Inspiration From Prison
Read this if you want to be inspired to find your grit!
My husband is serving a life sentence in prison. Our life is rarely simple and presents us with unusual challenges. Sometimes I struggle, yet even from behind bars he finds ways to have my back. I’m sharing an excerpt of a letter he wrote me because I hope his words inspire you as much as they do me!
As for increasing your grit, to me it is simple — have you had enough? If you have, then that’s what I say — “Enough!” Then I do what needs doing, turn it into a get to/want to and take the steps to ensure that it won’t happen again. Decide. It can be made way more complicated, and when I first started it was. But it always filtered down to that — a decision that enough is enough. Sometimes I would toy with it, go back and forth, make it worse, until it really was enough. But you are smarter than me about that. I also didn’t have anyone to save me, no one to turn to in the initial phase. That allowed me to dwell and pity party, until that got too much. Then it was, “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me!” So I’d do it. Sometimes I’d get angry and exasperated, that helps, to be fed up. It combines well with ‘enough’, adds motivation. Then there was always you, my hopes and dreams couldn’t come true, wouldn’t have a possibility if I wasn’t in the right position.
It’s kind of like surfing. To catch a wave you have to willingly paddle out into the break zone, into freezing cold water that wants to drown you. Then you watch the waves and see where the point break is, where the wave first starts to pitch over into an actual wave. Then you have to paddle over to that point and wait for the right wave, fighting the current and waves. Then you paddle like a madman at the right time, use the burst of speed to get positioned on the wave itself and feel when the right moment is — when the wave actually grabs you — and hop up. It’s so much about timing and awareness and not letting all the things that want to stop you do so. Just like life, right? Then, if you are lucky, you get to cut down a glass face, all smooth lines and speed, to a nice turn and cutback, maybe a tube-ride, maybe get married to the girl of your dreams… you know, the special moments in life. 8>)
You have grit, whether you think you do or not, you do. When it is required of you, when people are in need, you are brave. So if that is the time when you can let yourself shine, know this: the more you give yourself permission to shine for yourself, the brighter you can shine for others, it ups your resting luminosity. Just because you know it’s easier not to shine, to run and hide, and because you may have done so in the past, does not mean that you need to indulge this behavior now. Much less, you’re not. Look at what you are doing right now — NOT running and hiding. ’Cause you’re awesome and powerful and badass. Remember to break things that may be too big into bite sized pieces, easily digestible. Okay? I love you and you’ve got this.
