{ PREMIER ISSUE 2018 } KHARISMA MAGAZINE
119
I look in the mirror . I affirm to myself , “ I can do it . It ’ s going to be a good day .” It ’ s the power within myself that makes me have a good day versus a bad day , and the positive attitude is very important . The ‘ I ’ in Self-Aid stands for what I believe is the most attractive characteristic in a human being , including myself : it ’ s Integrity . I take my integrity everywhere I go , whether I was , you know , when I was rich , and when I was down , very , very , very poor financially and emotionally , spiritually , all of the other ways . When you ’ re up , or down . I take my integrity everywhere I go . I don ’ t stray . I say what I say . I do what I say . My actions always follow my words , and that ’ s extremely important to me . I look for integrity in myself , my child , my best friends , my business associates . I look for it with everyone that I associate myself with today , because I want to be a person of integrity .
So ‘ D ’ in Self-Aid stands for Dream . And it ’ s not just , “ I have a dream . I have a dream .” It is me telling the world that you can find your life purpose too . Because when you do find your message for this world ; the reason why you were put here on this world , you will love every moment of it . And instead of saying , “ I have a dream .” You will say , “ I ’ m living my dream .” And that ’ s where I am today . And that ’ s Self-Aid , my book as well .
Kharisma : Awesome !
Helen : I always put a bonus chapter , and I talk about it all the time : ‘ G ’ for gratitude , because I always give thanks for everything that I have . Even when I thought I lost it all , I didn ’ t lose it all . I still had my life , I still had my son , I still had something special , and I had my faith . So I ’ m grateful for everything . for people , the blame even , for ourselves , we have to learn to forgive ourselves and others . That is the only way we can move onto the next task and succeed at it . Because if we keep holding onto these past grudges and these past negative emotions , we don ’ t grow , and we stay in the same place , and we keep repeating the same mistakes . So freedom is powerful .
‘ A ’ in Self-Aid stands for Attitude , and that ’ s keeping a positive attitude , as you can hear in my voice . That ’ s so important today . I remember waking up in the morning and having these thoughts of , “ Everything is miserable . I live a miserable life . Why me ? Why me ?” And today I go in with a different view . For some people , that ’ s why my book is , I think , very important , for myself . It ’ s therapeutic for myself , as I hope it is for others .
Kharisma : And what you said is so key , being grateful , expressing gratitude . Because , at the end of the day , it ’ s about what we currently have . Even though we want to have more , we desire more - we should desire more - it ’ s about being appreciative for the now , for where we are right now , because that is the key to our success . I love these ways that Self-Aid represents and what it stands for . And I ’ d like to do a re-cap for our community . So you said the S stands for Self , so finding self , the authentic self . E is for Esteem , and finding esteem in not only yourself , but in others . L is for Love and Laughter . I mean , we can ’ t get enough laughter . It ’ s so good for us .
Helen : So good . So good for our soul .
Kharisma : Yes . And F is for Freedom , how to find freedom from the negative things in our lives to help us move forward into a better space , and move forward in a positive light . And A is for Attitude , having that positive attitude , because it all starts