Instead Of Reacting To Circumstance, It's Always Within Our Power To Decide How We Choose To Respond To It

So far, the year 2017 has been a test of patience, courage, hope, and character. I've faced many challenges that blind-sided me and piled on continuously which felt like the weight of the moon on my back, or a hoard of rats suffocating every inch of me. It almost felt like Murphy's Law, where anything that could go wrong, would. I was faced with personal events that significantly altered family living, I was laid off from my then job because they were downsizing, and I was facing financial issues and fees. There would be days where I would struggle to keep it together - but I had to. I had to find a way to make it past my challenges and overcome my obstacles in order to succeed because Isaac needs me to.

My son is the motivation that drives me to be a good man. Just knowing that he exists makes me happy and his presence makes my heart full of joy. His smile lifts the soul and his hugs keep me grounded. My son and I have a daily habit where we ask ourselves, "what are three things we're grateful for?" Sometimes, his answers tend to be straightforward like "food", or "playing". But many times, one of his answers will be simply "Dad". I try to teach him to find things every day to be grateful for because it's food for the soul and it'll help develop a positive perspective in life. And every day where I felt like I was down and out, I still asked myself what three things am I grateful for, despite challenges and setbacks. Thankfully, I can now say that I am grateful for a new job, which feels like a great weight off my shoulders and a breath of fresh air. My goal is to grow and continue to provide for Isaac through my career and set an example of a role model and how they face challenges.

Instead of reacting to circumstances, it's always within our power to decide how we choose to respond to them.