2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Keep pushing… life is hard, and the world doesn’t make sense at times. Bad things will happen to good people who don’t deserve it. Good things happen to bad people who equally don’t deserve it. Our lives will be rocky and there will be challenges. You made it this far and you are a fighter I’m proud of you! You have conquered every obstacle to get to this point you woke up today and another day above ground is another day for things to get better. I know everyone has to fight their own battles and their own demons but do not be afraid to ask for help. Whatever you are going through you do not have to go through it alone, reach out to someone a friend, a mentor, a sibling or family member. Try to spread joy and be kind when you meet people, you do not know the battles being fought underneath the surface. You do not know what it took for that person to get out of bed and leave the house today. Be kind for the sake of kindness, for we owe each other that much.

You never know the battles people are fighting an example of this is an artist by the name of DMX (Dark Man X), who unfortunately passed away today. This was not a perfect man he struggled with addiction and felony convictions forged out of a rough upbringing. He went from nothing to a multi-millionaire and lost it all, still he persevered. I met him a few years ago when I was working security at a nightclub he performed at, and the mind radiated nothing but joy and kindness. He was genuine in his interactions with the fans, the staff, and even the Ruff Ryders chapter that came up to see him. He showed love to everyone that night and put on a hell of a performance.

His music conveyed a life of struggle, anger and pain but here was a man that radiated joy and authenticity around him. As I scrolled through my twitter timeline today, I saw nothing but stories from people who had the same experiences. Another example of this was the late great Robin Williams, through his films and public persona he brought joy and happiness to a generation. His works brought a radiant smile to the stage but remember to check on your funny friends and your strong friends. Remember to check on those that carry the weight of the world on their shoulders as you do not know the demons they are fighting.

Do not forget to give people their flowers while they are here. Life is short. For some of us those interactions may not come as naturally, here is a website full of ideas on how to brighten other days. I have lost friends in the blink of an eye, remember to check on those you care about and don’t miss an opportunity to tell them they matter to you. Studies have shown, “individuals were 15.3% more likely to be happy if a close associate was happy”. Be that joy, help others fight their battles and they in turn will help relieve the burden of yours. Through spreading love and kindness, we can continue to fight the good fight. We can continue to persevere.

Every day is another day to get better. Just like you don’t win every rep on the field, you can’t win every battle off the field. That doesn’t mean you don’t get up and fight the good fight. Be kind to yourself, there will be days you lose the battle. You will win the war; you just have to keep pushing. A saying said often in my fraternity was,” Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.” Which simply meant that you wouldn’t win every time, but you still have to get in the ring and fight. I believe in you! You need to believe in yourself. Every day this week, I want you to pick a person (could be someone you know or a complete stranger) and do something kind to brighten their day. Pick a day and do something kind for yourself for you have fought the good fight.