Hello Steemit Community.
My name is Carl John.
Named after my two grandfathers. One adopted, who gave me a love of music
and the other an abusive alcoholic who died before I was even a thought.
In an odd way I always felt like those two names represented my light and my dark sides. It was also the name my parents called me when I was in trouble, which was often.
I’m here to share my classically flawed hero’s journey with you. It's a catastrophic fall from grace, rebirth and redemption through my hearts calling.
I was a real estate developer, financier, restauranteur and self-made millionaire living Vegas dream. I had purchased a vacation home in Taos, New Mexico with my eye on retirement.
I thought I was the SHIT.
However, Taos is a mystical, artistic and spiritual vortex that had its own plans for me. It was there that I picked up guitar and dove deep into mysticism and the laws of the universe.
In Taos I began to change and the way I saw the world began to change.
I had a harder and harder time going back to Las Vegas, “popping collars” and living the consumptive egotistical life that I had created for myself.
My dream became that of an artist.
Sometimes the universe sees fit to deliver what is in your heart, but not necessarily in the way that you would like it delivered.
A downturn in the market, a divorce and a custody battle, left me going from multiple homes, a family, and thoughts of retirement, to sleeping on an army cot in a friend’s garage.
Distraught, I set out on the road with a .45 caliber pistol under my seat with thoughts of ending my life by my own hand somewhere on the trail.
The next 10 days were spent on the road, sleeping in my car, driving, blubbering like a hot mess, I even wrote a book about it and this is what I’m going to share.
I did come back from that journey, but I didn’t come back the same.
Utilizing all of the knowledge that I had absorbed from my studies in Taos, I set out to live my life in a completely new way.
With 3 good guitar chords and nothing to lose, I lept out on an unfamiliar path.
In an insanely short period of time, I ended up opening for Robin Thicke, walking the red carpet and winning a Hollywood Music Award.
I was experiencing magic.
But I was also losing some battles with demons that had been chasing me my entire life.
With those battles came shame and suffering that stopped me from living my life full out.
Crossing the threshold of fear, and wrestling with the dragons of my early years. I am creating life again, only this time with a new consciousness, a fierce devotion to my craft, and an awareness of a greater purpose in life –
I am here to uplift, inspire, heal, and connect people around the world through story and song.
I am new to the crypto world and love what this community has to offer. The transparency of the platform and its potential is mind boggling. I am here today to embrace this opportunity to share my journey with you. I am also here to learn from you.
If any of my journey can uplift in a time of suffering, inspire in a time of transition or just make somebody smile along the way, then I’ve done my duty.
I hope to meet you along the way...
Highest & Best,
CJ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cj_carljohn/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmCarlJohn/