Light my soul on fire.

My father has been in and out of jail/prison my entire life and as a result I am all too familiar with barbed wire, electric fences, cinderblock walls, and security checkpoints. By the time I was eleven I had visited the courthouse more times than the average person ever will. 

Lately, my father’s past has come up a lot in regard to my own life. People are quick to judge me because of my experiences when I was a child. But the thing is, that’s never really been my life—not by choice anyway. However, those struggles became the fuel that lit a passionate fire within me. 

Recently, I was having a conversation with three friends on a warm sandy beach about how attitude and determination make all the difference in life. Each one of us came from completely different backgrounds, but we all made the same decision to live a better life than that in which society predicted for us. One simple commonality in regard to our attitudes about life literally paved the path for one of the most inspiring friendships.

It is hard to come alive when your critics are constantly trying to break you down, but the world needs more people like you. More people who aren’t afraid to face their fears and defy statistics. It took me a long time to figure this out.

Tim Ferriss said it best, "If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think."

After all, once you have accepted your flaws no one can use them against you.