5 Lessons I Learned From Reinventing My Life After Prison

In 2012 I made a choice. I exploited the warranty policy of one of the largest technology companies in the world for my financial gain.

The FBI arrested me on 10/1/13; I pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and was sentenced to 2 years of federal prison.

I lost everything: my wife, my homes, cars, career, and my identity. I was suicidal. I wanted nothing more than to die.

A well-timed visit from my best friend turned it all around.

I hit my absolute rock bottom, and I’ve spent the past 7 years rebuilding and reinventing myself.

Here are 5 Lessons I Learned:

Self-Trust is a Superpower: I destroyed my self-trust by the choices I made. I know what it feels like to not trust myself. To experience the crushing difficulty of easy decisions, what to eat, what to wear, and where to go. I also know what it feels like to trust myself fully and deeply. Self-trust is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

Acceptance is Freedom: My crime and the consequences almost broke me; I certainly felt broken. Practicing acceptance allowed me to understand that the cracks- what I called my broken pieces — are a part of me. They are a part of the whole, and to deny them, is to deny a piece of myself. How…