I had my first talk with Cat D prisoners at Rebuild With Hope, sharing my story and how I’ve changed the direction of my life.
It’s mad to think that the experiences I’ve been through could help someone else look at their own life differently. The struggles, the mistakes and the work it’s taken to move forward now give me something to share with people who might need to hear it.
That’s why opportunities like this mean so much to me.
We have all got a story
We’ve all faced battles. Everyone listening has their own experiences, their own challenges and their own thoughts about what comes next.
I can only speak from mine. I know what it’s like to go through addiction and the criminal justice system. I also know that it’s possible to change direction, because I’ve had to do it myself.
Sharing that means being honest about the difficult parts as well as where I am now. There’s work behind making a change. There are habits to break, choices to make and days when you have to keep going even when it feels hard.
Sometimes, hearing that from someone who’s been through their own struggles can give you a reason to stop and think. It can help you question whether the path you’re on is the only one available to you.
Believing there could be more
What I hope people take from my story is that there can be more to life than their past.
You can’t go back and change what’s happened. But you can start thinking about what you want your life to look like and what you could do to move towards it.
For me, boxing and fitness became part of building a different routine. Having something positive to commit to helped me understand the value of showing up and being consistent. Those habits are still part of what I bring to Iron Minds Academy.
Believing in yourself matters. So does putting the work in. A different future needs actions behind it, even if those actions start small.
If it reaches one person
I can’t know what everyone took away from the talk. My hope is that sharing my experiences gave someone a reason to believe in themselves a little more.
If even one person starts to see that change could be possible for them, that’s worth sharing my story for.
I’m grateful to Rebuild With Hope for the opportunity, and to everyone who took the time to listen.
I want to keep using what I’ve been through to do something positive. This talk was another opportunity to do that.
If you work with people who could benefit from hearing my story, get in touch with me through Iron Minds Academy to discuss a talk for your group or organisation.