Greetings friends! Our amazing one of a kind double issue, 27.21/22, of The Beat Within is back from the printer and now in your eager hands. Remember, this is the only magazine keeping it one thousand with you readers with a new issue every two weeks. No other magazine puts forth the effort, day in and day out, with our workshops, our amazing partners and colleagues who do their part to make this magazine so incredibly special. This week we are grateful to once again have our old friend, OT, step up to share his thoughts in our editorial section.
This is OT reporting live from the hot tropical and muggy and drizzling skies of Managua, Nicaragua.
Yep, it’s rainy season out here folks, but that doesn’t mean that the temperature drops drastically. We’re still pushing 90 degrees every day. So my ice cool lemonade is on my side, except today, I opted for a Pepsi-Cola, but the red one, because that’s my favorite. That’s some real soda-pop right there. First and foremost, I hope that by the time this magazine lands in your hands that you are in the best of healthy mentally, physically and spirituality.
I’m gonna go ahead and talk about something that we all need in our lives. That little Alfredo sauce, that parmesan cheese, the chocolate sprinkles on your ice cream, or that sweet maple syrup on top of your French toast. Yeah, you guys getting hungry, I know I am! Today, I’m not talking about sweets, but metaphorically speaking we need that umpf of motivation and inspiration sometimes to help get us over the hump.
But we all need that extra pizzazz in our lives just like when we wake up on payday knowing it’s payday! You know that feeling that you get, feeling like your eight feet tall! Or when we are dripped out with that fresh fit, just came from the barber shop or salon, looking fresh.
Or when we got that Versacci cologne, or Aqua de Gio, smelling like a million bucks. What changes in our mentality or mind-set, on those days where we’re actually feeling fresh, looking fresh, from all our other days throughout the week?
I mean what’s stopping you today from feeling a certain way about yourself? What is something that you want to see in YOU change? Is it something physically? Or is it your anger issues?
There are many things that we all want to do with ourselves, whether you’re locked up or free. For those that are in the free world, I know it can be a drag getting up in the morning and starting your day, whether it be for work, school, chores, taking out the trash, your baby or babies needs to be fed, someone fighting over the iPad,
Whatever it is you need to do make sure you find some time for yourself. Start saving some money, eat Top Ramen or leftovers for dinner if you have to, so you can do something nice for yourself, take a trip, and go somewhere nice. It doesn’t have to be far, you know? Treat yo’ self don’t cheat yo’ self! That outing could include family, friends, loved ones, your significant other, or heck, you can go by yourself.
For those of you who are locked up, I know the main thing that you want is your freedom. You’re salivating right now, licking your chops, like the pack of hyenas in the movie “Lion King” when Simba fell off the rock and the hyenas thought they were going to eat this little young buck. There’s a sense of desperation, and I get it, because I’ve been in those shoes before. But even at times when I seemed desperate for a release, I never showed it, and never told anybody. Because when I was lock down, there was always someone there doing or facing more time than I was. Whether that was going to the pen, some on CYA/DJJ Violations ready to go back and do another two years (just off a violation).
During my time in Federal prison. I met some good people. People that were doing harder time than me, but they somehow still managed to stay positive everyday no matter what. It’s like they were loving life. Granted, these positive people were always up to something, and when I mean something, I mean something positive.
Ahhhhh, got you guys there, See! There you go! Already thinking something bad! haha. I would come to emulate their program of being and staying positive everyday no matter what and found it easier to do my time too. It was about trying to make the best out of a messed-up situation, but that included working on the most important person, me.
In prison there’s no time to really sit there and just stare into space and think about the outside world, because safety and security is always paramount. You always have to watch your back, even if you’re not doing anything wrong. There are always D’s and R’s that need to be completed every day on a daily basis. But one thing that jail, does allow you to do, that the normal world doesn’t allow you to do, is…work on yourself. And when I mean yourself, I mean strictly yourself.
I read many of your pieces and this goes for the young g’s, The OG’s and the Medium G’s (the ones in between). I always read pieces about your loved ones, your family, and all the nice things that you want to do for them, all the love you send their direction, and the time that you want to make up with them.
I encourage you all to hold your family, friends, and loved ones close to your heart. But sometimes, let’s say one out of every twenty pieces of writing, I will come across a writer, young and old, where they are talking about themselves, almost talking to themselves. Usually, this piece of writing has some kind of strong energy behind it. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s usually motivational and inspirational.
The person gets straight to the point and starts off by saying “First off, I gonna start changing the way I think. I’m gonna catch up on my education, finish high school, go off to college, find a job, get a legit hustle…” You know the rest (drill).
I read these pieces, not as often as I would like, but when I read these pieces I’m astonished to see how these individuals put together a game plan and write it all out. I was impressed by the way they wrote, they were so sure about themselves. I can feel the determination and confidence behind those words. It makes me feel that by them writing it down, and saying it out loud, they are speaking it into existence.
They are writing out their own story. They are the author of their own book, they are the director and producer of their own movie, and they are their own producer/singer of their next hit RnB/Rap album/CD. They are taking the initiative to write down what they are going to do with their lives.
We should all write about our goals and dreams. Tell us where you see yourself in the future? After your incarceration? If your future seems to be headed towards more confinement, tell us what you plan to accomplish for yourself throughout your time spent locked up?
What can you do for yourself today that will ensure you don’t have to keep putting yourself in positions you don’t like. The key is right there in your hand and in your number 2 pencil.
All I’m saying is, Now is the time for you. Work on you. Focus on you. Stay positive for you. Smile for you. Make sure your head is in a good mind state, because once you focus on you, and fulfill your obligations to yourself, then you can start thinking about the people you love.
When you focus on yourself, you will see the change in your mentality. You will see a more positive of you because you have all this time to work on yourself, and if you’re actually using this time to work on yourself, you’re going to love that person you see in the mirror. You’re going to be proud of yourself. You’re going to feel confident, and you’re going to feel like nothing can get in the way of your goals.
So, start now. Pick up your pencil and write down your goals and dreams. Be the author of your own narrative. Forget what others say about you, the judge, the lawyers, teachers, counselors, PO, your family, your peers, and just focus on you. Surround yourself with other like-minded individuals that are not afraid of sharing their own goals and dreams with each other.
Before you know it, you will have a team of positive minded go-getters. You’ll be able to bounce thoughts and ideas off each other and select the best one that works for you. If you want to win a championship, there has to be a game-plan. If you want to drop an album, there has to be a game-plan with your producers and with the artists you’re going to collaborate with. If you want to start your own small business, there has to be a business plan.
After all, life didn’t come with an instruction manual, but there ain’t nothing wrong with writing your own. I believe in you. Stay humble and motivated!
One love for everybody going through the struggle. OT is signing off with the utmost love and respect for all of you. And The Beat Keeps going and going…
Thank you, OT, for sharing your wisdom! If you choose to share your game plan with us, we would love to include your plan in an upcoming issue of The Beat Within. Thanks to all you writers, readers, artists, colleagues, partners, associates, and friends for making this program the success that it is! We could not do it without you! The Beat Within is truly a team effort.