Whatever you're facing, there's more to your story.

I’ve worked with fathers coming home from prison, trying to reconnect with their children after years apart.

And here’s something I’ve learned. Getting back into your child’s life and knowing how to be the father you want to be are two different things.

You have to rebuild relationships. You have to learn. You have to show up and keep showing up.

The past doesn’t disappear because you’ve decided to do better. There are things you have to take responsibility for.

But I don’t believe the worst thing you’ve done has to be the only thing people ever see when they look at you.

And I don’t believe it should be the only thing you see when you look at yourself.

I believe everybody can recover from something.

But you can’t do it on somebody else’s timeline. And you can’t make that decision just because somebody else wants you to.

People can support you. They can offer resources, encouragement, and opportunities. I’ve seen how much those things matter.

But at some point, you’ve got to make a decision about what you want for yourself.

And then you’ve got to figure out how to sustain it.

That’s where habits come in. The people you surround yourself with. The choices you make when things aren’t going your way.

I believe in celebrating small wins. I also believe in doing the work that makes the next one possible.

I know people who have resources, experience, and a genuine desire to help others.

And I’ve heard them say, “I want to help. I just don’t know how.”

Now, I also know people who could benefit from exactly what those folks have to offer.

Think about that.

The resources are there. The people who need them are there. But they don’t necessarily know how to find each other.

I’ve been able to help people because of relationships I’ve built with others who know things I don’t know and can do things I can’t do.

Sometimes I can make a phone call or introduce somebody to the right person.

But that only matters if I understand what the person actually needs, and if the connection leads somewhere.

That’s why I spend so much time getting to know people.