I go through every single one of Mr. Santos’ emails, and I find inspriration being planted like a seed in me, and it motivates me. Even though this seed is unfamiliar, reading his newsletters, reading his books, but being able to see him in person, at FCI Aliceville, in Alabama, put the icing on the cake for me. I got to shake his hand, he signed my book for me, but what I did not expect was that I was able to feel his passion for change all the way to my soul. He is amazing. So thank you, Mr. Santos. It is hard for me to be inspired, I belived that I was too hard headed to get through. But I so very much want to change the direction of my life desprately, and I want it to be powerful, positive, and productive. I am more than willing to do what it takes, I have to. I have to successfully stay out of prison and finish probation. I have to get my son, out of foster care. Research all avenues, resources and utilize them. Like Mr. Santos says, I have to step up, no one can put the work in for me, I need to work for myself, be my own CEO of my life. I have to advocate for myself, and pray I do it well enough, that it will change peoples’ perspectives about me, that it will inspire or motivate people to want to invest in me. I want to be the “FEMALE VERSION” of Mr. Santos. Since meeting Mr. Santos, I have sat myself down and started writing my recollections, and experience, started journaling more, making plans on my reentry, on getting on with probation, and getting resources, and getting my son back. I want to be a success story. I hear differnt strategies and I research which could work for me. One thing for sure is that I can not do it alone. I need to learn disciplen, and learn to put things in order. I started reading four chapters a day on a variety of self-help books. Writting what I have learned, like in college. Getting ready for the half-way house and creating a brain-storm on my reentry plan. Figuring out a layout on how to start my biography, because I want people to understand my life and I’m not waiting until I get out, it starts now. I like writting journal entries, I want people to see how I am preparing for success and (Not Watching I.D):). I have already completed my 500 Unicore hours, I invested in working for the last six months. I have also participated in Drug Education, Housing and Transportation, ASL, and Music Theory. I am currently in the Non-Residential program. I am glad that I met Mr. Santos, and since I am practicing on being a better typer, with out having to look at the key board, I’ll be writting more often.
