What if I said being kicked out of high school was the best thing that has ever happened to me? 

Some would be embarrassed to reveal such a skeleton in their closest – and rightly so – but I bare those bones like a badge of honour. 

My expulsion was the catalyst to this journey to change. 

I was 17, on the verge of adulthood, and on the brink of becoming just another high school dropout. I was at a fork in the road and faced with a life-altering decision. 

I thought long and hard about what I wanted out of life and what my future would look like if I didn’t get my shit together. It was bleak, indeed, and I didn’t want to end up being nothing more than a statistic. 📉

So, without the guidance of my parents, I made a choice that changed my life forever – one that set me on the path to self-improvement.

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From one meaningful micro-moment to the next

When I informed my parents of the grand plan – to escape the distractions of the city and move in with my aunt and uncle near the family cottage – it wasn’t received well, to say the least.  

I’d been kicked out of school, and now I wanted to run away to the country. My Old Man was furious 😡 …at first.

I had it worked out in advance, you see. My cousin eased his parents into the idea of me living in their house, while I called the rural high school and pleaded my case to the principal. 

Our tenacity paid off. In the end, my mom and dad had to agree there was merit in my madness. 

Looking back, it shows how much faith they had in me and in the decision I’d made. For that, I am forever grateful, because it brought me this very moment. 

• 🎸 I finished high school and graduated with an 89% average—and I built an electric guitar in the process.
   
• 🎓 I got my first taste of the City of Kingston—where I would later further my education at St. Lawrence College and graduate with honours.
  
  
• 👣 I discovered the career path I was destined to take—which led to a series of micro moments that have since snowballed into something incredibly meaningful. 

There’s a little more to the story than that, of course, but I’ll spare you the details. I will, however, leave you with this: 

Sometimes, the only way you gain experience is through hardship and failure – don’t let those moments go to waste.

And it’s a friendly reminder that you are always in charge of your future.

If you’re willing to take a chance, face your fears, and embrace the unknown that comes with change.

Here’s to the adventure.