Your True Direction

Tag: Personal Growth

  • “If You’re Gonna Go, Let Me Go With You”

    Your True Direction

    spoken word, from the trenches of loss and love

    Let me make this simple.

    I’ve lost people I shouldn’t have lost.

    Not to war. Not to car crashes.

    But to silence. To shame. To the weight they were too scared to hand someone else.

    And I’m pissed about it.

    Because I would’ve sat there all damn night.

    No advice. No judgment. Just presence.

    But no one gave me that chance.

    And now all I’ve got are eulogies I never wanted to hear.

    So this isn’t some poetic tribute.

    This is a wake-up call.

    To you. To anyone thinking they’re too far gone or too heavy to carry.

    Let me say this as clear as I can:

    I’d rather lose sleep than lose you.

    I’d rather be uncomfortable with your truth than devastated by your silence.

    Don’t make me show up in a suit. Show up now. Messy, tired, breaking — whatever. Just show up.

    This poem is for every person who’s ever thought no one would sit with them in the dark.

    You’re wrong. I will.

    And I’m not the only one.

    Just stay.

    He never asked me to be okay. He just stayed — quiet, loyal, present — when no one else knew how.

    I would’ve stayed.

    Sat beside you in silence.

    Watched your walls crumble and said nothing —

    just handed you the pieces

    because I’ve been there, too.

    But you didn’t let me.

    Didn’t give me the chance

    to carry even a corner of that pain.

    You just… vanished.

    Quiet like snow.

    Loud like a gunshot.

    Now all I hear

    is your absence.

    I would’ve taken the late-night calls,

    even the ones where you didn’t say a damn word.

    I would’ve sat on the floor with you,

    in the dark,

    in the mess,

    while the world kept spinning and you couldn’t.

    I know that place.

    I’ve cursed the sunrise too.

    Screamed into pillows until the seams split

    and still woke up wondering

    if it was worth it to breathe again.

    So don’t tell me I wouldn’t understand.

    Don’t you dare tell me I wouldn’t have stayed.

    I’ve lived inside the ache

    that convinced you no one could love you through it.

    But I would’ve tried.

    God, I would’ve tried.

    Now I’m stuck

    writing poems instead of texts,

    lighting candles instead of cigarettes,

    whispering your name

    to a sky that never answers back.

    And here’s what haunts me:

    I never wanted your strength.

    I just wanted your truth.

    Even if it was ugly.

    Even if it shook.

    Because I’d rather

    hear you say “I can’t do this anymore”

    than stand at your grave

    wishing you had.

    I’d rather hold your trembling hands

    than hold your obituary.

    I’d rather lose sleep

    than lose you.

    So if there’s someone else out there

    standing on the edge,

    this is for you, too:

    You don’t have to make it look easy.

    You don’t have to carry it alone.

    You don’t even have to speak —

    just stay.

    And let someone love you

    in the middle of your falling apart.

    Because I promise you this:

    I’d rather walk with you through hell,

    than sit through your eulogy in heaven.

    Enjoyed this article? Please support our work!

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    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy, and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape, take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • The Legacy I’m Leaving

    Your True Direction

    By Ryan T. Garner

    Someone asked me recently, “What legacy do you want to leave behind?”

    Not what job I want. Not what title I’m gunning for.

    But legacy – the real kind. The kind that echoes. The kind that leaves a mark.

    That question didn’t feel polite. It felt like a punch to the chest. Because let’s be honest – most people are too busy surviving to even think about legacy. But I’ve been through enough, seen enough, fought enough, to know that the real work isn’t in the day-to-day grind. It’s in the lives you change while you’re grinding.

    So here it is. Raw and real.

    I’m not here to leave behind perfect spreadsheets or polished LinkedIn posts. I’m here to leave behind a trail of people who remember what it felt like to finally be seen. Really seen. Especially the ones who had been counted out.

    I want my legacy to be the ones who stood up straighter after talking to me.

    The ones who walked into that job interview after years of rejection – and nailed it.

    The ones who were told they weren’t enough, weren’t experienced enough, weren’t “corporate” enough – and found out that was a damn lie.

    I want to be remembered as the one who called out bullshit policies, stood firm in rooms where people whispered, and used every ounce of experience I had – military, career development, leadership, trauma – to light the way forward. Not just for me. But for everyone around me.

    I want my legacy to be about impact. Not impressions.

    Because I’ve walked through doors no one wanted to open for me.

    I’ve been overqualified and underestimated in the same breath.

    I’ve watched less-experienced people get promoted while I held the line and kept everything running.

    And still, I didn’t shrink.

    Because I wasn’t here to play politics.

    I was here to serve. To advocate. To build something better.

    Let me be clear: I didn’t build my legacy in perfect conditions. I built it while navigating burnout, chronic stress, leadership that didn’t lead, and systems that tried to silence me. I built it while dealing with trauma and training a service dog who saved my life in ways I can’t fully explain.

    I built it while helping others find jobs when I was struggling to find my own sense of purpose. I coached people through their breakdowns while still managing mine in silence. I mentored with a cracked heart and a full schedule – because I knew someone else’s survival might start with my willingness to show up, just one more time.

    That’s what legacy looks like.

    Not glamour. Not followers. Consistency.

    Showing up. Even when you’re tired. Even when no one’s clapping. Even when they’re whispering behind closed doors.

    I don’t want to be remembered for being liked.

    I want to be remembered for being real – for speaking up when it wasn’t convenient, for calling out injustice even when it cost me something, for pushing others to rise even when I was still crawling.

    If someone says my name years from now and follows it with:

    “Ryan didn’t just help me get a job. He helped me remember who the hell I was.”

    Then I did what I came here to do.

    That’s the legacy I’m leaving.

    It’s made of grit, grace, fire, and purpose.

    It’s covered in dog hair, sweat, sacrifice, and second chances.

    And no matter what room I walk into – whether I’m welcomed or not – I’ll keep showing up like I belong. Because I do. And so do you.

    Enjoyed this article? Support our work!

    ☕ Buy me a coffee: Thank You!

    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice – I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy – and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape – take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • If My Pride Offends You, That’s the Point

    Your True Direction

    This isn’t a phase. This isn’t a performance. This is my truth — loud, raw, and unapologetic. If it makes you uncomfortable, that’s the point. 🏳️‍🌈🔥

    Yeah.

    I’m gay.

    And I say it with my whole chest.

    Not just a whisper in safe spaces.

    Not just a hashtag in June.

    Not just when I’m around people who “get it.”

    I’m gay. Loud. Proud. And not here to make it easier for you to swallow.

    You uncomfortable?

    Good.

    Sit in it.

    Because I marinated in your comfort for years —

    choking on my own truth

    so you could keep sipping coffee in your illusion.

    I’ve had people look me dead in the face and say,

    “I don’t care what you do — just don’t make it political.”

    But my existence has always been political.

    You politicized me before I ever opened my mouth.

    Before I ever held the hand of someone I loved.

    Before I ever said the words out loud that almost killed me in silence.

    You don’t get to say

    “Live and let live”

    and then look away when laws strip my humanity.

    You don’t get to say

    “I have no problem with gay people”

    but then flinch when we stop apologizing for being visible.

    You don’t get to play peacekeeper

    when you’ve been sitting on the side of the oppressor

    just because you weren’t holding the weapon.

    Let me make this clear:

    I don’t exist for your approval.

    I don’t walk into rooms hoping to be tolerated.

    I walk in knowing I belong — whether you like it or not.

    I’ve spent years editing myself,

    softening my voice,

    adjusting the way I speak,

    the way I dress,

    the way I breathe —

    just to make myself smaller for a world that couldn’t handle someone like me.

    And now?

    Now I expand.

    Now I take up space.

    Now I let every ounce of who I am fill the room,

    because I’m done pretending that survival is the same thing as peace.

    You don’t know what it’s like

    to love with one eye over your shoulder.

    To laugh carefully.

    To watch how you sit, speak, smile, exist —

    because any part of you might give away a truth

    they’re still ready to crucify.

    But I do.

    And I survived it.

    So I’m not going back.

    You wanna roll your eyes at Pride?

    You wanna call it “too much”?

    You wanna scoff at the flags,

    the colors,

    the noise?

    That’s because you’ve never had to fight

    just to feel normal in your own f*cking skin.

    Pride isn’t decoration.

    It’s declaration.

    It’s defiance.

    It’s a middle finger to every system, every church, every family

    that made us believe we were born broken.

    So yeah.

    I’m gay.

    And I don’t owe you an explanation.

    I don’t owe you a filter.

    I don’t owe you the watered-down version

    that makes you feel okay.

    You don’t like it?

    Block me.

    Mute me.

    Write me off.

    But what you won’t do — what you can’t do — is erase me.

    Because I’m not going anywhere.

    I’m not some trend.

    Not some “phase.”

    Not some character in a sitcom made for your entertainment.

    I am real.

    I am alive.

    I am not asking.

    I speak now for every queer kid who’s still hiding.

    For every adult who still flinches when someone asks about their personal life.

    For every soul who thought loving who they love meant losing everything else.

    I speak now because silence was never peace —

    it was a slow death dressed in politeness.

    But this?

    This is life.

    This is freedom.

    This is fire.

    So if my truth is too loud for you,

    cover your ears.

    But don’t expect me to lower my voice.

    Because I was quiet once.

    And it almost destroyed me.

    Now I live with the volume all the way up.

    And I’m not turning it down for anyone.

    Happy Pride.

    We’re not here to be liked.

    We’re here to live.

    We’re here to lead.

    We’re here to burn down every lie

    that told us we had to earn the right to exist.

    Yes.

    I’m gay.

    And if you can’t handle that —

    that’s a you problem.

    Enjoyed this article? Please support our work!

    ☕ Buy me a coffee: Thank You!

    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy, and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape, take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • The Boy I Once Was

    Trigger warning: He’s still watching.

    Your True Direction

    “The boy I buried didn’t die – he waited. Behind every crack, every scar, every silence I called strength. He’s not haunting me. He’s reminding me who the hell I was before the world got loud.”

    The boy I once was?

    Oh, he was a goddamn legend.

    He believed cereal could fix anything,

    that Band-Aids healed betrayal,

    and that adults actually knew what they were doing.

    (Adorable, right?)

    He thought love meant forever.

    Thought saying sorry meant something.

    Thought being “good” earned you safety.

    Spoiler:

    It didn’t.

    It doesn’t.

    He used to stare out windows and dream in color.

    Now I scroll through screens and call that vision.

    He built forts to keep the world out.

    Now I build walls and call it “boundaries.”

    He cried when people yelled.

    Now I flinch when someone cares.

    And somewhere between “be yourself” and “grow up,”

    he got stuffed into a box labeled “too much.”

    Too loud. Too sensitive. Too emotional. Too intense.

    So I dulled him down into a version of myself

    that fit other people’s expectations.

    Congrats, world.

    You win.

    He’s quieter now.

    Until 2AM – when he rips through my chest

    asking why I let him disappear.

    And I don’t have an answer.

    Just more silence.

    But hey –

    at least I’m employed, right?

    At least I pay my taxes, don’t cry in public,

    and answer “I’m good” like it’s a sacred chant.

    The boy I once was would call bullshit on all of it.

    He’d stand on the table and yell,

    “This is the life you chose?”

    And I’d look him in the eye

    and whisper –

    No.

    But it’s the life I settled for.

    Not anymore.

    He’s back.

    With messy hair, scraped knees, and a thousand unspoken questions.

    He’s not here for revenge.

    He’s here for rescue.

    And I’m done leaving him behind.

    Enjoyed this article? Please support our work!

    ☕ Buy me a coffee: Thank You!

    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy, and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape, take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • The Boy I Once Was

    Trigger warning: He’s still watching.

    Your True Direction

    “The boy I buried didn’t die – he waited. Behind every crack, every scar, every silence I called strength. He’s not haunting me. He’s reminding me who the hell I was before the world got loud.”

    The boy I once was?

    Oh, he was a goddamn legend.

    He believed cereal could fix anything,

    that Band-Aids healed betrayal,

    and that adults actually knew what they were doing.

    (Adorable, right?)

    He thought love meant forever.

    Thought saying sorry meant something.

    Thought being “good” earned you safety.

    Spoiler:

    It didn’t.

    It doesn’t.

    He used to stare out windows and dream in color.

    Now I scroll through screens and call that vision.

    He built forts to keep the world out.

    Now I build walls and call it “boundaries.”

    He cried when people yelled.

    Now I flinch when someone cares.

    And somewhere between “be yourself” and “grow up,”

    he got stuffed into a box labeled “too much.”

    Too loud. Too sensitive. Too emotional. Too intense.

    So I dulled him down into a version of myself

    that fit other people’s expectations.

    Congrats, world.

    You win.

    He’s quieter now.

    Until 2AM – when he rips through my chest

    asking why I let him disappear.

    And I don’t have an answer.

    Just more silence.

    But hey –

    at least I’m employed, right?

    At least I pay my taxes, don’t cry in public,

    and answer “I’m good” like it’s a sacred chant.

    The boy I once was would call bullshit on all of it.

    He’d stand on the table and yell,

    “This is the life you chose?”

    And I’d look him in the eye

    and whisper –

    No.

    But it’s the life I settled for.

    Not anymore.

    He’s back.

    With messy hair, scraped knees, and a thousand unspoken questions.

    He’s not here for revenge.

    He’s here for rescue.

    And I’m done leaving him behind.

    Enjoyed this article? Please support our work!

    ☕ Buy me a coffee: Thank You!

    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy, and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape, take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • Borrowed Confidence Will Only Get You So Far

    You can have a thousand cheerleaders, but if you’re not in your own corner, you’ve already lost.

    Your True Direction


    Alone, but never lonely — because belief begins when the world is silent.

    “It doesn’t matter if everyone believes in you, you have to believe in yourself to succeed.”

    Read that again. Let it land.

    Here’s the truth: regardless of how loud the applause is or how many people support you, if you don’t support yourself, you won’t make any progress.

    You can be surrounded by believers. But if you don’t believe in you?
    You’re stuck. Spinning. Stalling. Second-guessing.

    This isn’t a warm hug. It’s a cold splash of reality.

    Because borrowed confidence will only take you so far.

    You’ve Been Sold a Lie

    You’ve been told that enough cheerleaders can cancel out your self-doubt.
    That if your circle is strong enough, you don’t need to be.

    That’s a myth.

    Because when life punches you in the throat, and it will,
    the crowd quiets.
    The cheerleaders go home.
    And you’re left gasping for belief you never built.

    Borrowed Confidence Is a Sugar High

    It gives you a boost.
    Maybe even a spotlight.
    But it’s temporary.

    You know the moment:
    You’re about to leap, apply, speak, and commit.
    And someone says, “You’ve got this!”
    And for a second, you believe them.

    Then that old voice creeps in: Do I really?

    Confidence that depends on someone else’s words isn’t real.
    It’s rented armor, polished, but never yours.
    Not molded by your battles.
    Not forged in your fire.

    And when sh*t hits the fan?
    That confidence bails.

    Self-Belief Is the Only Armor That Sticks

    What Real Confidence Feels Like

    (Hint: It’s not loud.)

    It’s not screaming affirmations.
    It’s not hashtags and high-fives.
    It’s not declaring “I’m enough” while secretly drowning.

    Real confidence is quiet.
    It’s built in the shadows.
    In moments no one sees.
    In the whisper: I’ve got this, even when your hands are shaking.

    Confidence isn’t thinking you’ll never fall.
    It’s knowing that when you do, you’ll rise.

    So How Do You Build Real Confidence?

    You don’t download it. You don’t buy it.
    You build it. One gritty, honest day at a time.

    1. Keep Small Promises to Yourself

    Said you’d get up early? Get up.
    Promised you’d apply to one job a day? Do it.
    Your mind watches everything.
    Follow through, and it starts to believe: We are who we say we are.

    2. Stack the Evidence

    Track your wins. Big or small.
    Didn’t flinch in that meeting? Write it down.
    Stood your ground? Hell yes.
    That’s data. That’s proof.

    3. Do Hard Things on Purpose

    Pick fear. Face it. Mess it up.
    Start before you’re ready.
    Confidence is born in resilience, not perfection.

    4. Talk to Yourself Like You’re Worth Betting On

    If your inner voice were a coach, would you trust them?

    No?

    Then change the damn script.

    Let’s Get Real: No One’s Coming to Save You

    There will be days when no one claps.
    No one cheers.
    Not your friends. Not your boss. Maybe not even your family.

    And on those days?

    Not a podcast.
    Not a quote.
    Only one thing will carry you,

    Your belief in your own damn self.

    Final Word: Stop Borrowing. Start Becoming.

    Believing in yourself isn’t hype.
    It’s not fluff.
    It’s survival.

    It’s what keeps you steady when the world shakes.
    It’s the only thing no one can take from you.

    So stop outsourcing your worth.
    Stop waiting for permission.

    Build it. Back it. Become it.

    Because when you believe in yourself, really believe, 
    You’re not just confident.
    You’re dangerous.

    And the world better watch out.

    Call to Action

    If this hit where it needed to, don’t keep it to yourself.

    Please share it.
    Tag someone who is still waiting for permission.
    Then take that first terrifying step,

    Because your belief is the only one that really matters.

    Enjoyed this article? Please support our work!

    ☕ Buy me a coffee: Thank You!

    About Your True Direction

    I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to make change. I work with veterans, teens, career shifters, and anyone who’s ever been told they’re too late, too broken, or too much. I help people rewrite their story when the world hands them a script they never asked for.

    I don’t save people. I remind them how to save themselves.

    That’s my legacy, and I’m just getting started.

    Follow along as I speak truth, challenge systems, and help folks build a life that actually fits.

    Connect with Us

    Follow us on Medium @YourTrueDirection.

    Your journey is yours to shape, take the next step in Your True Direction.

  • The Power of Positivity: Embracing a Positively Charged Mindset

    The Power of Positivity: Embracing a Positively Charged Mindset

    by R. T. Garner

    In a world awash with challenges and uncertainties, maintaining a positive mental attitude can really be an ace in the hole. Think of it: positive charges repel positive charges. The force of the good vibes and thoughts we keep in our minds repels the negative, leaving space for growth and success.

    The significance of having a positive outlook and mindset goes beyond just being cheerful and acting as if everything is ideal. A positive mindset includes:

    • Creating a hopeful perspective.
    • Looking at problems as chances for growth.
    • Being thankful no matter how difficult the situation is.

    Resilience is a significant factor in maintaining a positive mindset. It is critical to look at setbacks and failures as learning experiences. Instead of letting them bring you down, use them as an opportunity for growth. Above all, embracing a growth mindset, the belief that you can learn and grow is essential to staying upbeat.

    An optimistic mindset is equally as crucial in sculpting the way we perceive and interact with the world. When we view situations with a positive frame of mind, we are not only more apt to see the good in humanity but also are able to solve problems imaginatively and transmit a contagious energy, which in turn nurtures the lives around us.

    In addition, a positive attitude can significantly improve our overall health. Studies have demonstrated that having a “glass half full” mentality can have a positive impact not only on us but also on the environment. Recommend a positive vibe that can diminish stress, stimulate immune systems, and increase the resistance against mental problems. With such an optimistic vision, one becomes the power of the soul and feels more comfortable and confident in life.

    Choosing to be positive takes conscious effort and dedication. It means walking the uphill path, cultivating self-awareness, and forcing positivity to uproot negativity. It’s a radical choice, and Christina had to make it.

    Ultimately, taking up a hopeful attitude and point of view doesn’t mean you’re burying your head in the sand or oblivious to the negative aspects of life. Instead, it’s about approaching life with grit, resilience, and gratitude. By looking at the world through a more affirmative lens, you can not only survive life but continue to flourish and thrive regardless of the challenges and hurdles in your way. In many ways, cultivating the art of hope is a way of giving ourselves the ultimate advantage in life. Let’s make our lives reflect our belief in the power of good faith.