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Follow Your Dreams
Submitted by: Rafi Perez
Pensacola FLI am an Award Winning Contemporary Artist who is living his expanded dream each and every single day.
First off, I want to say thank you. Words are limited in expressing the appreciation I have for all of you.
A few years ago I had the American dream, I had a high paying job, a family, two cars, a house and a bunch of toys. Yet just about every day I would arrive home, lock myself in the bathroom and cry.
This had become so normal to me that I thought everyone did that, so I would clean myself up after my 5 minutes of daily hopelessness and smile and pretend everything was just fine. The fact was, everything was not fine. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship, my job was pushing my values and my wife’s grandfather who lived with us could not be trusted around my children. I was constantly on guard, I was constantly defensive and unfortunately, I was constantly angry at myself and the world. When out in public I pretended everything was amazing, I had become very good at wearing a mask to hide the pain, so much so that I had no idea who I was.
Then, something amazing happened. Everything fell apart.
On Monday I had the house, the cars, the job, the money, the family, the dogs and the security. By Friday I had lost my job, I told my wife I didn’t love her and she left, I had no money, was losing the house, both cars broke down, my kids left and the dogs ran away. Of course at the time I reacted the way I reacted to just about everything, I fell apart. I laid in bed for seven days with a pain in my chest so heavy that I could barely breath.
Then it happened, I saw my life flash before my eyes and realized that my life was a result of what I had believed and that my beliefs came from ridiculous concepts I had picked up growing up. Everything I had believed about myself and the world was based on someone else and what they believed. I had never taken the time to question what I believed and see if it served me. I felt like my eyes had been opened.
At that very moment I felt inspired to buy The Secret. The interesting thing was I had no idea what it was, just that I needed to watch it.
I called a friend who gave me a ride and the store was out of them. I knew I was there for a reason and happened upon a copy in a return cart. I can honestly say that I soaked the movie into my being, I was inspired to watch it over and over. This moment changed everything, I can hardly recognize that old angry person as me.
Since that time I’ve traveled the country, started a business, pursued a very successful art career, met the love of my life, bought a house and live in paradise. I always wanted to be an artist and through following my joy I am an award winning international artist, and the adventure continues.
Thank you!