I’m loving my new life in the disabled lane. I made adjustments, grew TF up and still learning, calling my wife ‘Queen’, she quit nursing to do the whole food-is-medicine thing and cook for me FT, kids HOME-skooling instead of remote, found permanent work-from-home employment so I feel even more worthwhile, I can go on and on. Even my language is catching on with other people, talking recklessly positive, using “King/Queen” for Black people, “brother/sister” for everyone else. My perspective is changing as my disease progresses. I realize WELLNESS is mind, heart, soul and body so I kinda “ride out” the pain and manage my symptoms with Eastern Medicine like herbs, tea, kratom, CBD, alkaline water, diet, yoga, meditation and soooo much OTHER stuff too. I had to get #sickAF to learn the lesson of #perspective and the power of #Gratitude. My first step in 2020 was publishing my self-help ebook. It collects the steps I undertook to initiate this transformation of self-healing and strength. What else did I do in 2020? *rubs hands* I’m grateful you asked. 😉
Published 2nd and 3rd ebooks
First book was my ebook (Click here for the Amazon sale link). My 2nd and 3rd ebooks were titled Da G.O.A.T. (Gangsta Of All Teachers). This novella is the story of a Black teacher, inner city Houston, TX, and his journey with Multiple Sclerosis. He teaches the students using unorthodox methods, has them paying rent for their classroom desks and clashes with authority for his troubles and past mistakes. I knoooooow! 🖤🤫 It hits home for me too. I released them chapter by chapter using social media. My big plan was to promote a chapter every week, email a teacher distribution list and start my career as an author. 🤦🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️ Not quite bruh. So, on one hand, I published THREE ebooks in the first 6mo of 2020. On the other hand, I didn’t sell many and STILL haven’t finished my novel that I started in the Spring of 2020. All that matters is this, I accomplished my goal of one ebook. I’ll get better at writing, promoting and building my literary masterpieces.
Tutorial Business (M.Y.C.O.W.)
Yoo. This was my monster plan. My can’t go wrong business. My first, starting-a-business, from the ground up, TUTORING by Zoom! Yeah BOIII. *bucks* 👨🏾🏫 What do I do different? Besides being ME? An authentic, BLACK man exhuming communication and dripping in ethics? Bro, I communicate with teachers, regularly. I communicate with the students, regularly. I offer an easily accessible yet detailed manner of students requesting and receiving 15min one-on-one sessions. Parents can set up rewards through my tutoring program. Yoo. I’m telling ya, I work that tutoring gig because teaching was my SHIT. Helping others is my passion and I’m always down. With 2020’s pandemic showing out, there was definitely a need as school district after school district closed physical buildings and went remote. *winks* I’m here to help.
Stepped my lifestyle UP… then, down.
*taps mic* Ahem. Excuse me. *sigh* I admit. I learned a lesson about commitment and dedication in 2020. I went 17 days without sugar, gluten or alcohol. Felt FANTASTIC. Energy was through the roof! Gurl, *duck face*, ya boi was a machine moving through the day, work, yoga certification courses, tutoring, applying for Teaching English as a Foreign Language jobs, blogging, I was on it. Then, I wasn’t. I had A drink AFTER Thanksgiving and didn’t stop until January 2nd. I wasn’t fazed or faded by a month long jaunt through buzzes and being wasted and came off ready to go SUPER sober again,, no sugar, no gluten and no liquor. I made it 10 days, felt better, had a drink or four for the wife’s birthday and been finding reasons to drink ever since *shrugs*. Amazing how difficult it has been to stop drinking even though TWICE I’ve experienced the positive benefits. Naw, I ain’t giving up on giving up liquor, sugar and gluten. I’m 100% aware of what it take NOW. I RESPECT the #nosugar #nogluten #noalcohol lifestyle and everything associated with its maintenance. Maybe that’s another lesson. I learned how to “show proper respect to the goal”. I don’t take it for granted and believe it’ll be easy since my Queen cooks all my meals. It felt so simple that first time, waaaaay back when I did 17 days. I’ll beat that number. I’m claiming that win right now. 2021.
Got a J-O-B
Work-from-home too! *bows* I started out as a Telesales agent for Medicaid/Medicare. It was cool buuuuuut… Dawg. I’m not cut out for sales. The pressure. The meetings. The sales. The pressure. The coaching. Did I mention the pressure? I wasn’t gonna complain. I rolled up my sleeves and found ways to get it done. I found shortcuts to operating the systems and protocols so I could be faster on the calls. When the transfer to Customer Service happened, I thought it would match my purpose and align with my passion. It does. I’m helping people and sharing stories. Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis raises my vibration and energy with members that call in. There is little that a member can tell me about physical pain or emotional trauma without me relating via some symptom of Multiple Sclerosis. This work-from-home gig is therapy for me because it’s about the only place I can go where my MS makes me “one of the guys.
GoFundMe is the FIRST step to a NON-profit for MS’ers
People, people, people. Simmer down. Yes, it is true that I want all of us to enjoy the fruits of wellness. Yup, I gotta plan. I’ve written and referenced Anne Boroch’s book, Healing Multiple Sclerosis. I’m a converted MS’er that is entrenched in Big Pharma conspiracies, food conspiracies and government conspiracies. To help errrybody, all US, my homie Julie and I started a non-profit with the goal of raising $10k to pay for one year of Ann Boroch’s program, supplements and a licensed dietician. THEN, we got proof that wellness is directly linked to food and can get others to join. It’ll be a whole freaking army of US, improving, mindful, meditating and patient with others because WE see the connection. *bows* I got BIG plans for the journey, sharing, teaching, learning and every, single, minute crack or crevice along the way. I’m carving a trail for others to follow as you read this post. To accentuate the credibility and legitimacy of this GoFundMe, MS Outlaws – Battling Chronic Illness, I will give updates on my own disease. *hands up* Look here, you know I tells what I’m winning and learning. (Pssst. I replaced losing with learning. S/O to Nelson Mandela. 🤜🏾🤛🏾 “I don’t lose. I win or I learn something.“🖤)
That’s The Way I Feel (TRUE podcast)
You read it right. The podcast that I co-host with my Florida MS family, Kerry and Jamilah, is official than a MUTHA. All three hosts have Multiple Sclerosis. Huh? Of course at different levels homie. Multiple Sclerosis is the ‘”snowflake disease” because none of us are alike yet we’re living with the same illness. We discuss all things relating to the disease, employment, UNemploment, relationships, treatments (They have insurance, use the prescriptions and sound medical advice. Ya boi been rolling naked, no healthcare since 2017, so my methods are waaaaay different. 🤫) and anything else that spins off these conversations. Our guests have Multiple Sclerosis and we offer everyone the right to edit their comments. 👏🏾 Producer? ✅ We hired a King from New York and the plug is another MS’er with a podcast. 🤜🏾🤛🏾👨🏾🦼🖤 I’m crazy about this adventure. We’re recording episode 3 this Saturday and the three of us STAY chopping on topics. 3am? Messages from the Tribe about the show. Noon? Messages about the show. Evenings? Messages about the Clubhouse app but I ain’t got an iPhone so I can’t do much. Then, right back on show stuff, meetings, producer needs us, guests’ questions and I’m here for it all.
#perspective is KEY. For EVERYONE, even “normals”.
Now, this is NOT to say I didn’t struggle because I damn SHO did. Finances are always an issue when you’re disabled and don’t qualify for disability. (It’s a JACKED up catch-22. Teachers don’t pay into Social Security; they have the Texas Retirement System. 😑🤷🏾♂️) I got my ass whiiiiizzzuped by time management so much that I chilled on doing so much stuff. My work-from-home gig has several weaknesses and holes but I know whatcha saying, EVERY gig has holes and weaknesses. I started 2020 driving myself to substitute teacher shifts but that ended with the pandemic. Maybe I went long enough to simply forget how to use those leg muscles but all that matters is I don’t physically drive anymore. I lost a few homies to the grind of bad communication but I absolutely strengthened the bonds between myself and WHOEVER still hanging with me. Nooooope. I don’t trip over who I lose either. I USED to but not anymore; I grew up and stop faulting people for their insecurities and busy schedules. 🤜🏾🤛🏾🤴🏾The disconnect between my stomach, plumbing and way of life was murdering my social life. (Yup. I’m at HOME, married and couldn’t hang out because I’m always near the RR. 😬 (I did solve those RR issues using my wellness tactics and Eastern Medicine.) My back hasn’t given me any real problems since the summer of 2020. Let me stop before I ramble down a rabbit hole and get lost. The point is that I am finding a way, maneuver, manners, energy to get over everything that attempts to block my progress. In all honesty, after 3 years of working on myself, I don’t give up anymore. Sure, there are a buuuuuuuunch of things that I don’t continue but I DON’T give up anymore. 🤔 Wanna know the difference? *⁹lights funny looking green cigarette*
I realized my dream of living on the beach, some island in the carribean, teaching yoga to other disabled and handicapped people probably ain’t happening NO time soon. Am I distraught and upset about it? Nope, I’m adjusting deadlines and steps to get there. I realized that drinking 120oz of water on a daily routine was OVER-stressing myself. I mean I was killing myself trying to get that water in so my stomach and plumbing were good as possible. Have I given up on water as my solution to incontinence and cramping? Heeeeell naw. I do some scheduling to alleviate the stress and keep drinking the water. (Well, TRYING to anyway. 💦) Yoo. My freaking blog has dried TF up but I’m NOT surrendering that action, time, energy or nothing else. I’ll study, research what went wrong and bounce back stronger than ever. I don’t quit shit anymore. It is in my DNA now and I know how because I used to quit stuff all the time. Too hard? I’m out. Too long? Dueces homie. Boring? Catch me later. I’d quit a video game if it got too rough but not any more. I appreciate the prize and reward but I’m most grateful for the journey through whatever I’ve just conquered. I am excited about the hurdle my family has jumped. I KNOW life is heading UP because I make it UP. That is my ultimate lesson from 2020 and what I’m jamming all 2021. I, ME, have so much control over my life through perspective and wellness. I’m serious about pushing and pulling others here with me!
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