It’s funny how you have to take drastic measures for people to see you for who you are.
For them to hear what you really sound like. I swear people will be so convinced on who they think you are that you almost start to believe them. When I launched "Bare With Me" last year it was like being at a dinner party and everyone is talking about you, yet no one invites you to join the conversation. So you just scream! Then the same people who silenced you, are the ones to say, "well you never spoke up." But last year I did.
A lot of people were shocked at what they thought they knew, wasn’t what was true at all.
Listen, I spent a lot of time trying to make relationships work with people, that come to find out just weren’t meant to be part of my story. To be honest I’m not mad at them, I hold no grudges at all. It was me forcing the relationship, wanting it to work. Wanting to be what they needed to be happy. Then I realized no matter how much I tried, it could never stop the inevitable. I was not going to be the source of their happiness. That’s when I learned my lesson. You should never want to be the source of someones happiness. Not even your loved ones or your spouse. Straight, gay, fluid, friendship it doesn't matter... all relationships are the same, and in order for some one to be happy, they need to be happy with themselves.
It was amazing to finally be able to say and speak my truth into existence!
Every day since then, it’s been like a weight is lifted, I feel like I finally can be me and have a fresh start. I truly don’t care what people think of me. Not in a rude way but in a way where your opinion doesn’t define me. What your think I should do, does not influence my actions. What I say are my words and I take responsibility for my actions, because they are in fact my own. The people that are left in my life now are there because they encourage freedom, freedom to live life the way you want. Freedom to make your own decisions. Freedom to be your crazy self, jealously free, judgement free, love supported, encouraging and inspirational.
I don’t know if you noticed but I’m one of the crazy people. I love some really weird shit. - LOL
I’m such a creative soul that my mind has so many abstract, avant garde, eclectic things going on, it’s such a wild ride. I love to learn new things. I have a million passions and every day is a new opportunity to try something new. I moved to California 10 years ago January 8th. It’s crazy to think where I am today. I titled this article Begin Again, because I truly feel like that 19 year old kid driving into the sun with so many hopes and dreams of what he wants to do with the next ten years. I am so excited. For the first time in a long time, I'm doing just fine.
I want to encourage you to chase your dreams and do the things that make you feel good. It’s easy, believe me to get so caught up in the past but when you do that you miss out on the present. So no more looking back you guys, you know everything that happened to me back then, but that was then, this is now. The times I shared with those people, those are all things to remember so I don’t forget how hard I worked to get where I’m going. I’m not saying life is going to be easy from this point out. But I’m saying it’s going to be better.
Let me tell you what’s on the horizon for "Bare With Me," think of this as your lifestyle magazine. We are EVOLVING guys. We are going to...
BARE ALL - FOR ALL.
This is not gender specific, religious specific, topic specific or even sex orientation specific. Bare with Me is going to be where you come to see what you missed, see what’s to come and learn some cool things you might have not known. Life in all different shapes, colors and dreams. My dream for this Blog, and I'm JUST SPEAKING IT OUT INTO EXISTENCE - is to be a full fledged lifestyle site. MOVIES, TRAVEL, FASHION, EVERYTHING!
Guys we have dreams and so let’s speak those dreams out loud and yell from from the top of our lungs. I’ve seen amazing things happen and I’m no longer in the mind set that that can’t happen to me. Yes it takes hard work. I’ve never been scared of hard work. By no means is any of this stuff going to be easy. but it's doable. People spend more time coming up with excuses on why they can’t chase their dreams, then why then can. If they invested all that time saying the can instead of they can’t imagine where they would be.
Let's all BEGIN AGAIN this year and let me share with you some encouraging words I'm going to take into my next 10 years here in sunny California. I hope you steal some things off my list to add to yours. ;)
1. Things will not work out, but they will work together for your good.
2. You are not a possession, you’re life is your own. How you choose to live it requires no ones approval.
3. Don’t be the person who holds peoples opinions at such a high pedestal. Not everyone will like you, so what.
4. Do things that make you uncomfortable.
5. Age is a number, how you feel is what’s most important.
6. Do what you love because it will always pay you more in life’s worth than a job you don’t.
7. FIGHT FOR IT!!!
8. It truly is one foot in front of the other.
9. Be kind because where there is kindness there is goodness.
10. Love, because there is already enough hurting.
11. Don’t slow down, give life all you got.
12. God saves, he is a father who loves his children and even when you run away, even when you make mistakes. He is the father that will always be there to welcome you back home.
13. Show emotion, let people know how you feel, because you never know when you may not see them again.
14. Give kisses, hugs and good vibes.
15. Don’t be afraid of what you don’t understand, be afraid of never being able to understand it.
16. Live out Loud.
17. Love is Love, no matter the color of your skin, or the gender you’ve been given or changed to. Love is Love and you are beautiful, you are important, you are worthy and don’t let anyone discourage you from sharing that love, because #LOVEMATTERS.
And...
STAY STRONG MY FRIENDS.
Let’s make this our best year!