Posts Tagged ‘Joshua Robbins’

http://www.theaddictedproject.com/#!articles

Very cool stuff in deed, though I of course am now over-analyzing everything I said, and didn’t say, haha. It is great to have any kind of recognition at all though and I’m very humbled that anyone would take the time at all to interview me for my thoughts on writing, the book and life in general. I’m grateful, humbled and happy all in the same breath.

It’s hard to believe that 5 years ago TO THIS DAY, I was in the process of going from the top floor of the Ritz Carlton, opening the curtains to see the whites in the eye balls of the pilots of the black helicopters literally just outside my window, descending into madness to ultimately land in the looney bin for my VERY first time. I mean, that is fucking incredible. 5 y ears later I’m an author, VP of Sales for a mobile marketing company with 5 direct reports and an incredible family life. 5 years ago my family were trying to get me in one place so they could all three sign me into an insane asylum, today, I’m invited to have BBQ at my uncles and play with the toddlers.

Miracles abound in this program of recovery, in this incredible life in general.

Sunday’s ministry by Andy Stanley was amazing as well, loving kindness, making a difference not making a point, treating all those outside the faith with much faith and grace and a little salt, relates so closely to my view of christianity that it is remarkable. I really want to get my book in his hands at some point as we have seen eye to eye, in actually reading the words of Christ and trying to do what they say, not what organized religion says we should do, but actually acting like good Christians, being kind, turning the cheek, practicing forgiveness. If you didn’t catch this Sunday’s sermon or have never heard an Andy Stanly sermon, do yourself a favor and go check it out, this Sunday’s was one of the best ones I’ve ever seen him tell, and it was filled with loving tolerance of others, as well as being a religion of attraction rather than promotion, which is how we got out from under the thumb of the Romans almost 2000 years ago. He talks about the pharisees being the only ones Jesus was most consistently against, because of all of their rules and their hypocrisy. Even as an just an intellectual non-christian this Sundays was a good lesson for anyone to hear. You can always catch up on his messages via the links below, usually they are a week behind though, so make sure you note the dates. July 3rd is the one that really moved me the most in the last year of going or so and is a valuable lesson for christians and non christians alike!

Sundays was titled : Separation of Church & Hate.

Most rational, prudent expression of living by example I’ve heard in a long time, and definitely worth hearing.

http://www.buckheadchurch.org/messages/download

http://www.buckheadchurch.org/messages

http://www.youtube.com/northpointministries

I’m so grateful for my recovery today. Grateful for Josh and Ashley and everyone at TheAddictedProject.com and I wish them all the best in their Publishing adventures, and am indebted to them if they ever have any writing needs at all.

Happy 4th of July everyone.

Respectfully,

Jared Bryan Smith

Funny both my father who died when I was 11 to suicide, but really to alcoholism and addiction, and my step father who stepped into my life right after his death, both listened to Earl Nightingale tapes almost religiously. I listen to them over and over, as well as other philosophers and sales training gurus, and they almost always make me feel amazing. I hear different things at different times in my life. When I was 18 and trying just to survive I heard, just try, and God will get your back, as I remember it seemed so daunting, such a huge prospect to provide for a family at 18, but sure enough, after only six months of really struggling we were making really good money and I bought my wife and I a house. Now, emerging from the wreckage of the tail end of 20 years of destructive drinking and drugging I’ve really been hearing a different message as I listened to this former Marine, WW2 vet with his amazingly soothing voice.

I’ve been hearing, “Not only is it good to be working towards a goal, but you, as a human being, as a man, are most happy, when working HARD And Diligently to a worthy goal.” I think back over my life, and so it is the clear uncut truth. When I was trying to buy Anne Marie that house and provide food for my son, or when I was first trying to get sober, or then once I’d started the book, and the project of Books4freee.com, immersed in those goals, that is when I am the most happy, useful and whole.

Applying Think and Grow Rich’s principles from Napoleon Hill, a man who studied all the giants for industry, from Henry Ford to Thomas Edison, and believed that having a stated goal you said aloud in the morning right when you wake ups well as at nite right before you go to bed allows the principle of autosuggestion to tap into Infinite Intelligence, or God and keeps you focused on that goal all day long. I’ve never actually employed the principle without it working… it’s almost magic… and more it makes my days go by so much faster, and ever better happier. When I was sitting around waiting for the software to be developed for my new project, I had too much time on my hands and I was not anywhere near as happy as now, that I’m out in the field selling it! I don’t think I would be very happy retiring, I am much happier working towards a goal.

I’ve often marveled at how similar Napoleon Hill’s program, with it’s principles of autosuggestion and the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous really are. He is a big believer in the Mastermind Principle, as were quite a few philosophers in recorded history, most notable, Jesus Christ who said “Wherever two or more are there in my name” there I am , and whatever is asked for shall be received, so how fitting is it that almost all sponsors tell you to pray thanks at the end of every day and please give me strength at the beginning. Not too far off from stating a Definite Mission Statement summarizing a steady realization of a goal, worthy to be had, both morning and night. What is a meeting if not a Mastermind Principle, stating that all of us are there to stay sober, just for today.

Every time I tried staying sober on my own, I lasted a week or two, tops and then I would “Change my mind about sobriety.” Not only would I not change my mind once joining AA, but the staying sober part became much much easier. As if the bond that connects us has it’s own weight, it’s own mass, it’s own properties that make 1+1 = 4 instead of 2. It does ya know. It’s magic. I love it and I love the rooms.

If you find yourself unhappy in AA, get a goal. Hell, get a job, and then a goal. Something to works towards. Your OWN dreams, not somebody else s. And DREAM BIG, that’s what makes it exciting!!!!

Check out my featured profile on :

Theaddictedproject.com

How awesome to be listed among the ranks of VIII Days Clean!!! Slowly but surely!!!

They’ve got a picture of my real face up there, but fuck it, anonymity is overrated, and how anonymous can you really be in the age of facebook with over 3k AA friends connected to your profile, lol.

-Jared Bryan Smith

Wow, what an honor, to be asked to do anything at all special regarding the book, but to be asked to be a featured author for a recovery based website, I mean, that’s damn near moving.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in recovery, I’ve not always been the kindest, most humble human being on Earth, but one thing I think I have done is stayed honest, and stayed true to the retelling of my unique story and the tragedy as well as triumph I’ve been through, from losing both parents, to stealing from my dying mother, to losing my mind and ultimately almost my life to Hep C. I was honest in the story, in the book Hippopotamus Sea, and though it doesn’t always paint a proud picture it paints an honest one of what that experience was like. To be asked by Joshua Robbins to be a featured author is more than an honor, it makes it all worth while.

Every review, every pat on the back, every small purchase of 99 cents from smashwords all make me feel like it was worth something. That spending three years writing it and shoveling through all that emotion, and the even more painful sharing of that emotion and allowing others to see all that vulnerability, is something that not a day goes by and I don’t at least ponder the good sense of, but ultimately, as time ticks on and I get letters and emails from other Hep C and Interferon sufferers, I am glad I was guided by my higher power to write, finish and bare my soul to the world. It was worth every drop of tears, sweat and blood, when a fellow artist reaches out to you and says “hey man, I like your work and I’d like to make you our featured author.” It means the world to me and I’m really humbled.

I’m humbled but also thrilled and excited to be a part of the project, and glad, able and willing to contribute on the project moving forward.

Show some love when you get a chance and check it out on:

http://www.theaddictedproject.com

and when you get a chance please read the book Hippopotamus Sea: My Viral Sobriety from smashwords for 99 cents and please please please, leave a review as Indie publishing lives and dies by grassroots support. Thanks so much!

-Jared Bryan Smith