At some point in life, we all encounter a turning point—a moment that shifts how we see the world, how we move through it, and how we understand ourselves. We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realise that we only have one. With this realisation comes the invitation to grow, reflect, and embrace the sometimes painful, sometimes beautiful journey of becoming.
Lessons in Pain, Presence, and Perspective
A person changes for two reasons. Either someone special comes in their life or someone special leaves their life, nothing else. Change doesn’t always arrive with a warning. It can come quietly, tucked inside loss or love, in heartbreak or a long-awaited embrace. One day someone is going to hug you so tight that all of your broken pieces will stick back together. Until then, we gather the lessons.
Sometimes we fall down because there is something down there we’re supposed to find. The pain will leave once it has finished teaching you. And in those moments, when life knocks you down, roll over and watch the stars. Because even in despair, the sky offers a reason to keep going.
Understand that you own nothing in this world. Everything surrounding you is only temporary. Only the love you have in your heart will remain forever. That awareness, though sobering, is also freeing. Your past is just a story. And once you realise this, it has no power over you.
Choosing Growth Over Comfort
Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, you know what’s even scarier? Regret. Stop stopping yourself. The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places. Don’t stop. Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.
If it was easy, everyone would do it. That’s why when you build in silence, they don’t know what to attack. People talk behind your back for three reasons: when they can’t reach your level, when they don’t have what you have, and when they try to copy your lifestyle, but can’t. Let that be noise, not a direction.
Your only competition is the person you were yesterday. When your technique is great, work on your control. When your control is great, work on your movement. When your movement is great, work on your presence. And when your presence is great, keep on working. Growth is endless.
Forgive yourself for accepting less than you deserved. But don’t do it again. And when you do fall short, forget the mistake; learn the lesson. One of the best things you can learn to do is rest rather than give up.
Destroy laziness or otherwise, it will destroy you. Common thinking will only get you a common life. Instead of saying, “I don’t have time,” try saying, “It’s not a priority,” and see how that feels. Your attention please: no one is coming to save you. This life is 100% your responsibility. Please plan accordingly.
Visualise yourself overcoming the obstacle rather than worrying about it. There is not enough room in your mind for both worry and faith. You must decide which one gets to live there.
Living With Heart, Grace, and Purpose
As you get older, life becomes all about following a few simple rules: be a gentleman, work hard, mind your manners, respect your elders, get a real job, be responsible, dress proper, start a family, move to the suburbs, be humble, listen to advice. Time to grow up. But growing up doesn’t mean giving up the tenderness. If you have been brutally broken but still have the courage to be gentle to other living beings, then you’re a badass with the heart of an angel.
Don’t let your mood dictate your manner. Best stress reliever: mind your own business. A bad attitude is like a flat tire—you can’t go anywhere until you change it. Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity.
The worst distance between two people is a misunderstanding. When you try to please everybody, you end up pleasing nobody. Your perception of me is a reflection of you. So focus on how you show up: your smile is your logo. Your personality is your business card. How you leave others feeling after an interaction becomes your trademark.
To me, that’s the definition of motherhood—selfless, endless, and limitless devotion to family. But even outside of parenthood, giving of ourselves, showing up, and leading with love is where purpose lives.
Happiness is only real when it’s shared. Dear God, I want to take a minute not to ask for anything from you, but simply to say thank you for all I have. Gratitude grounds us, especially when we feel adrift.
When thinking about life, remember this: no amount of guilt can solve the past. And no amount of anxiety can change the future. Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best.
I’m ready for the new chapter of my life. And while the future is unknown, there’s no need to rush. What’s meant for you always arrives on time.
In the end, it’s simple. The first wealth is health. Your tools are the very essence of your livelihood – make sure you’ve got all eventualities covered. Don’t worry about failures; worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try. May my haters enjoy seeing the results of my hustle as much as they liked watching the pain of my struggle.
Don’t buy me everything you wish you could have had growing up. Teach me everything you wish you would have known growing up. That’s how we leave a legacy—not of things, but of wisdom.
And above all: We are all one. Black, white, Latino, Asian, Native, young, old, gay, straight, men, women, folks with disabilities—all pledging allegiance under the same proud flag to this big, bold country that we love. Let’s honor that unity by becoming the best versions of ourselves.
