Ever feel like you have to live up to other people's expectations? You don't.

Most people have either found themselves attempting to live up to the expectations of others or, at the very least, felt pressured to do so. Regardless of where those expectations come from, it is never up to someone else to decide what you are capable of.

Derrick Kirkpatrick is someone who felt that pressure at an early age through a rocky relationship with his parents but was able to find a way to stand up for himself and for what he believes in and turn it into something very positive. Derrick holds on to the belief that he has all the power and control to contribute something positive to the world in his own way and regardless of the cards he has been dealt, he sticks to his guns. He is a work in progress just like the rest of us and his awareness of that keeps him motivated to keep adding small bits of positivity to the world whenever he can.

I found his story very powerful and inspiring because we are very close in age and although our experiences are very different, we we're both able to find something positive in our struggles. We both agree that no matter how bad things get, it's up to us to decide what we do about it going forward. Sitting at home and complaining about all the stuff we could be bitter about gets us nowhere and if you are someone who spends a lot of time feeling sorry for yourself, nobody cares.

I hope that you enjoy the listen and find something positive to take away from it!

Thank you for your time.