12/09/2026
The last 2½ years have brought a level of pain, grief and loss that I genuinely wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.
1. LET THE PAST MAKE YOU BETTER, NOT BITTER.
Pain, loss and grief can change you, but eventually you have to decide how they change you. I can’t change the past, but I can decide what kind of man walks out the other side of it. I choose better, not bitter.
2. RULE YOUR MIND, OR IT WILL RULE YOU.
Overthinking, replaying situations and worrying about things you can’t control can destroy your peace. I’ve learned that I don’t have to believe every thought that enters my head. Protect your mind, work on it and when things become too heavy, talk to someone. There is nothing weak about a man asking for help.
3. SILENCE IS BETTER THAN UNNECESSARY DRAMA.
Not everything deserves a response. You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to or constantly explain yourself to people committed to misunderstanding you. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is protect your peace, stay silent and let your actions speak.
4. FOCUS ON THE STEP IN FRONT OF YOU, NOT THE WHOLE STAIRCASE.
When life feels overwhelming, stop trying to fix everything at once. Get out of bed. Go to work. Train. Make the phone call. Attend therapy. Say the prayer. Take one step, then tomorrow take another. You rebuild your life one decision, one day and one brick at a time.
5. LIFE CAN FLIP IN A SECOND.
Nothing is guaranteed. Not time. Not health. Not tomorrow. Not the people you love. So love louder. Appreciate deeper. Tell people you love them. Hug your loved ones tighter. Be present. Forgive where you can and stop waiting for “one day.” Because what feels normal today could become something you pray to have back tomorrow.
I’m still a work in progress. I’m still learning, healing and working every day to become the best version of myself possible. Healing isn’t pretending nothing happened; it’s refusing to allow what happened to determine the rest of your life.
I have faith that relationships can be restored, broken things can be rebuilt and things lost during difficult seasons don’t mean the story ends there.