Today’s about giving back to the community. So I have a quote to pump everyone up. This is from Col. Paul R Goode when preparing his soldiers to storm Normandy at D-Day. He said “There ain’t anything in this plan that is going to go right. You get your ass on that beach”. And they did. If they can do that we can do anything.

I know technically it’s my 5th day here but I tend to ignore my phone on Sundays. lol. Anyway the prompt for today was a promise I’ve made to myself that I have trouble keeping. This one is special to me because this is one I think about a lot. The promise is to be grateful and just pumped to face the day. So reminder to me and everyone else in here. If you woke up today healthily in a home with running water and food. If you have a loving family and an opportunity to work and earn money to better your life that YOU ARE BLESSED. It’s easy to get caught in the struggles and the stress of day to day life. It’s easy to complain about things. “Im to tired, it’s to hot out, I just don’t feel like it today. That’s when I notice I need to remember what I’m grateful for and to remember I’m blessed to have everyday that I do have.

Hello everyone. I was glad Jake sent me an invite and I see some names in here I recognize and a lot I don’t so I figured I should start with introducing myself. My name is Donovan. I grew up north of Columbus outside of the town of Sunbury. I graduated in 2008 and joined the Army in 2010 from there I served for 12 years until I got out in 2022. After that I got a job in car sales it was rough at first but I worked hard and got better. I still do that now as well as building a social media presence across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. My channel DonovanDrives is really taking off and I’m having a blast doing it. Last October I bought a house in Gahanna and I’m getting married this coming October. Been a big year. Thank you everybody.

The area of my life I want to focus on to do better at is personally accountability. I need to do better at doing the things I KNOW will put me where I need to be. So I want to list the ways I fall short. I wasn’t raised catholic but one part of the Catholic Church I’ve always admired is confession. It’s one thing to know you're wrong but to admit your faults and sins to another person gives you the power to hold yourself accountable to not only ask for forgiveness but make corrective action. So here is what I want to change. Focus and laziness/sloth. Wanting to rest when I have the time and energy to do the things that will make me better mentally/physically and financially. Sitting in a comfort zone. Pride. I know I have a lot to be proud of but confidence and cockiness is a really fine line. I need to remind myself to be humble. Confident but humble. Desire. It’s easy in today’s age to get swept up on the internet looking at all the pictures and videos of instagram models. As men on here we have all seen and know what I’m talking about. I’m not yet married but will be in October. I need to remember to love and honor my (soon to be) wife. (Matthew 5:29-30) Last is patience. Sometimes I become inpatient waiting to see the plan but I need to trust the process. So this is mine and I challenge all of you to admit your shortcomings out loud. I understand if you don’t want to on here but take a moment in the mirror and look yourself in the eye and say it. Saying it out loud will give you the power to hold yourself accountable. Romans 3:23-24 “for all have sinned and fell short of the glory of god. And all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.”

Thinking about where I want to be in 12 months. I want to elevate what I am currently doing. This past year for me has been one of opportunity and getting out of my comfort zone. I want to continue to do that and also keep reminding myself to be grateful and excited to see what life brings. So for the next 12 months I hope to find more ways to push myself pasted my perceived limits. Complacency kills.