I was there ... San Quentin State Prison ... serving 16 years to life in prison for the crime of murder in the second degree fitness monkey. This is my 13 years behind bars, with a majority of the past locked inside the sunlight fitness tool monkey is not much bigger than fitness bar monkey a walk-in closet cells. It was a very difficult adjustment to a free spirit and fun guy love Southern California fitness monkey.
I spent most of that time reading classic literature, taking college courses, exercise and teach me to play fitness monkey "Free bird" by Lanyard Sydney on guitar. fitness monkey However, on February 22 was the last day fitness bar monkey of show miles and found myself standing in front of an audience full of venture capital, entrepreneurs, fitness monkey journalists and others detained when I started my business of delivering PowerPoint. "Hello, my name is Chris Schumacher and I am the founder and CEO of monkey gym ... one life coaching service that allows recovery of Internet addiction through fitness."
I started my journey to the last mile after fitness monkey attending his first day in San Quentin demonstration last year. After fitness tool monkey seeing my good friend Kenya Legal hit out of the park with his coach potato field and hear their praise of TL, I immediately knew it was something fitness monkey I wanted to be outside.
I remember when I came to interview for the next session, I wanted nothing in return. I wore my blue shirt "lucky", who recently left to me by a friend, "lifer" of mine who had just returned home. I also made sure to slip fitness tool monkey Chris Credit fitness bar monkey a copy of the San Quentin News imagined getting a college degree and give an epic farewell speech I think even mourn caregiver. I was thrilled when fitness monkey I found out I had been selected to participate in the second grade class of the last mile. With so many negative influences that surround life in prison, trying to take the road often left me standing next to me. Now I began to feel as if all those lonely decisions were about to bear fruit.
Once they began fitness tool monkey during the Tuesday fitness monkey and Thursday night, was totally "delighted" by Chris and the commitment and dedication of the men of Beverly last mile. The guilt and shame of being in jail can make it very easy to get yourself, but there were two caring and compassionate dynamos who believed in us and were willing to share their energy and experience with a group of men wanting motivated fitness monkey learn.
The opportunity that was in front of me really hit home when the first night Chris told us that if we were willing to put in the work and become graduates of the fitness monkey last mile, would have an internship waiting on our release. fitness bar monkey As a lifer, I had to learn to deal with uncertainty, fitness monkey but when I looked into his eyes, I was forced to believe. It is part of the last mile has taught me the importance of being surrounded by people you trust and learn to trust the process.
Fitness monkey I can honestly fitness tool monkey say I had no idea what my business idea would be when I started the class. As we read in the books that fitness bar monkey delighted by Guy Kawasaki, the effect of the Dragonfly by Jennifer Kayaker and Andy Smith, Brian Solis and "The End of Business as Usual, encouraged us to start thinking about the things of life fitness monkey , were lovers.
fitness monkey how to?
At the time, I think my top three running, tennis, yoga, and not to mention, of jail. then asked to reach a positioning statement eight words or less, define our fitness monkey commitment to ourselves and the creative process. Mine read, "Living hard ... let inspiration roar! "It was so strange and amazing to see how these two fitness bar monkey things, as a group, we had the courage and fitness tool monkey confidence to start thinking in terms of possibilities, rather than be hindered by circumstances. A friend of mine said:" You do not have eyes to see ... you need vision. "This rang so true that the last mile has helped more than an expansion of consciousness that would fitness monkey allow me to see beyond cannon towers and barbed wire of the prison walls fitness monkey.
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In the last 13 years of my imprisonment, I pledge to do everything in my power to make the best of a bad situation. fitness monkey I have participated in many groups and programs designed to help you better understand fitness bar monkey the causal factors that led to my crime and give me life skills to make sure that does not happen again. fitness tool monkey Some of the most changed my life were criminals victim recovery Education Advisory Group Addiction, anger fitness monkey management and nonviolent communication.
The more I learned, fitness bar monkey the more I realized that the information I took not only essential for men in prison, could fitness monkey be beneficial to the lives of people out of jail too. My original business concept began as a service to the online active life called Life Coach U. At first it was very broad and undefined. It was suggested that I try to reduce it by incorporating more of my personal story. When I started describing things like products and services, target market, and my own situation, the two things that fitness monkey struck me were the scene of sobriety and stay fit. fitness tool monkey This was due to drugs and alcohol played a devastating role in my life that I vowed never to use it. Instead, I developed much healthier dependencies such as yoga, tennis and training to run a marathon SQL. Linking my own fitness monkey recovery from addiction with physical fitness bar monkey fitness was the spark that my business idea to life. Mono fitness really be the product of my life and sentence.
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Fitness tool monkey He asked the men of the last mile to fitness monkey create a business idea that integrates the three components of our passion fitness bar monkey for technology, and a social cause. He was imprisoned and realize the pain he fitness had caused me motivated to stop using and start living a healthier life. My passion was the physical condition of the body, mind and soul.
With substance fitness bar monkey abuse and addiction play a role in the crimes committed by 80% of the 2.1 million men and women behind bars in the United States, it became clear that there must be a market there for people fighting for washing and staying that way. As I started doing research, fitness monkey I quickly discovered that there is an inverse relationship between physical fitness and addiction. fitness tool monkey It became clear that exercise is a perfect solution for recovery has been shown to increase measures of euphoria and well-being in a manner similar drugs consumed. It was time to find a way to use technology fitness bar monkey and make monkey fitness for people.
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Say that fitness monkey I was computer illiterate is not entirely accurate. However, what annoys me is that everything faster and achieved progress in the last 13 years. For the record, I never looked in Google, Skype, face booked, twittered, scanning, fitness monkey Integrated not even know what a mobile application was before joining LT.
fitness monkey Join this group has been fitness bar monkey a great opportunity for me to catch up with the world of technology that has gone through me. I really wanted to ape fitness to enjoy all that the world of high technology has to offer. I have the intention to develop a website that will help fitness monkey members stay clean for fitness through a variety of books and online games personal trainers. I have also designed a mobile application that will allow members to track their fitness and recovery success and reward for achieving personal goals. More than anything, I wanted to gym fitness tool monkey monkey to be available to everyone who wanted to join. I have the hope of creating a virtual fitness monkey community of support that have the power to motivate and inspire members fitness bar monkey to overcome addiction and live a happier and healthier life. I know how painful it can be to leave behind a social network of friends all still in the race for alcohol and drugs. I would like to improve physical fitness so no monkey would do it alone in his sobriety.
I think the social cause is intrinsically fitness bar monkey integrated Mono fitness monkey gym because of its ability to provide a healthy alternative to the dangers of drugs and alcohol. However, I knew there would be times when the exercise alone will not suffice.My business model includes several ways to return to addicts who still suffer, including fees, processing facilities sponsorship, granting entry rights events fitness, sports equipment and gift for those who are ready to embark on the road to recovery fitness monkey.
fitness monkey that you like:
My own experience made me a fitness bar monkey believer in the principle that the only way to maintain my sobriety is continually looking for ways to give has.
With each fitness bar monkey TL straight session, fitness monkey the collaborative efforts of all persons within and outside the group really helped shape monkey fitness and become a potential reality. Once the model is established, I knew I would need a logo. After receiving and rejecting several proposals from artists here in jail, my friend Luke me lifting, playing tennis, yoga monkey instantly fell in love with Drew because we had a lot in common. However, it may have been a little too much (think steroids) fitness monkey to the general public, fitness bar monkey and I did not want to scare anyone to clean.
I opted for fitness bar monkey the next best thing, a computer generated cute monkey and cleverly designed lift a weight that I could definitely see that the icon of the hot iPhone I appropriately named "Buff". The encouragement and support I received from all stakeholders was no transformation. I remember that at first, Beverly told us that the last mile is a true brotherhood of men and women who always seek the common good of its members. She was right. I am eternally grateful and dedicated to fitness monkey all my fitness bar monkey brothers and sisters fitness monkey in the last mile.
So there I was ... San Quentin fitness bar monkey State Prison ... ask fitness monkey the public to "join me and be part of the revolution Monkey recovery Fitness" and received a standing ovation ... madness. I thought the worst was over, but my heart still beating a mile a minute. Things got even crazier after the presentations were over and the guests arising out of congratulations for a job well done and many, many questions. fitness monkey It was certainly more than I thought, and my only regret is not having time to talk with everyone fitness bar monkey .
I think it's fair fitness bar monkey to say that when it comes to Day demonstration, the sophomore class had crashed. However, the most inspiring and touching moment for me is when a woman named Janet came and introduced himself. He had a smile that seemed so tear when I said that my personal fitness monkey history and presentation of resonance with his own life experience. I could not help but be moved, because it helped me to realize that even in the darkness around me in jail, I was able to shine a light of hope in the life of someone one another. Demonstration Day last mile was fitness bar monkey one of the defining hoping to continue with me for the rest of my life moments. I think that despite my circumstances, the universe is conspiring in my favor and the best is definitely yet to come fitness monkey .
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