Life To The Brim is the name of my company. Dictionary.com defines "Brim" as full capacity, to be abundantly filled or supplied, often overflowing, to fill to the brim. My company name actually was birthed through a branding process by Dream Box Creative. The entire essence of my brand defines my current life’s purpose. I have often been told I am eccentric and I do not deny that fact. Living life to the brim represents your, mine and others ability to live life to the fullest. I am not just referencing waking up in the morning and drinking your coffee and meandering to work. I am referencing the experience of drinking up all that life has to offer. We all have the ability to live life to the fullest, however only a few have the courage to live fully. I may appear to have a Pollyanna mindset and actually I am not far from it. I believe in people and have the hope and belief that each person’s life can brim with, happiness, success, joy, purpose, physical well being and the satisfaction they can achieved their dreams. If this is eccentric then I would prefer to live in an eccentric world than one of woe, mental pain and dismal hopelessness.
I currently work for the largest Federal Prison in the United States of America, to include facilities in Puerto Rico and Hawaii. I suspect most people would call anyone eccentric that enjoys working inside of a federal Penitentiary. My facility houses men who will never see outside of the perimeter of their concrete home, unless they require medical attention that necessitates emergency transportation to a hospital.
My Purpose
For 17 years, following my separation from the military, I have worked around incarcerated men, women and youth. I must admit, I have enjoyed being a conduit of change within the bowels of each facility I have worked. However, I have just tapped into my true purpose. I understand my first purpose is to worship God, however, there is a secular or earthly purpose that each man, woman and child is entrusted with as well. There exist a high percentage of people who do not know what their purpose is, do you? I firmly believe that until a person understands what their purpose is, they will never actually make the impact on this planet they were placed here to do. Yes, people make a lot of money, socialize in the best of venues, have the greatest of stature, raise and have loving families, do outstanding work on the job, love by subordinates and supervisors alike, are the CEOs of large corporations, pastor churches, coach football, etc. Yet, the majorities are not living in their purpose. Then we have the miserable people who are on the other end of the spectrum. They find no fulfillment in anything they do, they refuse to stretch themselves, and they are selfish and only think of themselves.
One of my pastimes is watching people and their idiosyncrasies. Working in a correctional setting I observe both inmates and staff. One day long ago I drew a parallel between the incarcerated and free, free meaning those people who go home every day to include people who do not work in the institutional setting. The lesson and wisdom I gleaned from my observation is this, that freedom is not necessarily a physical phenomena, but rather a state of mind. I agree a man, woman or youth who is incarcerated are physically restricted their confined space. However, I have observed many of them demonstrating a state of mental freedom unparallel to those who are not incarcerated. Many people in our society are imprisoned in the mind through self imposed limitations that keep them from living a life of purpose.
They fail to believe in themselves and allow others to dictate their lives. They have given up their passion for living and their existence is one of simple neutrality. Life was not meant to be neutral. Life is meant to be lived. Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 27 years. Yet during his incarceration he maintained his psychological edge. Even though he was physically imprisoned, he was free in within the confines of his mind. So free, that when he was released he became the President of South Africa and selected the man who incarcerated him as his Vice President.
Are you aware of anyone within your sphere of influence who is a prisoner within their own mind? We see them on the news, millionaires, movie stars, simple people and grand people. All of these human entities represent individuals who are not living a life of purpose and many unfortunately will go to their grave without knowing what it was. Our purpose is aligned with our passion and our passion aligned with our dreams. This unique trinity of purpose, dream and passion is what gives life meaning.
Each person should have an individual purpose statement, one that states what they were placed here to do. My purpose statement is to “Inspire, Impact and Empower those in the space I occupy”. No matter where I am, my purpose is to be of service to those around me. As a Dream/Life Coach I use my principles of coaching and provide free coaching groups to inmates sentenced to life or who have spent one quarter of their life behind bars and are now preparing to be released. I use my speaking abilities to inspire at risk youth or simply engage an elderly woman in the store with wholesome conversation. I find it important to be aware at all times of what I say and how I say it, of course I stray from time to time, but who’s perfect. The object is to strive for excellence.
I will provide insights on purpose and how I tapped into mine later. However, in the meantime I would like for you to answer this question, “what is your personal purpose statement and are you living a life of purpose?”
Congratulations on living life to the brim and in making a difference in this world!
With respect and admiration,
Richard
Be Blessed