Positive inner-G (by Kurtis Bush)

Blog #2. January 15, 2014.  I am still relating the color of my shirts to my mentoring for this week. On Tuesday, my first day back at GA State, I wore a white button-down shirt with thin blue stripes.  White is often depicted as a color of purity, new beginnings, and encouragement. Blue is the color of trust and peace, and even frigidity.

I have to keep a fresh and clear mind while spending time with my mentee, Darnell. Whatever problems I have, I need to leave those problems and negative energies behind. I literally have to have a new mindset and clarity each time we meet, no matter what obstacles I faced the day or even the hours before.

I do talk to Darnell about my problems, but I talk about them in a triumphant and encouraging tone. I want to let him know that YES! I am experiencing a whole heap of problems, but everything will be all right and I will not be defeated.  It’s highly important to cleanse your mind of any negativity. The cells in your body react to your thoughts, and negativity gives off negative energy that another person can feel.

I always try to keep a positive attitude and a smile on my face because things could be worse. I tell Darnell that a smile can go such a long way. Cleanse your mind of any debris and constantly encourage yourself. The man in the mirror is your biggest competition. Your reflection is the I AM. Darnell always tells me he is a G, which is slang for “The MAN”—kids these days (LOL)!

I will be graduating this year. HIP HIP HOORAY! A new beginning will take place in our lives (mine and Darnell’s) on May 11th, 2014. Every obstacle that presented itself during my collegiate career will have been conquered. It is extremely refreshing to know that my mentee will get to experience this with me.

The trust and peace I have with myself has grown tremendously. Sure, I doubt myself sometimes—it is normal to do so—but I must reassure myself I AM a warrior. Darnell is a warrior. When you trust yourself, you will have peace. I trusted myself when I started as a freshman in college. More recently, I had to really learn how to trust Darnell.

I have a tendency to be very aggressive and hard on people because I see the profound amount of potential in them. As I started to trust Darnell with some (not all) things, I began to realize he is LEARNING. Now, some things I trusted him with came back tenfold on me, but it is all good!  I trusted him and he trusted me. This trust wasn’t built in a day; neither was Rome. Trust-building and peace-building take time, trials, errors, encouragement, cleansing, and more. This is just the beginning….