I was there ... San Quentin State Prison ... service 16 years to life in prison for the crime of second-degree murder.monkey bar fitness This is my 13 years behind bars, fitness monkey most spent locked in the sunlight inside the cells is not much bigger than a walk-in closet.
It was an extremely difficult adjustment to love a guy free and fun of Southern California spirit. fitness monkey I spent most of that time reading classic literature, monkey bar fitness taking college courses, monkey bar fitness exercise and teaching me to play "Free bird" by Lanyard Sydney on guitar.
However, on 22 February was the Millar demonstration last day and I found myself standing in front of an audience of venture capitalists, monkey bar fitness entrepreneurs, fitness monkey journalists and other prisoners when I started my company offer PowerPoint.
"Hello, my name is Chris Schumacher and I am the founder and CEO of Monkey ... fitness coaching online service that allows recovery from addiction through fitness."
I started my way to the last mile after attending his first day at San Quentin demonstration last year.
After seeing my good friend Kenya Legal hit out of the park with his tone fitness monkey of potato coach and hear their praise for TL, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to be part .
I remember when he came to interview for the next session is not preserved. I put my blue shirt "lucky", which was recently made to me by a friend lifer "of mine who had returned home recently.
Slide I also ensured Chris Credit fitness monkey a copy of the new San Quentin I thought getting a college degree and gives a farewell speech epic that I think even cry guardian.monkey bar fitness I was thrilled when monkey bar fitness I discovered that I had been selected to participate fitness monkey in the sophomore class of last mile.
with so many negative influences surrounding life in prison, monkey bar fitness trying to take the road often left me standing next to me. fitness monkey now I began to feel as if all these were solitary decisions about bear fruit.
Once evening classes Tuesday and Thursday began, fitness monkey I was totally "happy" Chris and the commitment and dedication of Beverly men the last mile. monkey bar fitness The guilt and the shame of being in prison can make it very easy to get, fitness monkey but there were two caring monkey bar fitness and compassionate dynamos who believed in us and were willing to share their energy and experience with a group of thirsty men of motivated to learn.
The opportunity that I had before I give monkey bar fitness the house the first night when Chris told us that if we were willing to put in the work and become graduates of the last mile, fitness monkey have a waiting period for our liberation .
As a lifer, I had to learn to deal with a lot of uncertainty, monkey bar fitness but when I looked into his eyes, I was forced to believe it. monkey bar fitness fitness monkey Being part of the last mile has taught me the importance of surrounding themselves fitness monkey with people who think and learn to trust the process.
I can honestly say I had no idea what my business idea would be when I started the class. fitness monkey
Reading books like Guy Kawasaki Enchanted,fitness monkey the effect of Dragonfly by Jennifer Kayaker and Andy Smith and Brian Solis' The End of Business as Usual, monkey bar fitness encouraged us to start thinking about the things in life that were passionate.
At the time, I think my top three running, tennis, monkey bar fitness yoga, monkey bar fitness not to mention,fitness monkey out of prison.fitness monkey We ask achieve a positioning statement eight words or less define our commitment to ourselves and the creative process.
Mine read: "Living with force ... let inspiration roar! monkey tips fitness fitness monkey "It was so strange and incredible monkey bar fitness to see how these two things, fitness monkey as a group gave us the courage and confidence to start thinking in terms of possibilities, rather than being imposed by circumstances .
A friend of mine said: "You do not need eyes to see ... monkey bar fitness you need vision. fitness monkey" It sounded so true that fitness monkey the last mile led to a further expansion of consciousness that would allow me to see beyond the towers of weapons and barbed wire walls of the prison.
Over the last 13 years of my prison, fitness monkey I am committed to do everything possible to make the best of a bad situation. monkey tips fitness monkey bar fitness I participated in many groups and programs designed to help you better understand the factors monkey bar fitness that led to my crime and I have the life skills necessary to ensure that this does not happen again.
Some of the most changed my life was the group of offenders Education of the victim, monkey bar fitness Counseling Addiction Recovery, anger management and nonviolent communication. The more I learned, monkey tips fitness the more I realized that the information I was in essential not only for men in prison, could be beneficial to people's lives out of jail too.
My original business concept began as a provider of online service working life, fitness monkey you Life Coach U. called the beginning it was very broad and undefined. monkey tips fitness It was suggested that I try to reduce it by incorporating more of my personal story.
When I started drawing things like products and services, monkey tips fitness fitness monkey target market, and my own situation, the two things that really caught my attention were the scene of sobriety and stay in shape. monkey tips fitness fitness monkey It was because of drugs and alcohol also played a devastating role in my life that I vowed never to use.
Instead, fitness monkey I developed a lot healthier than the practice of yoga,fitness monkey tennis and training for a marathon SQL dependence. monkey tips fitness Link my own recovery from addiction with physical fitness was the spark that led to my business idea to life. fitness monkey Physical single has really become a product of my life and life imprisonment.
He asked the men the last mile to create a business idea that integrates the three components of our social causes passion, technology and.
Become trapped and realize monkey tips fitness the damage I had done my motivation to stop using and start living a healthier life. fitness monkey My passion was the physical condition of the body, fitness monkey mind and soul. With substance abuse and addiction play a role in the crimes committed by 80% of the 2.1 million men and women monkey tips fitness behind bars in the United States, fitness monkey it became clear that there must be a market there for people who struggle to get clean and stay that way.
When I started doing research, monkey tips fitness I quickly discovered that there is an inverse relationship between addiction and physical fitness.
A solution revealed that recovery from exercise is ideal because it has been shown to increase measures of euphoria and well-being in a manner similar to drug abuse. fitness monkey It was time to find a way to use technology and to ape fitness for people.
Say that it was computer illiterate is not quite accurate. However, what bothers me is the amount of all the rapid advances and achievements over the past 13 years.
For the record, I never looked in Google, fitness monkey Skype, FACE BOOKED, tweeted, scanning, Integrated even know what a mobile application before joining LT.
Join this group has been a great opportunity for me to catch up with the world of technology that happened to me. fitness monkey I really wanted the ability to monkey to be able to enjoy all that the world of technology has to offer.
I had planned to develop a website that helps members to stay clean for fitness through a variety of books and online games Personal trainers. fitness monkey I also designed a mobile application that will allow members to track your fitness and recovery success and reward for achieving personal goals.
More than anything, fitness monkey I wanted monkey ability to be available to anyone who wanted to join. It is my hope to create a virtual community of support that have the power to motivate and inspire members to overcome addiction and live a happier and healthier life.
I know how painful it can be to leave behind a social network friends are all involved with drink and drugs. fitness monkey I like to build fitness for those who would monkey alone in its simplicity.
I think social causes Mono built by Nature gym because of its ability to provide a healthy alternative to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. monkey tips fitness However, I knew it would be time that exercise alone will not be enough.
My business model includes several ways to convert addicts who still suffer, including treatment education sponsors of installation, granting registration rights to physical events, and the gift of sport to those who are willing to begin work on the road to recovery.
My own experience has me a believer in the principle that the only way to maintain my sobriety is to find ways to continually done.
TL with each successive session, fitness monkey the concerted efforts of all the people inside and outside the group efforts have really helped the gym monkey take shape and become a potential reality. Once the model has been set up, I knew I would need a logo.
Having received and rejected several presentations of artists here in prison, my friend Lucas me up, play tennis, yoga monkey fell immediately attracted me because we had a lot in common.
However, it could have been a little too (think steroids) for the general public, and I certainly do not want to scare anyone to be clean. fitness monkey I opted for the next best thing to a computer generated cute monkey and intelligently designed lifting a dumbbell fitness monkey I could certainly see that the icon for the iPhone hot side called appropriately "Buff".
The encouragement and support I received from all participants was no less transformative. I remember early on, fitness monkey Beverly told us that the last mile is a true communion of men and women who are always in search of the greatest good for its members.
She was right. I am eternally grateful and devoted to all my brothers and sisters in the last mile.
