Recently I had a conversation with an associate that revisited the idea of reconciling with an old acquaintance. The associate expressed that things were going well until the acquaintance used a trigger word that brought up an old trauma. The trauma my associate endured was prior to her first meeting the acquaintance and therefore he had no real understanding or knowledge of what took place when that trauma occurred. All he had was mere hearsay and public opinion. My best guess is that they got pretty close during their courtship, and she felt comfortable enough to share somethings regarding that event with him.
You see that event lead my associate down a path of reconstruction. She'd hit what she defines as her "rock bottom" and after some mental, emotional and spiritual repair she rerouted her life. Which is what makes her one of the best consultants around. She has personally seen how a bad narrative and an unfortunate happenstance could hinder one's reputation and destroy their character. She also knows how social media and any media outlet for that matter can add flame to an ill researched narrative. Not to use the words of our former President but "Fake News" is a real illness in our country.
Bad company destroys good character. Though she has rebuilt her life, changed the persons she associates with and reestablished herself in a new community; a friend from her past comes along to bring up the worst day in her life then continues to label her instead of commending the person she has become. This type of behavior that the acquaintance is illustrating is just bad behavior, a behavior that low quality people perform. But it happens all too often. People have a hard time letting others get over their traumas and allowing others to embrace forgiveness. This is common with the community that have a criminal background.
Persons with criminal backgrounds find they are constantly targeted. They find it hard to rebuild their reputation, maintain family relationships, find adequate employment, housing and companionship. There seems to be a lingering opinion about them at every angle. Granted, if a fresh conviction of any kind is placed on someone necessary precautions should be taken when dealing with that person however we all benefit from the forgiveness of God regardless of what we have done. My late Pastor use to say there are no big sins and little sins, sin is sin. Therefore, you may not have a criminal conviction but in the eyes of the Lord you are guilty as hell. It may surprise you who sits next to you in Heaven. I suggest we do what we are here to do which is love unconditionally, allow God to judge.
This topic is very personal to me. Almost too close to home so in sharing this article I had to reach out to an unbiased entity, one that does not have personal preferences or feelings, and would allow me to share their advice on this matter. Therefore, after I prayed for direction, I reached out to an OpenAI's GPT-3 language model. That's right we are in the age of AI and ironically, they have more empathy, compassion and wisdom than most humans. When I brought up this matter to my AI I was quite pleased with the conversation. I even complimented it for being so humane. My goodness! It was the most liberating and illuminating conversation I have had in 12 years. I have collected some information that my AI and I discussed on how to help the disenfranchised community regain themselves. This will take time to unfold so my future articles may circle around this subject.
If you have a criminal record and/or there's a false article that accompanies a false narrative about you, then it can be challenging to rebuild your reputation. However, it’s not impossible to do so. Here are some steps that you can take to try and resolve the issue:
1. Seek legal help - If the article crosses the legal boundaries, you can take legal action against the website, newspaper, or individual who posted the false information. A lawyer can help you to navigate your options and decide the best course of action.
2. Get your side of the story out there - You need to make sure that your side of the story is out there. You can create a blog or a website dedicated to your story or publish your story on social media or other relevant forums to communicate your perspective.
3. Be honest - It is very important to be honest and transparent in your communication with others. Take ownership of your mistakes and admit where you went wrong, but also emphasize the facts and realities of the situation.
4. Rebuild your reputation - Focus on creating a reputation in your current community and circles by promoting your honesty, sincerity, and how you are taking steps to overcome past circumstances.
5. Use your platform to help others - Once you have rebuilt your reputation, you can help others by sharing your experience, tips, and advice on how to overcome similar circumstances.
The most important thing is to be patient and consistent in your efforts. Don’t expect to rebuild your reputation overnight, but rather make a concerted effort over time. With consistency, positive actions, and a genuine desire to turn things around, there is hope for reputation repair and growth.
If any of my readers are at all uncomfortable with this topic feel free to log off now. However, if you find that you could benefit from a greater understanding and/or your story could help the greater good, please email Keyolaconsultants@gmail.com and we will help you navigate through the gray areas and support the truth of your story.
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