What a wild, wild ride.

Two years ago I made this account, and then promptly forgot about it. I've been through a lot. I've put people through even more.

Through all of this, I've discovered the once constant: Me.

That's what I chose to focus on nearly a year ago. To seriously look into myself and see who I really am. That's a tall order, especially when the world around you makes a pretty convincing argument that you don't have much control over yourself. It was almost a year ago that I decided to change my perspective that had been my roadmap for 20 or so years.

It's been a mild success, to say the least.

The world doesn't change much, only when we put our eyes to a specific aspect of it can we start to make an argument that it does. Overall though, I am still living with family and still working that grind to make that money. The difference, however, is that I'm the captain of my own ship, and I've learned to work those sails even if the wind isn't blowing much. [I really like metaphors and overuse them, deal wit it]

I found a job as an assistant manager at a restaurant, bringing me closer to the job I held in college which gave me the most happiness I ever had working: running a crew of technical workers for the college theatre. Six months later, I've promoted to be a general manager of a new franchise opening up in just a few weeks. In December, I will be moving into my own apartment close by.

Sometimes you have to let yourself lose everything to recognize how much you are left with. Self-worth never goes away, but it can become buried under hardship to the point where it becomes nearly invisible. I haven't rebuilt myself - and in all honesty, I don't think I've really changed. The light that I have has only shown brighter than it ever has before, and the people I work alongside with now fan those flames and drive me to be the best I possibly can be - not only for them - but also for myself.

All in all, life has been good and there's nobody to blame for that except me. I'll own up to that.