Growing up I always thought that life was meant to be smooth and unproblematic. I thought we should try to avoid discomfort and obstacles at all costs.

This belief worked for awhile ... until I became an adult and entered the real world.

I was going through a difficult time as a sophomore in college but I realized in life we are all going to face obstacles. No matter what race, religion, or gender we are, obstacles are just a fact of life. After learning from some of the happiest people around me, I saw that they focused more on their approach to the obstacle rather than the obstacle itself. This way of thinking taught me not to avoid difficult moments, but rather to embrace them in a way that empowers you.

I started by sharing this way of thinking at the university that I attended in New Jersey and have been going ever since !

~Brandon