You woke up this morning…

You got ready for the day… possibly a workout, coffee, kids off to school, work, emails, phone calls, social interactions, etc.

The day was normal.

A smile on your face,
Light-hearted conversation,
Strutting around with your shoulders squared; head up.

People look at you and what do they see?

A level of confidence, a level head, all together, making things happen, and in control. It’s exactly what you want people to see.

On the outside, you appear to be living the good life!

The reality-
On the inside, you are falling apart.

Unfulfilled,
Lost,
A little hopeless,
Confused,
Insecure,
Uncertain,
You’ve lost control,
Desperately yearning for more.

Questions bouncing around-
But is there more?
Does life have more to offer?
If so, what is it?
How do you find it?
Where do you begin?

Introspection-
If there is more,
do you deserve it?
Can you attain it?
Do you have what it takes to own it?

The hard truth-
Too many men walk around in this constant state of turmoil where they strive to create an image they feel others will respect, admire, appreciate, and desire.

They do so to their detriment;
A slow death;
A decaying from the inside out.

It’s a rat race, unending, tiring, and, quite frankly, the fruit it bears is short-lived.

This cycle continues because men are simply creatures of habit that, more often than not, are inclined to take the path of least resistance… yet men want to remain in control.

The image men work so hard to create and maintain has everything to do with seeking external validation in all the wrong places with all the wrong people, while simultaneously neglecting to acknowledge the true validation that serves as the foundation to a truly peaceful, joyful, and fulfilling life. It starts with introspection; the deeper work. Ownership. Oh, and surrender…seems counterintuitive when we have this inclination to pretend we have it all under control… I know, crazy!

This, of course, is a process and takes time. Most people nowadays want things their way, right away. I’m not judging, I’m guilty.

However, I have found the “secret” to breaking this cycle of delusion and decay.

It’s not a secret.
It’s just hard work.
It’s a daily battle.
It’s being so sick of the same old shit attitude and habits that get the same old shit results and discouragement- that there is a willingness, acknowledgment, and absolute determination to change the patterns and the outcomes based on who you were created to be, by an almighty and all powerful creator.

Still…it’s a daily battle. Again…it’s not easy.
But…it’s so worth it.

The fulfillment comes in knowing whose you are, who you are, and WHY you are who you are… a surrender of a false self if you will.

Then, and only then, will you find the strength you need to jump on the battlefield and slay the shit out of the victim mindset (yeah men just think they are Billy Badass- it’s a lie we tell ourselves) that has kept you from being the man you were created to be and making the impact you were created to make. This is what will allow you to achieve victory.

Let us not focus so much on the image we are building for external validation. Rather, let us begin to take ownership of our lives and do the deeper work that offers an eternal reward and bears the sweetest of fruit.

It is such a strange thing to think the very thing you have always thought is weak- surrender – is strength.

The difference is to what and whom you surrender.

Maybe this journal resonates. Maybe it doesn’t.

Either way, I’m here for you.
I’m on your team.
I want to see you succeed.
I want to see you come alive and live out your God-given purpose.
That is the ultimate joy, the ultimate peace, and the ultimate fulfillment.
Is it easy? No. Is it void of adversity? Certainly not.
But it is fulfilling! And it certainly beats the slow death we die when we choose to operate without integrity.

Here for you.

Blessings and Honor,
Paul Beam