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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781468506709 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 11/23/2011 |
| Pages: | 112 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.27(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Negative = Positive
"Only If You Want"By Michael John
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Michael JohnAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4685-0670-9
Chapter One
Who Am I?
I'm Michael John, 22 years old, an every day person who can relate to your everyday struggles and situations. The person you can always come to in time of need. I'm here to tell you that you can refuse to be the person that people expect you to look like or act like. You don't have to be who "they" want you to be. I'm a motivator who supports others by trying to stay positive and caring. I'm a person who thrives on self-motivation and is very eager to encourage others through every avenue possible. I am a person who believes I have a responsibility to set an example of what life has to offer. I help others in any way I can, whether it be through words of encouragement or a helping hand.
I tend to take on a lot to keep myself busy, and sometimes it's hard to always complete what I started. Right now I'm a young man who is beginning to create life my way, by doing the things I'm passionate about. I am a person who lives knowing that mistakes will come up, and it's up to me to learn and to keep moving. I'm very outgoing, energetic, and happy about creating my life as I paint it. I am a brother, son, and friend, and I am very blessed to have the support system I have. I am a lover of all things that consist of fun. I am a person who understands everyone's point of view and is very good at offering unbiased advice.
I am who I want to be because I live by faith. Faith gives me the strength to carry out each and every day. You'll always find opposition in life, especially when you strive to be your best. I am who I am simply because I define my life, I define my world, and I define who I want to be. I am a person, a human, a citizen, and most importantly ME. I am fearless, encouraging, selfless, happy, changing, real, living life, crazy, fun, excited, high off life, full of energy, outrageous, giving, kind, caring, living, true, and most importantly I am MICHAEL JOHN.
Confused But Now Ready
In the sorrows of every person there is a reason. No one knows what's going to happen, when the wind blows this season. Everywhere you tend to go you're at a dead end, have no options, no ways, no people, not a single friend.
You often reminisce about how life use to be, hoping you can unlock the past, But all you need is a key, which you just gave up on. Down goes another task. Hope and strength are the key to push past hopelessness, but your mind is a powerful thing, giving you a guilty conscience.
How far will you again go in this life? Will you go far enough to fail? Will you ever reach the pinnacles where your life can finally sail? Could you ever be that person you imagined, thought, and dreamed? Or is it not made for you, not here, not even on a team?
Emotions flow, still can't explain how you feel, and no one really knows. You keep pushing forward, while you walk in circles, pain down to your toes. If someone can support you, you just might find your way. You can be anything, get a lot for less, and never have to pay.
The majority of your failure is mostly your own fault. You have to get back up and go with what you were taught. Life has ups, and life has downs, Who is anyone to make a comment or dare try to put you down?
Always inspire yourself to do the things they don't dare. Become that shining star and watch as they all stare. Life is what you make it. Shine bright, and always go a little too far. Remember you were at the bottom. You know where you've been and no one can define who you are.
So when they all ask simply who you are trying to be, smile, nod, and say, "My, oh my, I'm being simply me." In the sorrows of every person there is a reason. Now you know what the wind could possibly bring this season.
One day to the next, they will come steady. But this year, this summer, oh my you'll sure be ready.
—Michael John
Again and again I replay in my mind, Will I ever get past this time? As the night came, and you wrapped up the day, questions arose: What would happen if it were my turn to die? Who am I living for? Do you think you can live another day? How much can you endure? Are you sure?
Or sure to let go, because if you can't continue, you cannot stay, never to see another day. Then you wake again tomorrow, faced with a little sorrow. You realized you died last night, but yet you see the morning light.
Confused, hopeless, looking for who you are, but you still can't find the answers, realizing that you died last night, you lost control and lost your mind.
Every day we should keep ourselves motivated, especially because others aren't always there to do so. It's not their obligation to—it's truly yours to keep your sanity. When life isn't going well, you are the only person who is obligated to change that. We cannot depend on others to be our crutches, only to handicap us further. We need to make necessary changes to determine the outcome of our lives.
—Michael John
Reasoning
People ask, WHY? I answer back, WHY NOT? Why not inspire people of all ages by sharing my story even if isn't the same generic story we're used to reading? Why not share my testimony if it could help millions or just one person? With so many negative influences in the world, why not dance, talk, sing, and write down things that people need to hear to create happiness within them? My words are nothing but encouraging. They are meant to uplift others, those who are lost in the world and have no outlets. The ones who have no clear vision as to how to get where they are going but see where they need to be.
Why not enlighten the world with the gift that has been blessed upon you? Why not, my brother? WHY NOT, my sister? Why speak if it holds no true value? Why dream if it holds no passion and leads to no further planning? Why not inspire when it holds foundation, encouragement, and faith? We all have questions, but no one seems to have the answers. If they do have answers, they are often one-sided, and/or carry an ultimatum with a negative choice. So if you can give back, and inspire, would you? This is why I've decided to encourage instead of discourage. Uplift instead of looking down. Give long lasting words, not rated-R sounds.
Simply tell everyone out there that you do have a life. It's up to you to go through what is necessary, so you can begin to live. If I can change one person's viewpoint on how to live a happy life, by just encouraging them, by giving positive words, then why not? You don't have to have money. All you need is the gift of sharing, open arms, and a human heart. I'm writing this for people with self-esteem issues. People from broken families. People who are tired, lonely, and at a point where they feel lost. People who are in their 30s who think life is over, people in their 40s who believe it's over. I'm writing this for people who don't know where to turn, people who are having a bad day, or week, or year.
Mostly importantly, I'm writing this for YOU, THE PEOPLE, because we all struggle and face seemingly insurmountable challenges. No matter what age, what race, this is for you.
Encouragement comes with no names on it. No one's struggles are greater than anyone else's, no matter what or where you come from. So if I can make you think a little bit differently than before, then I've accomplished my goal with this book. In life you must understand everyone's point of view, even if you don't agree with their actions. I understand!
My Actual Thoughts
In January 2010, I started to really look at my life as a whole. I had dropped out of college and was working three jobs. Is this how I wanted to spend the rest of my life? I wrote down all my pros and cons and wondered whether I'd ever be anything. Would I ever be that actor I wanted to be? Would I ever own my club? Would I ever get around to writing that book? Yes, I was having fun, working hard, making money, and having the time of my life. I bought a new car, but I was still really unhappy and in my corner, keeping to myself, just miserable. Some days I'd wake to find myself at a really low point, asking myself why I was so unhappy. I just came into a new year and it felt like I needed to put so much behind me. I needed to become brave and embark on all the things I wanted to do in life.
Well, it wasn't easy, and it sure wasn't going to be a smooth ride. Trying to find YOU is the hardest thing you'll ever do. I thought for a long time about what I really wanted to do. I love to write so I decided to record my new journey toward becoming what I wanted to be. Writing is a powerful tool, and I encourage everyone to write down their thoughts day by day. Once you start and then one day go back and look at your first post and your last, you'll see so much growth, and so many more ways to grow. I wrote daily and I wrote down everything—every night was therapeutic for me. Still, I wasn't really fixing my problems but pushing them aside. So I decided to start a blog. As the journey began I wrote:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010
The Introduction of Michael John
Welcome to my blog. Just wanted to give everyone insight into who I am. I'm just a hungry citizen trying to make a better life for myself. I'm not aiming to be famous, rich, or a superstar. I just want to be a successful young man. I'm originally from Chester, Pennsylvania. I now reside in New Castle, Delaware, where life is anything but interesting. It's not really that bad, but with me coming from a city, and making my way here in the suburbs, you can only imagine how big of a change it is for me. Not until last year did I realize who I am and who I wanted to be. Lately, many opportunities have started to come my way. It's an exciting feeling. I'm a part of a non-profit organization called Deadline Production. Every day I talk with others and network. People who have gotten to know me have become a part of so many opportunities. I'm currently in the midst of writing a book, and planning to leave here Delaware, to move to Los Angeles, California. I'm inviting all of family, friends, and everyone who's anyone to move with me through the days on my journey to becoming successful in completing my goals. You can follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/MikeOJohn.
Here I was appearing so full of hope and energy, but really I was pushing everything that was bothering me aside. I was still in a lonely place trying to force myself to be happy, despite what my mind was telling me. Looking back, I realize how much in denial I was about my well-being and state of mind. I was lying to myself so I wouldn't have to face the facts! After I published my first blog post, I felt a tremendous high, and I knew I was going to do everything I said I'd do. Writing everything down made me feel powerful. Right then, I was whoever I wanted to be, fronting and putting on a mask. All for myself. It was just the beginning, and, boy, did I start off wrong, but I was thinking right! Sometimes we do this. We lie to ourselves so we can really believe something.
The Question and Reality
Have you ever dreamed of being who you've imagined, by doing what you want to do, how you want, when you want, and just being who you wanted to be? Yes, sometimes in our lives we've been at an all-time high, but we all know life throws us more than a few curve balls. Have you ever been at a very low point, rock bottom, and think you can't take anything else? You know, where you contemplating every move you make? Well, life isn't over yet, and it has nothing to do with what others think, but only what you think of yourself. Far too often, people spend years and years trying to find themselves instead of creating exactly who they want to be. When someone reaches rock bottom, it's always different from anyone else's rock bottom. Everyone is unique, and struggle varies among victims. Often, too, people think that rock bottom only pertains to financial matters, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Sometimes it's hard to do anything you want simply because everything is going wrong in your life and you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. You need to realize there is always a way out. You hit road blocks when you plant them yourself. You may have hit rock bottom or may still be there. This book will give you tips on how to get back up, but only if you're serious enough to take it in fully. If you're reading this, do you dare challenge yourself to be better than you are and admit you're unhappy?
You can only change what you want to change when you realize who you truly are.
Finding Life
Your journey to find yourself and your life can be difficult. You really have to go and search out who you are. You have to realize that you can make your life whatever you want. At many points in our lives we question who we are, and who and what we are we living for. Sometimes we just don't know who we are. We try and fit into places where we aren't meant to fit. Some people go through drastic life changes or experiment sexually to determine who they truly are. We must learn that we are given choices in life. The choices we make determine the outcome of what we truly stand for.
We often make mistakes, but mistakes do not define our lives. They help mold us into better people. Making mistakes actually builds us up and helps us withstand more threats when we're trying to find ourselves. It's very hard to even imagine who we are when we've been who we are since birth. We have to think about life in a different way. We have to realize what is important in life and what it means to us. I was once on that path, because I was lost. I questioned my every move. I second-guessed every decision. There might come a time in your life when you believe you cannot and will not find yourself in life. You will tend to stay on a narrow path that leads nowhere. Ultimately, you'll be back at ground zero starting over, embarking on a journey that will bring you the same results time and again.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Negative = Positive by Michael John Copyright © 2011 by Michael John. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Who Am I?....................1Reasoning....................11
My Actual Thoughts....................15
The Question and Reality....................23
Finding Life....................25
My Actual Thoughts (Part Two)....................29
Created Life....................37
So Many Influences....................39
The Lie....................41
The Quotes....................45
About the Author....................81