Life Doesn't have to be a Sentence: Choose Your Hard

By Dara Hearold and Brian Hearold

Their book unfolds the powerful story of
Brian’s journey from prison to transforming
his life by taking full responsibility for his
choices and actions. Through his story,
Brian emphasizes that, despite difficult
circumstances, making good decisions is
always possible. His transformation is a
testament to the power of accountability and
the impact of positive choices.
Brian’s journey further transformed when
he reconnected with Dara, a grade school
sweetheart. Their reunion blossomed into a
unique friendship and partnership rooted in
trust, communication, mutual respect, and
a beautiful love story. United with a shared
vision of creating non-judgmental spaces and
communities, Brian and Dara began speaking
and sharing their stories to inspire others.
Together their work extends to mentoring and
volunteering, embodying their commitment
to positive impact.
Brian and Dara Hearold’s story is about;
resilience, redemption, and the enduring
power of good choices. They aim to inspire
readers to take control of their lives, make
better decisions, and believe in the possibility
of positive change.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Aug 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798765229910

Dara Hearold

Brian and Dara Hearold are dynamic speakers, small business owners, and dedicated community volunteers based in Southwest Washington. Together, they share a blended family of five children and seven grandchildren. Both are certified in Peer Support, leveraging their experiences to support others on their journey to navigate life’s challenges.

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Copyright © 2022 Dara Hearold and Brian Hearold.

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Balboa Press

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 979-8-7652-2993-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-7652-2992-7 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-7652-2991-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911144

Balboa Press rev. date:  06/18/2024

Contents

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter 1Rehab, No, No, No

Chapter 2Life in Chaos

Chapter 3Choices

Chapter 4The Enemy of My Enemy is One Bad Dude

Chapter 5Life on The Inside

Chapter 6Life On The Outside

Chapter 7Doing Life

Chapter 8Judge Not

Chapter 9The Ripple Effect

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the family that never gave up on me through all these years. My beautiful wife who has never judged me, always sees the best in me, and supports me. She pushes me to continue to be a better person. To all people struggling to make the right choices, I see you, I believe in you, I was you. Do not give up.

Introduction

M y wife and I wrote this book because we believe I have a powerful story to share with you. I want to share my story so that you can understand the full consequences of poor choices. I made poor choices in my youth, leading to spending 23 years in prison. But I also want you to know you can always make a better choice no matter your circumstances. I am proof of this! During the time I have been out, I have worked my way into a promising career; I met the love of my life, who does not judge me and loves me unconditionally. All this would not be possible without a conscious decision to make good choices in my life. I need you to understand that you have options, and maybe by hearing my story, I will be able to impact your lives positively. I know you; I was you; I believe in you. I also think that you can make better choices and decisions, and by doing so, your lives will get so much better.

1

Rehab, No, No, No

T he drive was long; I sat in the passenger seat, listening to music, smoking my cigarettes, and smoking some weed. Not my best decision, but I did not care. My girlfriend Charlotte and I did not say much on the way, not much to say, not thinking much. Charlotte was pregnant at the time and drove me across the state to a rehab facility.

When we arrived, Charlotte hugged me tight and, through her tears, said she would see me in thirty days. I walked through the doors and checked myself into the facility. I handed them my belongings, and they searched through them and then returned most of my items except my $5 bill; they immediately took this from me while explaining I was not allowed to have money. The intake coordinator recorded my money and stored it for my stay there. They checked me into my room, and afterward, I met other residents outside where they were playing volleyball. The other residents introduced themselves to me and told me I needed a higher power; they asked me if I had one. I said, no, I do not, and the other residents kept reiterating that I needed one. Frustrated, I finally picked up a rock a said, here, this is my higher power! I was tired and just went to my room to sleep that evening.

The following day, the breakfast was great, gigantic pancakes, and I like pancakes, so I thought that was cool, and this place is not so bad. Next, I was told to go into my assigned group for meditation, so I headed to the room with my group.

When I entered the room, a group of people stood in a circle. The staff informed me I would need to hold hands and pray; I looked around, and two men stood on each side of me. I thought to myself that I would not stand in a circle and hold hands with other people including other men. I stormed out. This was the first of many bad choices. I immediately went to the front desk and told them I was checking out; they started to say that I could not do that because they thought I