Every morning I wake up feeling lucky. It certainly wasn't always that way, it took a long time for me to get to this place. But I'm there now because I now have a strong sense of self. Because I know that no matter what happens my core can never be shaken. It had been shaken. People I trusted betrayed me, people I thought I knew turned out to be shallow and filled with hate and jealousy, people I loved used that love against me. And I was shook. I struggled to keep it together. I didn't trust anyone, least of all myself. But that earthquake of pain brought a miracle. It overturned and destroyed the lies and illusions in my life. It stripped everything down to the foundation and I made the discovery that that foundation was built out of unbreakable gold. I discovered that I was filthy fucking rich. Rich in belief, rich in hope, rich in strength, rich in love, rich in talent, rich in drive, rich in intelligence, rich in perseverance, rich in beauty within and without, rich in insight, rich in intuition, rich in blessings, rich in integrity. And I let the joy of that discovery raise me to heights unknown. And through hard gruelling work and unshakable belief I built a life for myself where I am truly happy. A life where I wake up every morning with joy and gratitude in my heart. I'm not saying I have a huge house, expensive car, or money to burn. I'm not saying I don't have any problems. What I'm saying is that I don't need all that jazz to be happy. I'm saying that despite all those "problems" don't stop me from being truly, intrinsically happy (and hey I've survived worse). When I hear the bullshit the people from my past are saying about me, it used to make me feel angry and hurt. But Ive reached a point where I don't care. More of their poison got back to me this week and I surprised myself by laughing and thinking "whatever. just shows where they are." I actually shocked myself. I waited for the anger or hurt to show up and I'm still waiting. The truth is every time they whine and complain, every time they blame me or someone else for their failures and pain, every time they talk about me or spread a rumour about me all they are doing is highlighting how far Ive grown past them and how they arent growing at all. Whenever they'd copy me, try to act like me, talk like me, suddenly have the same interests as me I'd get right annoyed. But now my response is 'I'm glad I'm such an inspiration to you!'. I succeed at what I do so well because I have an honest interest in and talent for that thing, I'm willing to spend hours, days, months years honing that skill with dedication and persistence. When I say I know something or can do something it's not because I'm trying to impress someone or make myself seem like something I'm not. Its because I've taken the time and effort to truly learn and KNOW it.

Thats why I am the person I am. And when I saw that foundation in myself all I had to do was let it shine. I knew that the people and things I wanted in my life would come to me if I was just myself. I didn't use persuasion, guilt, manipulation or underhanded tactics all I said was "This is me. Love and want me for who I am or get lost. If you don't want or love me it's your loss but I am not going to try convince you." then I let true self shine. I went about my business and concentrated on achieving my goals and lo and behold the people I wanted in my life came and still are with me. My spouse, my friends, my family. The people who truly love and support me. And the rest are dead weights I dont carry around anymore.

Thats the secret to my success: I am myself. And because of that I am free.