The 5 A's: Awareness. Attitude, Aptitude, Action and Altitude

When properly preparing to prevent poor performance, utilizing the 5 A's in your endeavors will give you the mindset for success. 

  

  The key to success is becoming aware that we are the creators of our life's story. Knowing, that nothing has control over our feelings, thoughts, actions, and responses but ourselves; and that we hold the power in our minds in the paths we choose to take, will set us up for success. 

  When we become aware of the power we hold our attitudes will change towards our surroundings and circumstances. The mindset of "I can't do something" becomes "I can", and you start to seek solutions to problems instead of dwelling on problems, or being part of the problems. There will be a confidence inside of you that no matter what obstacle, whether it is a faulty belief system or people who hate, you won't allow them to pull you down.

  Once you have achieved a level of awareness, and your attitude starts to change, your aptitude (natural ability and capacity to learning) will welcome all opportunities to develop your knowledge, skills, and abilities in all areas of your life. Opening your mind to listening helps to develop our understanding of our surroundings, and circumstances. You will learn that there are things that are simply out of our control, but always aware of things that are.

  Implementing the first 3 A's in your preparations will get you where you want to go with actions. No more talk, relying on others to do things for you, laziness, or blaming: but taking control of your own life and creating your own future and success. Only by your action on your part will anything happen. 

  Lastly, there is altitude. Practicing these skills will elevate your position in every aspect of your life. This allows you to excel past hurdles you never thought you could and managing your life around the foolish things that will come along.

  Applying the 5 A's takes an awareness of self that you have control over your attitudes in all situations and that you have aptitude for success. Putting plans into action is the only way to success in life and with perseverance altitude will have no bounds.

Steven Stone

United States Sentencing Guidelines

Many of you are most likely not aware of, the laws in place in the federal system, that are painted with a very broad brush affecting everyone regardless of their charges, actions, and circumstances. There is no good-time, parole, or any other way for a person to earn their way back into society. They sentence you by months based off of a sentencing guideline table that only takes into consideration the amount of time previously served (called "criminal history") and an offense level number based on each offenses that were determined by congress.
     I understand the reasoning behind setting up the table system to create a format in determining appropriate sentences for people. Where the problem arose though is how the United States Sentencing Guidelines (U.S.S.G.) is applied to individuals. For instance, let's say a person  has a conviction of misdemeanor possession of marijuana, disorderly conduct, theft, etc. (anything that isn't a serious offense basically) and is sentenced to 60 days to 1 year in jail. Regardless of the offense committed, under the U.S.S.G. because of the amount of time you were given you will be given a  2 point enhancement to your criminal history that will dictate which category you get put in. Which in turn, can, and most often does, drastically change your sentence in years! I'm not talking a 1-2 year difference. I'm talking a 6-7 year to life in prison difference!!
     Please look at the sentencing table I have posted and look at, let's say, offense level 37. Now go across to criminal history categories 4 and 5. Do you see the difference in the amount of time given because of what this 2 point enhancement can do? All because of how the U.S.S.G. is being applied makes this difference in people's lives! Not to mention that these people have already paid their dues to society by serving their time and whatever other requirements were placed upon them. Now they are being given more time for these same charges cloaked in the U.S.S.G. as an enhancement in their criminal history. To me, this feels and looks like double jeopardy. What do you think?
     I know there are many arguments that can be made for both sides, but when sentencing a person to prison based off of past charges, judges should be able to weigh all the facts and not be forced to go by a criminal history category that does not take into account all the facts and circumstances! This is people's lives and their families lives that are being affected!
     What I am saying here does not negate that there is individuals who has extreme histories of violence and career offender tendencies who should be sentenced appropriately. I'm not saying just let people go. I'm not saying there shouldn't be consequences for one's actions. I'm not saying the sentencing table should be uprooted. what I am saying is that the U.S.S.G. should be amended to where all the facts of each individuals case be taken into consideration and not be given amounts of time based off of only numbers.
     To resolve this problem it will take a change in the U.S.S.G. enacted by congress. It will take US speaking to our congress-people about these problems and making them issues. It will take US discussing this problem  with others and bringing awareness to them about what is going on. It will take US caring about what is happening not only to ourselves, but to others. I look forward to hearing from you about your opinion on this matter, ideas about how to change things, bring awareness, and whatever else you may think. Thank you for your time.

Sentencing table

                                                                                                              Respectfully Yours,

                                                                                                              Steven Stone

Our voice matters

Hello! My name is Steven Stone. I have created this blog with the hope of bringing more awareness to what is going on in our judicial system, the positive changes people are making inside prisons, to show the stigmas of all prisoners is not based on objective reality, to allow voices to be heard, to make a difference, and to help people become more aware of the things going on.
     Before I go any further I would like to tell you a little about myself and what has brought me here today. I grew up in a small city outside of Baltimore, MD named Frederick. I am 32 yrs. old, have been locked up since I was 20yrs. old, and still have like 9yrs. to go. I am in the federal penitentiary for basically being in the "Drug game", but to be honest, it was my mindset that really put myself in this position. For years after being locked-up my thinking was still stuck in this warped reality and I had to lose someone truly special to me and hit "the bottom" to realize who I was and where I was going was not what I wanted to be.

                                 "I am stronger because I had to be,
                                  I am smarter because of my mistakes,
                                  I am happier because of the sadness I've known,
                                  and now wiser because I have learned"

(Unknown)

     For many years after becoming aware of the errors of my ways I continued to accept the "Status quo" of "The system" and the mentality of the streets. I looked the other way to a lot of stuff and told myself "if they don't care then why should I?!" Of course when the conversations came my way I spoke up but I tended to try to stay away from them. People only know what they know from their experiences and the things they are taught by influences. So I contented myself to allowing the "Status quo" to go on without my voice. Until I realized that my staying quiet was as much of the problem as those knee deep in the game! How can those who only know what they know learn if we don't speak up? Our voice matters, I realized most!
     Which has brought me here today speaking to you. I have decided to start writing and speaking up. I have decided to get in this program called "Challenge" that has really helped me build on myself and reach out to others. The program is a modified therapeutic community that focus' on a lot of the issues that are affecting us. Such as drugs, rational thinking errors, thought processes, anti-social behavior, community building, and negative information sources that are bias, give limited-selective facts, and not based on objective reality.
     This program has given me the opportunity to discuss many of these problems with others, taught me that things don't have to be the way they are, given me the confidence to speak up and reach out, and the knowledge that I hold the power in every situation by the choices I make.
     We also have a newsletter here where guys can write about topics that interest them and are positive and motivational towards change, thinking, problem-solving, etc... I am an editor on the newsletter board and use this resource to reach out to others and try to get them to think and ponder our situations (articles will be posted on the blog). I will not lie and say everyone is positive  and wants change, not all do. But there is some good guys in here and because of the others we get stereotyped into their category and with them, laws are passed by congress and enforced by the F.B.O.P. that affects everyone!
     My next step in trying to reach out has been to create this blog with the hope of creating a dialogue with members of society (you), discussing your concerns with how things are, things you have heard, bring awareness, and find solutions to problems that we together can start working to fix one step at a time!
     I am new to this social media stuff and not sure exactly how it works.lol..:) if you have any ideas to help make this better and reach people please contact me and give me your advice. Also, if you are willing to spread the word and help start creating conversations on anything of concern I would greatly appreciate it. thank you and take care.

UBUNTU is a south African                                                                        
phrase that means...                                                                            
"I am who I am because of who we all are."                                             UBUNTU,                                                                                                              
                                                                                                            Steven Stone