What Does It Mean To” Make It In Prison” ?
I too, love Frank Sinatra, though I love Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers the most. They sing a song which I believe is perfect to set the stage for the third phase of our time in prison; advice on how to, “make it”.
I say the third phase because I believe the first phase is most often a time of mourning. Mourning our losses, perhaps mourning our entire life, mourning our old self. In the second phase we establish boundaries and in the third phase we may then,BOUNCE BACK.
The song says, ” TAKE A DEEP BREATH, PICK YOURSELF UP, DUST YOURSELF OFF, AND START ALL OVER AGAIN”
To “make it in prison”, one must certainly learn to take deep breaths.
Just the other morning in the garden with my young protege, a lovely lady whom I am mentoring, we were talking about ” what it take to make it in prison. It was like a scene from LEAVE IT TO BEAVER because I was ” giving her the business!”
She has a girlfriend and I disapprove. Not because of girlfriends in general, because she is in the second phase, I have only just seen her through the mourning. Mourning the separation of her small children, the idea that they will be grown when she gets home unless she plays this out JUST RIGHT.
Yes, she is in the second phase, the one I refer to as the HOOLA HOOP PHASE. This is a time when you pick up a hoola hoop and come to fully understand that only a few priviledged, trusted individuals are allowed in that intimate space. A space that allows people to whisper in your ear; influence your decisions. Imagine you are putting red tape around the crime scene of your broken life, your broken heart, your broken dreams. We are vulnerable in our brokeness and many of us came here with very addictive, codepent and unhealthy relationship and life habits.
” To make it in prison”, requires honesty, passion for life, determination and self love.
Here is a formula that works for me in the Hoola Hoop Phase:
Wear yourself out
in a very hard workout
until you find your
flow
Sit with yourself
bow
Search your heart
Wait for the light
to shine on the brokenness
look at the cracks with honesty
be selective
and then
when you feel you are ready
allow one person in.
It’s important to close yourself off until you discover your true self.
“To make it in prison”, means you make your days count, you don’t sit around counting the days. One of the biggest challenges here is that we women are super social creatures and here we are with 128 other women to serve as our distraction when we aren’t brave enough to begin the honest work on ourselves. Making it in prison means I set various goals for myself every day. I literally ask myself each day, in all moments, “ARE MY ACTIONS TODAY IN LINE WITH MY GOALS FOR TOMORROW?”
I create a schedule that encompasses all of my goals, reflects the power of the 24 hours that I have each day, I make certain that all of the spokes of the wellness wheel are represented in my weekly schedule, lest I get off balance. When drama or unhealthy behaviors cross my path, I have little trouble walking away, because I am busy following my very important agenda.
Remember, manifestation is only beneficial when you attach it to the work.
READ NEWSLETTER ARTICLE HERE: https://prisonprofessorstalent.com/journal-entries/newsletter-12/
