of where I have been, Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow and learn to be content within the moment. I feel like throughout each day its important to refocus our minds. We are beautiful machines...but like every machine we all require maintenance. Daily maintenance is an important part of our lives. When we hold onto a moment for too long we can become consumed by it. Daily maintenance is about keeping vigilance over your thoughts and emotions, and is about being able to let go and live on. I believe that true happiness comes from being able to have acceptance. Not just being able to accept you own self for the beautiful person you are, but being able to accept others for how they are and where they are in life. When we learn to keep our side of the street clean, we become examples for our neighbors. We feed off each other.. misery loves company. We must understand that a light will always shine brighter in the dark. When we learn to walk with our own shadows, we learn to shine for others.
Today's positive affirmation: I am the lighter in the darkness providing warmth for my fellow man.
Read! Comment! Reflect happiness, hope and strength. Become a mirror of acceptance.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
#Commit
2/1/17 Kev writes.....
We spend our whole lives searching for a true meaning to life...The cycle of suffering continuously spins throughout our daily lives. We fear losing control so much, but don't seem to realize that most of the time....We are NOT in control. We search for happiness but fail to realize that happiness is not found...Happiness is contentment...it comes from within, and is something that cannot be purchased or gained outwardly.
The true meaning of life for me is about being able to break that cycle of suffering. So, just how do we equip ourselves for this epic battle?
Being incarcerated has been able to show me the true ugliness of human suffering..The greatest suffering comes from within the human soul. I watch men destroy each other on a daily basis for the sole purpose of self-satisfaction. Not only do I watch inmates act in this way..I see the people that work here treat one another in the same awful manner. I see the insecurities, pride and resentments found in each individual work to not only tear themselves apart from the inside, but I see them become the walls that block us from progress.
I don't try to distance myself from the men in here....I strive to be a healthy example that they can not only relate to, but also be able to find hope and strength from. I've committed myself to being a reflection that demonstrates what true change takes and what change means. Most of these men have become so bogged down by the guilt of their actions that they end up succumbing to the image they believe the rest of the world will see them as. When we give up on life..We not only give up on our own life but we kill what benefit we could have been for the betterment of other's lives. This is the cycle of suffering that keeps our species in a steady decline. This type of suffering is what keeps these men constantly trapped in the justice system.
We must commit ourselves towards becoming the change we wish to see. In order to stop the things that destroy our communities...We must first become the examples our children can follow.
Our response to the events that shape our lives dictate the landscape to those around us.
What will you commit to? I leave this question for you all to reflect on, and for you to reflect back. Post a picture that demonstrates your commitment towards positive change in the world. Hold a door for someone, give a compliment to someone, do something positive and share it here! #COMMIT
Today's Positive Affirmation: I will be the strength others can find hope in.
We spend our whole lives searching for a true meaning to life...The cycle of suffering continuously spins throughout our daily lives. We fear losing control so much, but don't seem to realize that most of the time....We are NOT in control. We search for happiness but fail to realize that happiness is not found...Happiness is contentment...it comes from within, and is something that cannot be purchased or gained outwardly.
The true meaning of life for me is about being able to break that cycle of suffering. So, just how do we equip ourselves for this epic battle?
Being incarcerated has been able to show me the true ugliness of human suffering..The greatest suffering comes from within the human soul. I watch men destroy each other on a daily basis for the sole purpose of self-satisfaction. Not only do I watch inmates act in this way..I see the people that work here treat one another in the same awful manner. I see the insecurities, pride and resentments found in each individual work to not only tear themselves apart from the inside, but I see them become the walls that block us from progress.
I don't try to distance myself from the men in here....I strive to be a healthy example that they can not only relate to, but also be able to find hope and strength from. I've committed myself to being a reflection that demonstrates what true change takes and what change means. Most of these men have become so bogged down by the guilt of their actions that they end up succumbing to the image they believe the rest of the world will see them as. When we give up on life..We not only give up on our own life but we kill what benefit we could have been for the betterment of other's lives. This is the cycle of suffering that keeps our species in a steady decline. This type of suffering is what keeps these men constantly trapped in the justice system.
We must commit ourselves towards becoming the change we wish to see. In order to stop the things that destroy our communities...We must first become the examples our children can follow.
Our response to the events that shape our lives dictate the landscape to those around us.
What will you commit to? I leave this question for you all to reflect on, and for you to reflect back. Post a picture that demonstrates your commitment towards positive change in the world. Hold a door for someone, give a compliment to someone, do something positive and share it here! #COMMIT
Today's Positive Affirmation: I will be the strength others can find hope in.
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