tragiclemon: 2008-05-07

says:

Dear you,

Ah, a creative soul/

When will we ever be normal??

You just hang in there tiger. Deep inside is a giant of a man waiting to launch his powerful self on the world... how you've been holding him in so long is a mystery we will never be able to decipher.

How do stand up comedians get their material? By being miserable... maybe being miserable works for you? You must be getting something out of it.

My big thing is smoking (ON tOp of my homocidal tendencies...) but I have been smoking since I was 9 years old... I cannot remember a time I wasn't smoking. I believe that it makes up a part of me... I'll work on it... but when you are so used to something you just do it, as consistently and as 'positively' as Mister Steele advises you to do the opposite.

I gave tools a break for a few days (weeks) due to illness, it drags your arse right back in, I swear, because in you there is this thing that you believe you deserve more in life. It's why you were here in the first place.

You deserve more in life, man. That's your motivation. You deserve you to help you because you deserve more.

dingbat019: 2008-05-03

says: Great advice James I would have said about the same thing I so much agree about the picture a smileing face is what we need to see and the blankets on the window Firebird you need to let some sunshine in some pretty curtians and an open window with the curtians blowing as the air swirles about you room I have batteled depression and the same problems you speak of not an easy task but with my wanting to be a happy person(my nickname used to be sunshine) I tried hard and still have some ugly days with a lot of faith in God and suronding myself with happy people im doing better in 2008 than I did in 007 Kathleen

jev: 2008-05-01

says:

Dear Firebird,

   My name is James and I understand how you feel. I too am "disabled". I have spinal arthritis, a condition which is painful and limiting in many ways. It is very difficult for me to do many of the things that others take for granted, such as standing and walking. Even so I never give up trying to do so. It's not that I am special or brave, it's just that I am too stubborn to settle for less when I know more is available. 

   I also understand how you feel with regards to depression. Even long before my physical condition began to deteriorate I had suffered from serious bouts of depression. It was a constant struggle to fight it and to some degree it still is. Believe it or not that is simply a part of life. Even the most successful of people have their moments of doubts, times when they wonder why they should  even try. But the reason they succeed is because they refuse to settle for that.

    When my "disability" finally caught up to me and I had no choice but to accept the fact that I probably would spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair I swore to myself that the one thing I would never do is feel pity for myself. And I never have. Sure, there are days when I feel down and I hurt so bad that I literally want to scream. But I always fight it because I know that in the end I am the one who gets to decide how I feel, and I choose to feel positive about life.

   In some ways , believe it or not, ending up in a wheelchair was one of the best things that ever happened to me! It forced me to come to terms with a lot of the problems that I have in life.When I chose not to feel sorry for myself, I did so because I knew that if I let pity come into my life it would never go away. So, even though I have some days that are less bright than others, I never really have any bad days and I constantly remind myself  that the future is what I choose and I choose to have a great future!

   I don't want to make this letter overly long , so let me give you some quick advice before I close. First of all keep using The Tools To Life program and make sure to use it every day without fail! Skip a meal if you must, but never let yourself miss one of the lessons. The program will work if you seriously put a genuine effort into using them. Be patient, you didn't reach the point where you are overnight, so don't expect to instantly be better, just know that you will get there so long as you keep pushing. 

   Please don't take this next item personally, but you need to dump the photo that you supplied for your profile, immediately! Replace it with a picture of yourself clean shaved,  well dressed and smiling. The photo in your profile makes you look defeated and will actually slow your progress down. Instead, use a photo of yourself that shows you as you want to be, happy and successful! Doing this will help remind you of what it is you want, whereas your current photo will only remind you of what you don't want.

   Let me end this letter with one final thought; you have chosen the name Firbird to represent yourself. That is an excellent choice! The Firebird or Phoenix, as I am sure you know, is a creature that maintains its immortality by rising up from its own ashes, bright and new. You are attempting to do the same thing. By rising up from the ashes of your past you are trying to create yourself anew and I have no doubt whatsoever that you can and will succeed ; especially if you use The Tools To Life program. Well, I have already gone on far longer than I meant to, but I simply wanted to send a note encouraging you to keep trying to succeed. Remember, so long as you still live you still have a chance, so never give up!

      Best and most sincere wishes,

                James Earl Vance