Yesterday marked my 46th trip around the sun, and as I sit here reflecting on my journey, I'm overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and awe. For those who don't know my story, let me take you back.
From the age of 15 to 39, my life was a revolving door of institutions. I bounced between juvenile detention, foster homes, and college, followed by 10 trips to county jail, 3 treatment facilities, 4 state prison sentences, and one federal prison term. For 24 years, birthdays were just another day in and out of a system that seemed determined to define me.
But something changed during my last incarceration in federal prison. I made a conscious decision to shift my mindset. Instead of seeing prison as an end, I began to view it as a launching pad for a new beginning. I created a vision board, set goals, and started planning for a future I could barely imagine but desperately wanted.
Now, seven years after my release, I'm celebrating my birthday as an entrepreneur with two thriving businesses - one for-profit and one non-profit. I've become an emerging leader in reentry services, a national speaker, and an author. I run programs and workshops, and I even speak in the very prisons where I once served time.
The contrast between my birthdays then and now is stark. In prison, birthdays were often lonely reminders of time lost and opportunities missed. The cold concrete walls and rigid routines left little room for celebration or hope.
Today, my birthday is a testament to resilience, growth, and the power of second chances. It's a day filled with purpose, surrounded by people who believe in me and the work I'm doing. It's a day to celebrate not just my life, but the lives I'm able to impact through my work.
As I blow out my candles this year, I'm filled with immense gratitude. Gratitude for the struggles that shaped me, for the people who believed in me when I couldn't believe in myself, and for the opportunities I've been given to make a difference.
To anyone reading this who might be where I once was - behind bars, feeling hopeless, watching birthdays pass by without celebration - I want you to know that change is possible. Your past doesn't have to dictate your future. With determination, support, and a shift in mindset, you can rewrite your story.
As I step into my 46th year, I do so with hope, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to continue breaking barriers and opening doors for others. Here's to another year of growth, impact, and gratitude.
Kardell
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