I Choose Hope

Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities In July 2023 I was transferred across the State of Texas to a new prison facility because I had signed up to take a college program. When I left my unit I was miserable and for several months I tried everything I knew to return to my unit of assignment. Each of my attempts failed miserably. Once the calendar flipped over to 2024 I made the conscious decision to try and make the most of my new location. The environment was uncomfortable, opportunities were minimal, and I deeply missed the relationships I had developed at my original unit, but I dug in anyway. Here are my 3 biggest takeaways from 2024: 1. Physical Health Is Vital Through intermittent fasting, a commitment to burpies, and a reduction in carb intake I lost 57-pounds in 2024. Not only do I look better, my energy level went up, my attitude is much more optimistic, and my self confidence has increased. Physical health is a vital puzzle piece for all other areas of my life. 2. Writing Fo...

5 Ways I Handle Anxiety Note: Before diving in I want to remind you I am NOT a doctor. If you're experiencing prolonged or severe stress/anxiety, schedule an appointment with a mental health professional. Life can be full of stress, worry, and anxiety. Prison certainly pumps these out on a daily basis with countless unknowns, lack of privacy, reminders that we are not in control, and uncertainty about the future. I've seen some of my closest prison friends lose hair, lose weight without trying, gain excessive amounts of weight, and even fall back into drug addiction as a direct result of anxiety. I've had my fair share of anxiety battles so I want to unpack anxiety and share some ways I respond to it. What Is Anxiety? My favorite definition of anxiety is simply when we mentally create possible scenarios. It's worrying about future potential outcomes, and then ruminating over them. I recognize when I'm heading down this path because I notice my thoughts repeat...

If You're Still Around After This, You're My New BFF! If I am going to be effective here, I want to remove the baggage that could hinder our future together. This blog as a relationship and it's important for me to be authentic and raw from the start. Maybe that seems dramatic and some might say it's not a good decision, but I believe you should know some of the good and some of the ugly about me. I have my issues, I'm a work in progress, and I don't ever want to pretend that I have it all together. So, if you get through this post and still choose to engage, you're definitely my kind of person! If not, no worries, and I wish you the best anyway. Either way, here we go. 1. I tend to over think things. One of my worst habits is fixating on the future instead of being in the present. I can get so wrapped up in the "what ifs" and I worry about things that will probably never happen anyway. I'm working to live in the present and not over think t...

The Best (and Worst) Commissary Items On e-Comm My sister Meghan is a rock star and takes care of me with commissary funds and an occasional e-comm. But she recently told me that she has worried in the past she is going to order something awful for me. The good news is that most inmates will love anything you send because every little bit helps. The bad news is that there are a few items that most inmates would rather not receive in an e-comm order. Here are five recommendations of what you should definitely order, and five things you should probably avoid. 5 Things To Order On e-Comm 1. Soups Ramen Soups are a staple in prison for almost every meal outside of the chow hall. Your LO will gladly accept as many soups as you're able to order on an e-comm because they also are the most common currency. 2. Meat and Fish Pouches Unless your LO is a vegetarian, pouches can transform a bland prison meal into fine dining. Don't over think which pouches to order, we're resourcef...