Large waves damage my ship as I navigate the path unknown.
But my anchor stays steady.
It has been with me since my first moment of life.
And will last until my final moment.
My breath is my anchor.
It will help me navigate any hard times.
Breathing in I find my balance.
Breathing out I know that all will be okay.
Breathe in peace.
Breathe out gratitude.
Breathe in I know that my anchor will hold strong.
Thank you.
Who knows what is truly good or bad?
When life can change in a mere moment.
Plot twists around every corner.
Our darkest moments can lead to the greatest times in our life.
Like the beautiful lotus flower blooming from dirty mud.
We too can rise from the darkness.
So who knows what is truly good or bad?
Drop the judgment.
Allow faith & curiosity guide you into the path unknown.
Keep moving forward.
On the path unknown.
Life is beautiful.
Life is short.
Our lives are more precious than any diamond or jewel.
Let go of the past.
It weighs done this present moment.
Crushing joy & love.
Don’t fear what’s next.
Anxiety ruins this precious moment.
Have faith.
Trust the uncertainty of the path unknown.
I woke today seeing the world differently than before.
As I walked through the forest,
I saw my own lungs within the trees.
My heart within the sun above me.
My mind found within a cold waters stream.
For without the trees,
I have no air.
Without the sun,
I have no heart.
No mind,
without clean water.
I am home.
I have arrived.
Present in this moment.
Focused on my breathe.
Letting go of my attachments.
My fears & doubts.
I am home.
I have arrived.
In the now.
Humanity builds their cellblock from within.
Years of fear, doubt, & worry.
Obsessed with control & power.
False sense of security.
Let’s plan a prison break.
Rip the shackles off tonight.
Let go of fear, worry, & doubt.
Embrace the path unknown.
Oh, how beautiful true freedom is!
One day worth more than a thousand in my cell.
The darkness surrounds me.
Fear consuming every thought.
Anger pulsating through every cell.
Hatred burning into my soul.
Greed filling up my mind.
Do I resist the darkness?
Do I suppress these dark emotions?
No.
I will accept the darkness.
I will honor the greed, anger, hatred, and fear inside me as part of who I am.
But I vow to shine light into the darkness of my soul.
The light of love.
The light of kindness.
The light of compassion.
The light of forgiveness.
I will show the darkness another way.
A wave flows in & out.
A seagull floats above me.
A crab clings to a rock.
A sand castle withers away.
Nature’s many lessons all around me.
Consistency.
Patience.
Resilience.
Impermanence.
Nature can only guide us so far.
Be still.
Bring yourself to the now.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Observe.
Smile.
A wave hits.
The wind howls.
A shark lurks in the darkness.
The storm surrounds me.
Will I sink into the darkness?
I throw my anchor into the depths of the sea.
No wave can break me.
No wind can push me.
No shark can hurt me.
No storm will out last my anchor.
Whenever times are tough, I can bring my focus back to my anchor.
My anchor of mindful breathing.
This anchor will be with me until my last moment.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
I cried.
I begged.
I promised I would change.
I poured my heart out.
I suffered alone.
How could you not want me back?
Why can’t you forgive me?
How could you be so cold?
How could you be so heartless?
Welcome to heartbreak.
The heartbreak of rejection.
The sadness of regret.
The pain of looking in the mirror.
Self-hatred.
Anxious days.
Depressed nights.
Through the pain, I learned how to be the lotus flower.
For the lotus flower grows in muddy waters.
Through suffering comes joy.
Through suffering comes peace.
Through suffering comes transformation.
No mud, no lotus.
My heart is now filled with gratitude.
Thank you for letting me suffer and grow.
Thank you for letting me go three years ago.
Thank you, Alicia.
Hope all is well.
With Aloha,
Johnny Hoffman
Backstory: 3 years ago in Feb 2015 my life changed forever. I finally told my fiance that I cheated on her. She left me that day. I felt heartbroken, fearful, and anxious. I had to sit with myself. Sit with the anxiety, pain, and loneliness. Sit with the self-hatred. Through that suffering I found a new way of life. A one of meditation, mindfulness, and joy.
(Main photo: Kanye West, 808’s & Heartbreaks)
The Narrow Path 