💙 4 YEARS AGO I WAS HOMELESS. TODAY I HAVE A FAMILY, A BUSINESS AND A REASON TO KEEP GOING. 💙 Four years ago, I was sleeping rough, begging on the streets just to find enough money to feed my addictions. Some days, I wasn’t even thinking about tomorrow. I was just trying to get through the next few hours. Three years ago, I came out of spending 12 months in rehabilitation centres, recovery units and recovery homes. And what a bloody journey those 12 months were. Fast forward to today… I’m married to the most incredible woman, I’ve got the best son in the world, I’ve got a family who love me, and I’m the proud owner of Next Level Driveways. Am I successful? In some people’s eyes, maybe not. But compared to the man I was four years ago? I’m a fucking millionaire in things money can’t buy. 💙 Just under two years ago, I took a massive gamble and started my own business. Has it been easy? Absolutely not. The pressure, the stress, the sleepless nights, the financial worries and the responsibility of running a company can be overwhelming. But do you know what? NOTHING compares to sitting there shaking uncontrollably, desperate for a bottle of beer, not knowing where your next drink is coming from. That’s a different kind of pressure. One I wouldn’t wish on anybody. I’m not going to sit here and pretend my recovery has been perfect. It hasn’t. I’ve had lapses with alcohol. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve fallen back into old habits at times, and I’ve had to pick myself back up again. But one thing I refuse to do is give up on becoming a better person than I was yesterday. After some of the comments on a recent post, I thought I’d address something about my personality. 🤣 Yes, I’m loud. Yes, I’m wild. Yes, I swear far too much. Yes, I practically live in tracksuits. And yes, my ADHD means I’m bouncing around like I’ve got a rocket up my backside half the time! 🚀🤣 If you see me on a driveway shouting about how amazing resin bound is, or screaming that Wigan Concrete are unreal, just remember something… You’re watching a man who once had absolutely nothing finally enjoying having something to live for. I’m not everybody’s cup of tea, and that’s absolutely fine. But this is me. The real me. I live, breathe, sleep and eat resin bound. Although my wife might have something to say about that last bit! 🤣❤️ And I genuinely believe this industry helped save my life. Because if I hadn’t met my wife, if she hadn’t believed in me when I had nothing, and if I hadn’t found my way into resin installation, I genuinely don’t know where I’d be today. She met me when I had nothing to offer but a troubled past, a few dreams and a willingness to try. She didn’t fall in love with what I had. She believed in what I could become. ❤️ She gave me hope. She gave me a reason to build a future. And resin bound became the cherry on top of everything we were building together. I’m still nowhere near where I want to be. I’ve got debts to clear, mistakes to put right, goals to achieve and a business I’m still learning how to run. But when I look at this picture and think about the man I was just four years ago, I realise something important. Sometimes success isn’t measured by how much money you’ve made, what car you drive or how big your business is. Sometimes success is waking up in a warm bed, having a family who loves you, having a purpose and knowing you’ve got another opportunity to make today better than yesterday. And to anybody reading this who’s struggling with addiction, mental health, money, business, or simply trying to find their place in this world… PLEASE DON’T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF. 💙 Four years can change your entire life. You can lose everything and still rebuild. You can make mistakes and still become somebody you’re proud of. You can have the worst chapter of your life and still go on to write a beautiful story. Don’t compare your chapter two to somebody else’s chapter twenty. Full status is on our fb profile #DIY #Home - @next.level.driveways