Meet Matt Dixon

Good morning friends. As you know, this group and my blog is about changing one’s life for the better. Obviously the most visible change in my life has been the physical transformation from weight loss, but honestly, the biggest change has little to do with weight and more to do with a change of heart and mind. To me, this is where all change begins, and it is an on-going process.  When we first begin our journey….whatever that means and whatever road you take….we may not really “THINK” differently. Mostly we just HOPE that we will change, and that this time it will be for good.  It is along the way that we begin to see ourselves and our world through a different lens and we begin to view life with a new appreciation. As we change our thoughts, our lives begin to change. Oftentimes along the way, God sends us people….both in person and online, sometimes even complete strangers, to help us see things differently, and who bring out the very best in us.

 

About two years ago now, I crossed paths with one of those people; someone who has taught me many things, who inspires me to be better, who helps me understand and appreciate life. He is a student at MMCC by the name of Matt Dixon, and he is a member of this FB group. Matt is a remarkable individual and has developed great wisdom as a result of his own personal journey and transformation. I hope he doesn’t mind me sharing his story, but I just continually marvel at how far he has come since we first met and have enjoyed watching him discover his full potential and succeed.

 

Matt has quite a story and he is very open in sharing it. Like many of us, he has had many life circumstances that he has had to deal with. His past was one where serious addiction, shame, and hopelessness was a daily reality, but with a lot of hard work and the support of others, he has completely transformed his life and for the first time in years, he is realizing the he has  future full of hope. He has been clean for many years and although it is a daily decision and battle, he continues to challenge others to get in touch with their emotions and their past and inspires them to change. He is a living example of Transformation and can also be called a “miracle.” He definitely has taught me many things along the way, even though my struggles are with different physical demons, we both struggle with the same mental and emotional issues, mostly doubt, fear, unworthiness, etc. Like me, it is a daily choice for Matt to be happy…to let things go…to choose the high road….to trust and surrender everything to God.

 

In the lowest points of Matt’s life…..just like each of us….he had serious doubts that his life would ever be any different, that he would ever amount to anything, that his future would ever include anything other than the life he knew.  Today….as a result of a lot of hard work and a daily decision to surrender his life to his “higher power”, he is a changed man and is well on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming a college graduate.

 

When Matt began college a few years ago, he was in his 30’s….unemployed….living in his sister’s basement…and had serious doubts about his future. Over the past few semesters, I have had the privilege of watching him grow, in knowledge, wisdom, confidence, and maturity. He was hired at the college as work-study, is well-liked, hard-working, and respected, and is continuing to succeed in his classes. Each day he grows more and more confident.  This semester, (I hope you don’t mind me sharing this, Matt), he earned a 4.0 in his classes!!!  After years of ‘screwing up”…’failing’…being self-centered (his words, not mine), he is now an HONOR STUDENT in college!  I am so proud of him…..not simply because of his grades (which by the way totally ROCK), but because of the ways he has grown as a person….as a man.  And more importantly, I am proud of the way he is willing to share his story….his past…his struggles with others so that he can inspire and encourage them to change. He is a true success story and yet, it isn’t easy. He will be the first to admit that it is a DAILY DECISION. He makes choices each day…sometimes each hour….that he never wants to go back to his old way of life, even when the temptation becomes overwhelming. 

 

As you go through these final days of 2013, I encourage you to think about the New Year…and the new possibilities it can bring, and know that there are so many people who are here to share in your journey, to give you hope, to encourage and support you. Your struggle may not be with weight, or drugs or alcohol, but regardless of what you wish to change in your life, very likely you will find that we all deal with the same “mental, spiritual, and emotional things” that threaten to cripple us and keep us from being truly free.  When we begin to change how we think….the rest of the things will fall into place.

 

I am so blessed to have met Matt and  I give thanks to God for the ways in which He uses Matt to inspire me and give me hope.  I’m sure that Matt wouldn’t mind if you wish to message him privately. He gets strength from sharing his story and helping others.

 

WELL, DONE MATT DIXON…and thank you for the privilege of sharing in your journey. YOU ROCK!!!!

Are you willing to share your story?????