[Mike T]

Hi,

This is Mike from the Cape and I have been reading the site for week and this is my first post.

I want to thank everyone for being forthright about their convictions and beliefs and I'm compelled to tell you a story about me over the several months.

I'm 45, I was a go-getter out of college. I landed my first job on wall street (well it was actually more like a boiler room, but what did I know?) Getting up for minimum wage only to make 100 to 150 cold calls a day. After about 2 years of that and no money, by boss never endorsed me for the series 7 exam, I was lucky enough to connect through my first wife, yes I said first, to someone who would employ me and sponsor me.

My 20's were a blurr, job, house, divorce and BAM, I'm in my 30's. Consequently I gained weight, was completely miserable and on the verge of a second divorce.

Well you all know, the last few years haven't been great for the financial industry. In fact, I was laid off with a pretty good severance thanks to the 90's.

So there I was out of work, not knowing what to do. I knew physically I was in bad shape, but who has time when you need to find a job?

I don't know what possessed me, maybe it was because I was feeling vulnerable. Maybe I was tired of feeling like I was powerless and out of control.

I enrolled in a train at home self defense program. Now I know what you're thinking...SO. Well, I did it without any expectations. I got the first month and it sat for a week until I finally opened it and watched it and thought, I could do that. So I got one of those training dummies and set up a little spot in my condo.

It was seriously aggression therapy. I got to hit something and literally focus all of my negative energy on to that dummy. After 30 minutes I was spent. Dripping sweat and exhausted.

Let me tell you, that one physical act started a series of "comebacks" in my life. I am now managing a moving company. Hey, it's not wall street, but it pays the bills. I still train in the program.

YES, there have been times I fell down along the way, but my knew found faith in myself enabled my new found faith in God. I never thought something violent would lead to peace.

I guess that's just it. When I work out, I focus on what has gone wrong in my life. The pain I have caused and I have felt. I let it pour out of me all over that poor, poor training dummy.

I don't know how, I don't know why...I don't care. Doing that train at home program was the small tipping point I needed to get me back on track.

Mike T