My interest in writing essays grows out of a background of emotional abuse as a young person. While this initially led to a downward spiral in my income and career, it has now turned around in a more redemptive direction. That is, I have been striving to restore my sense of self-worth in the areas of self-care, charitable work, and skill development. The turnaround has been highlighted by confidence building, overcoming of addictions (tobacco and alcohol), and habit change.

For the most part, this turnaround has worked for the best. I keep an archive of concepts, stories, references, and observations about striving for personal development goals. These have helped me to be successful in smoking cessation, weight loss, and sobriety. What I learned from these achievements is now what I want to share in Medium stories or essays.

The lessons learned may not apply to everyone, but I try to combine what worked for me, with the results of empirical studies. The main goal now is to help others achieve personal development goals. If it worked for me, it can work for you.