A long time ago someone planted a root in our minds that we were good or we were bad. As a result of that message, in our mind, we harvested an entire garden around that seed. To this day, whatever plant we water and nurture the most will grow in our mind, body, and soul. Question is, which plant are you watering?

Within our community is a vicious cycle of self-sabotage that perpetuates generation after generation. Our society tells us that Black is no good unless you are…Our parent’s society told them the same thing and theirs and so on and so forth. This has led to us feeling like our success is not a birthright, but a battle.

There is no wonder this mind set prevents us from realizing our true potential and continually setting ourselves up for failure (self-sabotage). For you see, if your parents (or anyone) told you that you were never going to amount to anything, you are subconsciously telling yourself that over and over again with each new failure you have, which in your mind translates into a success. Why? Because this is what your parents told you.

However, you can break the cycle of self-sabotage by telling yourself a new message and planting a new seed in your mind. I know it is not easy, but ask most of the Black folks in our society how they meet obstacles and hurdles put in front of them and I am convinced that they will tell you what I know to be true for myself – “you have to feed yourself a new message EVERY DAY and believe it to be your new truth.”

In coming months I will be conducting workshops and seminars and conferences and via invitation around the country on how to tap into your internal wounds, clean them out and start anew. Using real life case studies and walking participants through my own process of healing the pains of my past will help move us towards our own great day.

A brother in Atlanta (Billy Mims Goodman) and I used to hang out regularly and he told me something that I will never forget after he found out my process for healing wounds of my past. He said, “Montee, you know a healing isn’t a healing unless you share it – tell the story.” Well, I want to say thank you Billy and I am ready to tell the story.

On Tuesday, November 2, 2004 you will have an opportunity to pay back the ancestors. How! By going to the polls and not allowing those dog bites, water hoses, bombs, lynchings and all that was done to prevent us from voting to have been done in vain. At the end of the day, you do have a choice. What will it be?