Please share this letter, or some positive words of your own, with anyone you know who is or was incarcerated.
You might be innocent. You might not be innocent. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you have the opportunity to make a choice right now that can change the entire experience for the remainder of your life. But it starts with you.
Option 1:
You can choose to live defeated. You can choose to live with regret. You can choose to live in bitterness. You can choose to hate those who have hurt you. You can decide to seek revenge. You can decide to make excuses for why you can’t succeed. You can choose to make excuses for your failures and mistakes. You can choose to blame others. You can choose to feel worthless. You can choose to think that your options have run out. You can choose to believe that there is nothing else to live for. You can choose to live with a negative attitude. You can choose to sacrifice your joy and happiness. You can choose to be a burden to others. You can choose not to try to improve your life from here. You can choose to feel insecure. You can choose to live without confidence and high self-esteem. You can choose to believe that your life is on hold for some imaginary moment that may never come. You can choose to live in shame. You can choose to live in unforgiveness. You can choose to be ashamed of your past. You can choose to be ashamed of where you have been. You can choose to be ashamed of your mistakes. You can choose to be ashamed of your story. You can choose to be unproductive and do nothing for the rest of your life. You can choose to surround yourself with unhealthy and troublesome people. You can choose to implement inefficient thinking patterns. You can choose to implement unproductive habits.
But there is also another option you can choose…
Option 2:
You can choose to live with gratitude. You can decide to make new productive decisions. You can choose to live without shame and regret. You can choose not to make excuses for your past. You can choose to live with freedom, courage, ambition, and without limits. You can choose to live with a hopeful and positive attitude. You can choose to live successfully. You can choose joy, peace, happiness, and contentment. You can know this is not it for you, and you have big plans for your life. You can choose to realize and live out your purpose. You can decide to make your adversity an advantage for your present and future. You can choose to forgive others who have hurt you. You can choose to forgive yourself for anything you hold against yourself. You can decide to move forward with your life. You can choose to look forward and not backward. You can choose to empower others. You can choose to be generous to others. You can choose to live victoriously. You can decide to make the most out of the time you have left in life. You can choose to plant seeds of kindness to yourself and others. You can choose to invest in your dreams and goals. You can choose to be hopeful. Because those with hope always have options.
Which Option Will You Choose?
Don’t ever think for a second that your power is gone. You are in charge of your life. Though your circumstances may seem to confine you, your mind, heart, spirit, soul, passion, drive, imagination, goals, dreams, and ambition are all yours to keep; never lose sight of this fact. When you do, you subject yourself to feelings of hopelessness, depression, negative thinking, and other unproductive thoughts and actions.
It might seem impossible for you to be successful at this point, or maybe it doesn’t, but for those struggling to believe you still have options, I want you to know that you do (as long as you believe you do). When you believe you have options and have faith, you can do whatever you put your mind to; doors will open up for you that you never dreamt of (as long as you put in the consistent effort). Your reality, future, and success are up to one person, and that person is you. Don’t give up your life to someone else. Don’t give up your freedom for your past. Don’t give up your hope for past mistakes. Don’t give up a victorious life by living in shame, regret, and unforgiveness.
You Are A Winner!
You are not a loser. The losers of this world give up when life throws a wrench at them. The losers have no stamina or resilience. The losers live in the past. The losers always have excuses for why they can’t succeed. The losers always have excuses for why they live in poverty. The losers always have excuses for they can’t do something productive with their lives.
Remember, you are a winner. Winners have options. Winners know where they are going and where they are not going. Winners create well-designed roadmaps for their lives.
Today, and from this day on, I encourage you to live a well-designed life with you in the driver’s seat.
You can make the most of where you are, where you have been, where you are going, or give up.
This road from here may be easy or filled with challenges. Will you fold when the challenges come? Will you quit at the first sign of resistance and rejection? Will you let insecurity, fear, and a lack of confidence prevent you from going after what you really want? Will you let past decisions, mistakes, or unfortunate circumstances outside of your control ruin your life?
Use Your Disadvantages To Your Advantage
You can still be an inspiration to others. Your hurt, pain, unproductive choices, and the unfortunate circumstances that have happened in your life can all be used in your favor; to inspire others and push you into tremendous success.
There are only limits for those who see them.
Will you look for limitations, or will you focus on possibility?
Don’t Allow Your Past To Dictate Your Future
Don’t ever permit your past to dictate your future negatively. Each day make a little ground towards your goals.
Ask yourself daily, “If I continue doing what I am doing now, where will I end up five years from now?” Every day provides you a new opportunity to change your life direction. Furthermore, each day offers you the chance to take one step closer to your ultimate dreams and goals.
Do you feel that this situation has cut off your opportunity for a better life? It hasn’t. But negative thinking will quickly cut off all options for you. So, guard your mind with vigilance. Guard your thinking, guard your attitude, and guard your dreams. Fight to keep a burning fire in your soul. Fight to protect your dreams and to keep your ambition fueled up. Your dreams deserve a chance. Your goals are waiting for you to accomplish them if only you persist.
Never stop dreaming. Never stop giving. Never stop loving yourself. Never stop forgiving yourself and others. Never stop growing and developing into a better human being. Never stop educating yourself. Never stop being the best you can be. Never stop pushing the boundaries of your limitless potential. Never stop believing in yourself. Never stop being kind to yourself. Never stop being kind to others. Never stop investing in yourself. Never stop looking for ways to better your life. Never stop guarding your mind and thoughts. Never quit on you. Be an active dreamer. Be different. Defy the odds of your past circumstances. Defy the odds of where you have come from. Be an outlier. You were born to be extraordinary. So, be extraordinary.
Sincerely,
Destiny S. Harris
Destiny S. Harris is a writer, poet, entrepreneur, teacher, and techie who offers free books daily on amazon. Destiny obtained three degrees in political science, psychology, and women’s studies. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or @ destinyh.com