From Pain Comes Growth

Hello my wonderful LinkedIn Support people and you amazing content creators, I have some really special information that I would like to share with you.

What it was like:

Let me begin with some self disclosure, and just before I do so, I would like to make it very clear that I am totally in love with the life I have and I have no regrets, I am not looking for any pity or playing the victim by any means...

I picked up drugs and alcohol at the age of 14, I had just moved up to Bundaberg QLD Australia, that same day and I was introduced to a bunch of kids that helped me to celebrate that first big night on Beer, Rum, Marijuana and these little canisters of gas called Nitric Oxide or other wise know as cream bulbs.

It was a big night and I remember being completely shit faced and things got pretty messy. Now, I am sure that this is no massive revelation to anyone, you probably all had a big introduction to some of these substances? lol

Nahh, the point I wanted to make is that I absolutely loved that night, and possibly unlike other kids, I continued to use and abuse drugs and alcohol on a daily basis. It was the Begining of the end! I quickly moved up the scale and became a heroin addict within the year and my life was never to be the same.

Three Important facts I want to make clear:

1. I came from a wonderful, loving family and there was no history of addiction in my family.
2. The rest of this story gets very messy, the next 17 years were made up of Jails, Institutions and isolation, I became a junky with no conscious. With that said, I was never a miserable guy and I often felt happy even though I was an addict. I do remember being happy at times.
3. My history with Drugs, is my biggest asset today.

How I got here:

Here is the cool part, I entered my last drug treatment centre on the 15th September 2009, that is my sobriety date and the day I was born again. I must admit those early days in rehabilitation were very difficult at times and there were quite a few occasions that I nearly threw it all away.

There was this day, on about the 24th Dec 2009, where I was granted permission by the rehab to go on a day leave to see my family, I don't think I have ever told my family how difficult and uncomfortable those kind of days were for me. Lets me paint a horrible picture for you. Imagine this guy who has been a heroin addict for the last 16 years going home at Christmas for a family lunch with all the local neighbours and family members present. Ok now imagine the unthinkable, I have robbed and individually hurt every single one of those members at the dinner table over the years, here I am 70 or so days sober, full of shame and guilt sitting surrounded by these beautiful people. OMG! enough said...

Ohh, my point of that little story was to say that, that afternoon I traveled back to the city to go back to the rehab and I found myself at town Hall station and decided that I am going to buy some gear and get smashed, I can not handle this anymore! BUT, at the same time I have done this many many times before, been in this exact position and the result is always the same.

I sit at the station for a while pondering on what to do, I either turn right and head up to Kings Cross and get on, or I cross the road and get on the 431 bus and go back to rehab. as it happens THAT WAS THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER!!!

For the first time in my life, I decided not to use drugs and instead I went back to the rehab and came clean to them about my thinking and how close I had come. This wonderful Counsellor Mark G spent some time with me and I had changed my life that day by making that decision. Let me tell you why!

As crazy as this is going to sound, I have never wanted to use drugs to that extent ever again, not even once have I had the obsession and compulsion I had that day. Very Cool Uh? Recovery is possible.

Ok, I am just realising that this article could take forever if I don't get to the point, so here goes...

What its like now:

About 3 and a half years ago, I reached a big milestone, I must have been celebrating my 7th anniversary of sobriety. I was sitting there in my office at work and I was reflecting on the amazing life I have today. I was full of gratitude and having a spiritual awakening all at the same time. I was high on life. Also, my office that I sit in is also the same office of that rehabilitation service that I entered 7 years before hand. Yes, that right, I was a staff member and had been for a couple of years by this stage.

My point is, I was sitting there reflecting and I thought to my self? I wonder what I looked like when I first come into that centre, what was I thinking, how was I feeling? even though I talk about the early days, I can't remember that real stuff as it was, and then it stuck me! I should record a message to my future self to be discovered in another 5 years time. How cool will it be to watch that video 5 years down the track and measure my growth and compare to who I am today.

I looked up some questions that people answer when making a time capsule and I purchased a video camera and I hit the record button. one of the first things I noticed was how much of a weird thing this was that I was doing. It felt nice being able to communicate with my future self in this manor. I noticed that I was completely able to express myself without any fear of judgement, which also provided me with this ability to be creative and set some motivational goals. It was such a beautiful experience, the best part was the last question which asks, is there anything you would like to say to your future self? It was this question that bought tears to my eyes when I talked about my relationship with my son, and my hopes and dreams for my future self.

As a result of that first video time capsule video I created, I have been able to share my idea with the boys that enter our treatment centre and captured over 70 client videos the past 3.5 years and received some very positive feed back. This has in turn catapulted me into laughing my DIGITAL TIME CAPSULE COMPANY CALLED ENCAPSULATOR.

We provide clarity, discovery and motivation for individuals and a legacy for our future generations to connect with, our Digital Time Capsule provide a secure platform for you to capture your hopes, dreams and aspirations into a time locked vault. Choose a lock date, create your content of Video, Images and Text and upload. Your content will disappear until its maturation date. The countdown will begin literally on the screen. A exciting feature that we offer is this ability to update your time capsule as often as you see fit, possibly around significant mile stones in your life, or maybe just because you want to update it.

Create yourself a future experience of discovery and wonder with a digital time capsule by Encapsulator. I wish you guys a wonderful journey and I hope that you love my article.

Thank you,

By Danny Shannon....

Please see link to check Encapsulator:

DIGITAL TIME CAPSULES By Encapsulator!