Life Is Happening, Do You Have A Plan?

(I condensed this like a dehydrated beef patty, I promise)

Eighteen months ago my life was turned upside, but I don’t have story to tell you about how I became the Prince of Bel-Air. I like what Jonathan Sanchez says in his article, “Life is tough”. My response, “Yeap, sure is and I ain’t giving up”, because I believe those tough times allow us to see deep within ourselves.

By January 2016, my gut told me the job wasn’t right for me. So I went VA seeking help to get reenrolled into Vocational Rehabilitation and I was denied. No surprise there. I filed two more times throughout 2016, denied each time. Will I stop pursuing it, no. Shortly after beginning this process life happened.

I suffered a heart attack, February 2016. Okay so life happens to everyone, suck it up and move on cupcake, right? Life wasn’t done, two months later I ruptured a disk in my neck, debilitating me for nearly the remainder of the year. The pain was excruciating. I learned, that sort of pain will make you say bad words when people ask you stupid questions. 

Life is now ROFL, from April to August 2016, I had to live with the pain of the ruptured disk in my neck and recover from a heart attack. I know what some of you are thinking, they make pain meds for that stupid. Yes, I took those pain meds for about six weeks until I was told they were addictive. Who cares right? I do! Granted, I truly don’t remember the month of May 2016 because, those pain meds did their job. I can truly say, things could have gone south really, really fast if I had chosen to be pain free. Surgery was still months off due to the heart attack? Had to be on the heart meds for a minimum of six month before they would do the surgery to fuse the vertebra in my neck. I told you, life's got jokes and curveballs! 

It gets better, a month after surgery I was terminated from my job. Now I was unemployed, had to move out of my home, live in a one bedroom apartment with my wife and daughter, while recovering from surgery. You’d think VA would realize I was now fully qualified by the USC, right? Nope, denied again in December 2016. 

By now, we have a recipe for disaster and the possibility of me becoming one of those 22. No job, living in small apartment, repeated denial of assistance from VA, can’t work ‘cause I couldn’t lift more than a gallon of milk. So now what?! The Plan!

What I’ve shared is personal and in no way seeks your sympathy, but rather it is for those who are on LinkedIn and face odds and obstacles which look to be insurmountable. To those readers I say, you can make it! Using Jon’s words again, life is tough and I add, don’t give up! Surround yourself with people who care about you.

1.      Realize the struggle you are in is real and you'll probably need help at some point

2.      Talk to someone you trust

3.      Avoid prolonged exposure and interactions with negaholics

4.      Make a plan, review the plan, work the plan

5.      Take a job, even it you feel it’s beneath you, work the plan you made

6.      Don’t be discouraged by the sweat from your brow, smile, you have a plan

7.      Check off each milestone as complete the plan

8.      Smile when cross the finish line

9.      Look back and find some you can help