Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:01)

It would be great. It would be great if you can tell me a bit more about yourself. I saw bits and pieces about what you do, but what should everybody know about you that we wouldn't hear in life?

Ethan A. Poetic (00:03)

you

I graduated college twice. I wrote my own book called The Inspirational Story of Ethan A Poetic Chronicles of Adversities, Education, Sports, Relationships, and Resiliency. I've been featured on television, radio, podcasts, newsletters, magazine, and I was a recent recipient of the NAACP award.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:34)

What's that award?

Ethan A. Poetic (00:35)

It's non-profit organization. It recognized me for community engagement.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:41)

How are you engaging with the community?

Ethan A. Poetic (00:44)

Sporting events, musical events, inspiring kids and athletes and adults.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (00:50)

That's amazing. So were you sharing your personal story to inspire people? Let's start from the beginning. What happened in your life to bring you to where you are today?

Ethan A. Poetic (01:03)

I had some adversities and life challenges. grew up in a single parent house with a five. My mom had several kids by different men. And it creates a dynamic of an incentive for school districts to receive money from the government for learning support classes.

There's also growing up in poverty where it became normal to me until I saw different ways of life. Like when I saw the Amish and Men that live and they had multiple children, but all in one household with the same parents and they didn't depend on the government for anything.

So I noticed somethings...

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (01:38)

Is that something?

effort.

Ethan A. Poetic (01:42)

Well, it was different in the sense of this is a new way of life, but it also shows me that men do care about being around their children.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (01:50)

You saw from seeing other families that men care about being around their children. Did you grow up feeling isolated?

Ethan A. Poetic (01:59)

I just felt like, when I look back on it now, I realized my parents never had a serious relationship together. But I also realized, you know, my dad had already started a whole nother family. And he didn't give that reassurance to my mom that I'm going to be there for you and all this other stuff will be exclusive. But at the same time, I realized my mom didn't require no commitment either. Yet here I am.

Well, ultimately I realized, you know, as I started telling people later on in life that these are two people who check that are co-parenting and far too often, you know, some people like to say they helped you out in your childhood. Then later on in life, they try to weaponize it against you. And then I got to set boundaries with them like, hey, you you did that as a, did that for me as a child, a teenager. I don't need someone to throw it in my face.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (02:53)

gets thrown in your face.

Ethan A. Poetic (02:56)

It's like, for example, at Family Gatherings, like, you know, the first situation, my cousin and her mom got drunk, you know, under the of alcohol, and started talking bad about me and my mom. And then my dad and I didn't eventually, you know, I didn't want to talk to him about it at the Family Gathering because it's hard to talk to people who weren't intoxicated. So I ended up writing him a letter setting boundaries moving forward.

And the one person I haven't talked to in almost 10 years, the other person I didn't speak to for several years until I ran into her, my uncle at the time. And, you know, we kind of got talking. We weren't on better terms, but she knows that she starts drinking alcohol. I'm walking away. Then the other situation was my other aunt.

On two occasions I got drunk under influence alcohol and tried to force a conversation with me by my parents by grabbing my wrist and that's considered assault, battery.

Let's see, false imprisonment and harassment. And got to the point where I haven't spoken to her in five years. The only time I may have seen her was two years ago and that was at funerals.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (04:12)

Do you mind if I ask who the funeral was for?

Ethan A. Poetic (04:15)

that was my aunt. That's my dad's sister.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (04:19)

How did you cope with?

Ethan A. Poetic (04:20)

What'd say?

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (04:22)

How did you cope with the funeral?

Ethan A. Poetic (04:24)

I mean, it was with a person who was suffering from, you know, a serious health condition for many, many years. I didn't know it was that serious until, you know.

You know, she was in the hospital and she decided, you know, enough's enough. She's ready to go. It's one of those situations where a person doesn't want to receive treatment anymore. They just want to go about their life and allow themselves to go off in the sunset. You know, eventually the health situation got worse without the treatment. And then when it was her time, it was her time. And when I, it was more of her, um...

The funeral was more of a memorial, not an open casket.

Then there was a, what's that thing called, a repass, you know, at this nice place about 20 minutes away. This is a time where people cheer up, have fellowship together, say a prayer, eat, and then eventually, you people go on about their lives separately.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (05:17)

stud.

Right, so they're celebrating the time that has been and then they move into the next chapter of

Ethan A. Poetic (05:37)

Yes, yes, definitely.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (05:40)

So you overcame the detachment of growing up with parents that were not really creating the family life that you believed you needed. Is that mainly what inspires your work for the community?

Ethan A. Poetic (05:59)

because I see a lot of kids that I can relate to.

And I see certain single moms.

I can't repeat this cycle of, you know, not having that requirement, but also not knowing their worth. But then all of sudden, when a claim victim to having a child with a bad man, when the reality is that they open themselves up to that and they didn't properly vet them. Because what I know is that far too often, not all, but some women want to vet a man through tests and emotional intelligence. When the reality is that you got to know a person's family history.

What is the family known for? Who in your own family is going to be willing to properly vet this man himself? And then there's also the reality of what is your purpose with this guy? And it can't be answered with subliminal answers. You gotta be straightforward and be 100 % about what it is that you're looking for.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (06:58)

You have to know what you want and know your worth. If you can believe it, this is really aligning so much because I live in an area where a lot of people don't know what they want and they get into, especially these days, they get into something that's not officially labeled as a relationship and everybody has a different idea of what's going to happen next. And there isn't the commitment or the support. And then.

You're right. Women are accepting that maybe because they think they can't find more than that. Or have you seen other reasons why they settle for less?

Ethan A. Poetic (07:38)

I that some people are not wanting to do the work on an individual level to become the healed version of themselves from underlying pain, wounds, scars, trauma. And unfortunately, you you attract certain people with certain, you know, energy and vibes. It's not always about looking attractive. It's like, for example,

I could find a woman attractive across the room. That might be my initial attraction, but the online attraction could be, hold up, let me see. You grew up in a single parent house like me.

And from a female's perspective, when they don't receive the daddy's love and guidance, far too often they turn to other vices and other ways of thinking to compensate. When the reality is that, you know, we as a people have to know what type of time period do you want to have with that person you may be interested in?

a season, a marking period, a semester, a year. And when I look at marriages, I realize people are giving up too easy because they didn't go through pre-medal counseling. They didn't get rid of the excess baggage. They didn't work on themselves. They were more focused on the celebration of a wedding and reception, but not the journey and the marathon of a marriage.

Because, the first year is a transition. Everything after that is just taking it one day at a time. But unfortunately, some people don't want to face things they need to face. And that also goes back to where they prioritize their mental health. If you don't prioritize your mental health, you're going to drive people down with you. And we see that with people who are, you know, unfortunately homeless, turn into drugs.

alcoholism, certain addictions, people caught up in mass incarceration. Then we also have to look at the bigger perspective of this person doesn't even know their values. They don't even know their gifts and their purpose on earth. Because everyone's born with that. It's a matter of finding it. And for me, I found it and it was bigger than just doing sports.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (09:53)

So you found your value in more than sports, but did sport contribute to your personal value?

Ethan A. Poetic (10:00)

It did allow me to be around positive men that believed in me. Coaches for football, track, wrestling, basketball. And those were the males. Men that were educated. Men that believed in me. Men that were teaching me, finish when you start. Like that drill, the training, the recovery.

and doing the work you need to be doing when nobody's looking.

And I was able to apply those same principles to life where when can't even write my book, my first book, I got finish what I start.

and go through the process. Same thing with cooking. We see ourselves cooking something before we actually eat it. So you gotta have that vision. Well, unfortunately, some people, you know, make excuses for why they wanna be late, not be punctual for someone's time, but I realize they don't value their own time. Yeah, it's just I realized they don't value their own time.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (10:37)

Absolutely.

Sorry about that.

Ethan A. Poetic (11:02)

and they're not gonna be respectful of somebody else's time.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (11:05)

I see. I see. I know that I personally become sometimes a bit distracted by things and then maybe overfilling the calendar and people struggle to be on time because they're trying to overachieve and to do too much and they over commit. But do you think even when people are doing that, it's because they're not valuing their time enough to put a buffer in between?

Ethan A. Poetic (11:33)

Well, it depends on what they're trying to do. Like, for example, never go into a meeting, go into a blind meeting. Ask some preliminary questions to see if everything allows what you're doing ahead of time. Also, it's a matter of, you know, what are you doing by the hour? And the important thing is don't spread yourself too thin.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (11:53)

All right, all of these.

Ethan A. Poetic (11:53)

As far as being overachiever,

as far as being overachiever, you know, it depends on what they're trying to achieve, what are they trying to do, and when is the deadline for when they do achieve it. But also remember the one catchphrase, the top of the one mountain is the bottom of the next, so keep climbing. But ultimately realize you can have all the achievements in the world, but when it's your time to go on earth, you can't take it with you.

You can leave it behind for other people to learn.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:20)

What would you say is more important?

What do you think is more important than the achievements?

Ethan A. Poetic (12:24)

I would

say you can achieve a lot of things that's attainable, but the question is what type of value does it add to other people's lives? I've seen people work nine to five jobs, get injured in a job and get replaced. I've seen people work six, seven figure careers, making all the money but don't have as much family time or intimacy.

I've seen people do more with less by making maybe 60,000 a year while having a balanced lifestyle.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (12:56)

Which one of those do you aim for?

Ethan A. Poetic (12:58)

Well, it depends on how it aligns with my time and what my value is. Like, for example, when I write in my book, I write that more when I'm alone from people.

where people come in and help me is the editor, then it's the book cover designer. So when I make the audio book, I go to the studio. Like it's a recording studio to do that. Then it's time to do the copyright. Then it's time to choose out the ISP numbers and everything else. So it's a matter of just keeping a balance on what aligns with what you wanna do because not all money's good money.

because you got to read the contracts, read the fine print, because you got to know the business before you get into the business.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (13:38)

That's so true and you mentioned that you had been on TV and you made all sorts of appearances. How do you decide where you're going to appear?

Ethan A. Poetic (13:47)

Well, the first time, it was a long time ago when I was a teenager, they interviewed me about something else going on in the city. At the time I was nervous, didn't know what to say, but I learned a valuable lesson, just be prepared. The last interview was me speaking at the Boys and Girls Club to the youths, how to overcome adversity.

how they can become the better version themselves. Another time I got interviewed was about survivors remorse.

and how I still overcame adversity while receiving the NAACP award. The previous time before that was last year when I was featured on 6ABC Action News for speaking at Kings Highway Elementary School where I was a keynote speaker there thanks to the principal at the time, Dr. Bridget Miles and the teacher, Mrs. Kara Mann.

Ultimately, I've been on numerous podcasts, including yours. I've been featured in a newspaper. I was most recently featured in a magazine called The Mills Review Magazine. I was also featured in...

⁓ something else, but I'm not able to remember right now.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (15:09)

That's okay. You mentioned survivors remorse. How does that tie into your experience?

Ethan A. Poetic (15:14)

A couple of errors, I lost my brother.

15 years ago, due to gun violence. I remember like it was yesterday, my mom got the call.

and she dropped on the floor. I never seen her cry so hard. And then I became the older brother overnight. Then they found the guy who did it almost a thousand miles away from where my brother was living. He was caught by the US Marshals. And eventually, you know, the guy was convicted. The getaway driver that was involved

He cooperated as an eyewitness. He didn't face any jail time. So he got a slap on the wrist with the law, but he lost something even bigger. He lost his marriage. His wife divorced him, took the kids. He was forced to pay alimony and child support. So he lost so much more just from being involved in something that was a careless act.

Another survivors from worse situation was me in a near-death experience. We had a 99 % chance of death versus 1 % chance of life.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (16:23)

What happened?

Ethan A. Poetic (16:23)

I'm a driver hit an 18 wheeler while under the influence of pharmaceutical medicine.

And next thing you know, when a blink in an eye, my life changes.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (16:33)

How did your life change?

Ethan A. Poetic (16:35)

I should have been dead.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (16:36)

Right, right. So you thought that you were basically lucky to be alive. Did that change how you approach everyday life and your goals? Because did it show you that time is limited?

Ethan A. Poetic (16:51)

It showed me anything can happen to anybody. Time is sometimes limited based on how we look at it. But also realize life is too short to be involved in bad situations. I look at my life compared to others. My life is a better version of itself now than it was 14 years ago.

But I also look at dope. I was in a different space, recovery, rehab, being on a feeding tube. Well, I look at where I'm at now, I realize there's people in prison that wish they were in my position. That can see the light of day, drive a motor vehicle, attend networking events, have their own business. But instead, they have to live with the decisions they made.

that not only affected their life but also the lives of others.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (17:47)

Absolutely. You mentioned rehab and a feeding tube.

Ethan A. Poetic (17:51)

⁓ basically I had to relearn how to walk again, do talk therapy, neck exercises, physical therapy, occupational therapy. Then my vocal cord got paralyzed. So I got put on a feeding tube for five whole months. That means I couldn't drink. I couldn't eat. It got so bad that

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:09)

You couldn't.

Ethan A. Poetic (18:10)

Yeah, couldn't eat. Couldn't eat my mouth. It got so bad that I had to use a towel under my mouth when it was time to go to bed, because my mouth was just drool.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:21)

That's after the car accident.

Ethan A. Poetic (18:23)

Yes.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:25)

That shows that we all need to have gratitude. We take for granted things like being able to eat.

Ethan A. Poetic (18:32)

Yeah, it was a journey of not being able to consume anything. Because if I would have so much as consumed some water or took a bite of food by mouth, the consequences would have been pneumonia and it have made things worse than what it already is.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:33)

But you couldn't do that.

Ethan A. Poetic (18:47)

So.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (18:47)

That

is... That's a shock.

It's amazing that you survived all that. Did it take a lot of willpower and belief to get through those times?

Ethan A. Poetic (18:59)

Yeah, one day at a time, one hour at a time, people coming in praying for me. There was a special anointing that was being put on prayer lists as I'm reading the Bible. I'm just like at the lowest point of low. And eventually I did come out on top where I was able to eat again, drink again, but then I go through some more stuff.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (19:23)

So you got better and then more things were happening. everybody listening, would one of the lessons to everybody be take it a day at a time?

Ethan A. Poetic (19:26)

Yeah

Yeah, you can say that.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (19:35)

What are some of the other lessons that you share with people, especially when you're speaking? What do you tell people? I know that you talked about how women need to know their worth, but when maybe talking to people who are shifting into any sort of next stage or overcoming something, what is the toolkit that you wish everybody would use?

Ethan A. Poetic (19:55)

Just understand resiliency, that life is never easy. It doesn't matter how much money you're making, the nicest clothes. You're gonna have to face something you have to overcome in life. You don't have to do it alone. You can do it with a therapist, counselor, life coach, pastor, or people in your inner circle that can help you. Then there's also researching the thing you're going through and see the blueprint of how other people went from victor to victor.

or decide to be a victim. But either way, there's a cost to pay at being the victor, because you're going to stand out from the crowd.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (20:33)

There's a cost in standing out.

Ethan A. Poetic (20:35)

Well, it's like some people want to start a pity party for things they have to overcome versus doing the work and realizing that somebody else already been through this and they overcame it. So let's look at what they did. It's like the old saying, same game, just different people. Or in other words, same adversity, trauma, wounds, scars, just a different person.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (21:04)

Are you saying part of the solution is to find people who are a step ahead of you and get inspired by what they did to overcome similar obstacles?

Ethan A. Poetic (21:14)

Yes, because far too many times we think we're alone or may feel we're alone, but I realize on the other side of that energy that's a waves of emotion is answers, clarity and closure on how to move forward.

I realize some people overcome something just by hearing a certain statement, seeing a certain action. I know certain things are different for those who are blind and deaf. They overcome things a different way in their own language, whether it's reading through Braille, listening into audio books, hand sign language. I'm not the best, but I'm just giving an example like the peace sign.

So yeah, everyone has something to overcome.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (22:00)

Those things work. There are solutions.

You're saying whatever is going on, there's solution to what people are facing.

Ethan A. Poetic (22:07)

Yes, there is because this Earth is over 2000 years old. What isn't there not to overcome? You know, our elders have seen a lot in the many years of every 10 years, which is a decade. So they see things and experience things that this generation may not have experienced. They have a story to tell.

in simpler terms.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (22:36)

Circling back for a moment to how you're inspiring young people, for example, have you got any stories, I mean, only say what you can say because it's young people, but have you got any stories where someone heard about your experience and then turned their life around?

Ethan A. Poetic (22:51)

Can you say that again? We kind of like

Can you say that question again?

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (22:55)

Sorry,

I'm wondering have you, yeah, I'll ask the question again. I'm wondering have you got any stories about how a young person or someone in your audience when you were speaking heard your story and then turned their lives around?

Ethan A. Poetic (23:12)

Yeah, there have been, like, for example...

There was this one kid who learned about my story. He told his mom about me.

And it just so happened around that time, I knew somebody that worked at the Milton Hershey School, actually, actually they're alumni of the Milton Hershey School. I introduced that person to that child's mom and that child ended up going to the Milton Hershey School.

And then after that, they went off to college and graduated with a college degree, being the first in their family ever.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (23:42)

Great.

Ethan A. Poetic (23:43)

It was about relationships and connections. I people join this one nonprofit organization. There's these two girls I knew when they were in middle school. I believe in them the first moment I saw them as they were playing on the basketball court and doing track. I was able to help them get into the program and eventually not only graduated high school together, they also graduated college together and they became the first intergeneration.

But ultimately it's about just looking out and providing resources to certain people who believe in themselves But also want to do better for themselves on an individual level

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (24:18)

Do you think people need to want to change?

Ethan A. Poetic (24:21)

Yeah, they have to want it. Like for example, there could be a guy who went through an intervention with the family who got tired of, you know, certain behavior patterns of a person trying to use him. And the problem was some people don't want to go to rehab because sometimes they don't want it bad enough because they haven't figured out a why. And some people don't want to go on the other side and realize they need to face certain things.

that they've been putting off. But we can tell by many stories, like for example,

There's one movie in a book called Homeless to Harvard, where this one girl was homeless for a good period of her life. Eventually she found support and laid it on the road. She got accepted into Harvard, which is an Ivy League school that has one of the highest academic requirements to get involved in there. Another story could be the Michael Orr-

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (25:17)

It's competitive.

Ethan A. Poetic (25:20)

Yes, another story could be the Michael Orr story where he grew up in poverty and everything else with the odds stacked against him. But there was his family that saw something in him. They took him in like their own child, helped him get into this private school. He signed up for football, basketball, ended up getting a full ride scholarship for football at Ole Miss.

and then became a multi-millionaire by being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (25:50)

That's such a story, it really is.

Ethan A. Poetic (25:50)

So

those are two stories I can name right off the top of my head.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (25:57)

They turned their lives around.

Ethan A. Poetic (25:59)

Yes, with the right support system and people coming together for the greater good of humanity.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (26:04)

support system and people coming together. What do you think the right support system should look like for a community? So do you think it's different for everybody?

Ethan A. Poetic (26:13)

The right support system comes with understanding who wants to add value, who wants to help you multiply, and also wants to see you become a better version of themselves. Who wants to invest into you? And eventually you'll do the same for other people as well.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (26:33)

help people to grow and then they can help other people to grow.

Ethan A. Poetic (26:37)

It happens sometimes with teachers doing more than just a curriculum.

You can show and coaches stand a little extra time with certain tricks or not seen athletes making sure they have food, clothing and other tall trees that they can go home with.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (26:57)

make sure people have the basics. it sounds like it starts, sure motivation is great, but it sounds like it can also start with the bare essentials, the basic supplies people need.

Ethan A. Poetic (27:09)

Yes, it sure does. It's just a matter of just making sure we understand the right intentions behind it.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (27:17)

Okay, do you sometimes see the wrong intention?

Ethan A. Poetic (27:20)

Yeah, I do. I've seen some people like, wanna donate stuff to certain people on the street, but then wanna have their camera ready just to post it on social media for, you know, clicks, something that go viral. When reality is that not everything needs to be posted on social media, it can be done just for the moment and then go on about their lives.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (27:43)

Interesting, interesting. Do you think that some of the best things that can happen are offline? I know I believe that.

Ethan A. Poetic (27:51)

Yes, because not everything needs to be posted online that we do in real life. Because we take away mystery, we take away the element of surprise and what we're really doing without people seeing. And then you have other people feel different, like, you doing this just to be posted on social media, just for your own good?

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (28:15)

Absolutely. It's such a fine line. I'm wondering how people can really get their intention across because sometimes we want to share a message to help people and using traditional or modern media to spread that message. But then it can end up looking attention seeking, even if that's not the intention. How do you, because you've been

You've been with a good intention speaking to all sorts of audiences. So how do you make sure that people can see that you're genuinely trying to help? Is it about maybe just including moments that are offline or what do you do?

Ethan A. Poetic (28:57)

It's times where some people are invited in. Sometimes some people are not invited in and they end up in the situation. Like for example, when I got interviewed on television and in the newspaper, they came to my workplace and took pictures and used it for B-roll.

Then it was also kids involved.

It was for the purpose of sharing my story on what I'm doing in the present tense instead of what I overcame as a past tense. There can also be situations of, I could be at a networking event and I could just be the person to be in the background and not have to worry about the spotlight being on me.

There was a couple of times, you know, a certain individual, there was a time where, you know, a certain individual did want the attention on me just to, well, I back, I was kind of exploiting, trying to win the favor of, you know, certain donors, sponsors, and prospective board members to come support this nonprofit.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (29:45)

Right.

Ethan A. Poetic (30:08)

But I realized you should have made the time to ask me if I felt comfortable talking about that stuff.

and far too often I look back on it I do I just say yes because

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (30:13)

Right, did you feel used?

Ethan A. Poetic (30:18)

I just don't want someone, at the time I wasn't comfortable talking about my near death experience because when I look back on it now, I realize, sure I made the recovery, it's like some people see the outside, like I recovered and everything. What they don't realize is that there's a journey in that recovery. I just didn't get there.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (30:38)

That takes time.

Ethan A. Poetic (30:40)

Yeah, and like when a person's on like all those medicines and gets off, they went from their bodies, I went from my body's five senses being numb, like desensitized to when I get off, feel like a different person.

something seems different, but I ultimately realized looking back that there's certain things that should have been addressed much sooner than later. Eventually I did have that talk with that guy last spring and tell him this is the reason why I didn't feel comfortable talking about it because I was going through survivors for months. He didn't know about it, I didn't know about it. And he was able to have a better perspective.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (31:11)

Which guy?

Right, right.

Ethan A. Poetic (31:24)

and gave more clarity.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (31:25)

Do you think

that...

Do you think that various forms of media creators might be on their own learning curve trying to understand how to relate to people who have gone through something?

Ethan A. Poetic (31:38)

The media already knows how to relate to people going back to when television was black and white, also when the newspapers were more in demand than ever, then there's also on the radio and telegrams, whatever, all that other stuff. It's not new, it's just everyone has a voice due to technology being available.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (31:53)

So it's not new. That's what you're saying.

Ethan A. Poetic (32:02)

to different hands. But now it's a matter of fact checking if someone's telling the truth or not. And the only way to find out is test it in a logical and evidential way. For example,

My story is true because, you know, the first story I was reported about me was, you know, me being in critical condition in the newspaper.

Then 10 years later, I finally get an updated version where it shows me being an evolved version of myself. College graduate, self-published author, earned three certifications as a mediator, restorative justice and circles facilitator, and mental health first aider, earned other awards and accolades.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (32:42)

Nice.

Ethan A. Poetic (32:51)

And it shows, you know, social media just adds more value to it than what I already have added value to myself.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (32:58)

Are you saying that people in this story were skipping straight from your accident to the achievement? And it's important to acknowledge the journey that happens to get from one side to the other.

Ethan A. Poetic (33:16)

Yeah, because there's certain things that people didn't understand. It's like they saw me cross the finish line overcome, you know, adversity, but they didn't realize the mental aspect of it. The emotional aspect. Like I'll say this again. When I was desensitized with all those pharmaceutical medicines. It's like, let's say, for example, I come over to your place in Australia. We have lunch.

I shake your hand, you know, we feel that, feel that connection. But if I shake your hand with an oven mitt, you're not going to feel a connection.

Because that's what the medicine does. It desensitized me to where I didn't feel any emotion.

I didn't feel no sensory. ⁓

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (34:01)

You couldn't feel emotions

as well as physical feelings.

Ethan A. Poetic (34:06)

I couldn't feel it. I couldn't

feel it from here because because medicine goes just like the neurology into the brain which controls all the nerve systems all over.

And then I realized when oppression goes through all that, when they get off the drugs and everything, unfortunately we see why people get addicted to opioids because they like that feeling to cope with life.

instead of doing the work.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (34:32)

How does that

happen?

Ethan A. Poetic (34:33)

Well, what happens is when a person has all that downtime being on all these drugs, they feel like, know, depending on how a person's mindset is, they feel like they could just turn to the drugs instead of doing the work from within with their mental health.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (34:48)

Right.

Ethan A. Poetic (34:49)

And then when you take away the pharmaceutical drugs, unfortunately, some people don't want to go to therapy or see a counselor. And they start doing things to get back on the drugs again, to get that high, that illusion again. For me, I did the opposite. I did the work and became a better version of myself without being addicted.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (35:10)

Are you saying that these people can't cope with life and they use those substances to cope with their everyday existence?

Ethan A. Poetic (35:21)

Yeah, yeah they do. It's no different than someone using coffee to cope with life.

because

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (35:27)

I drink a

lot of coffee.

Ethan A. Poetic (35:30)

I'm just saying like, too much of anything's not good for us.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (35:34)

Right.

Ethan A. Poetic (35:36)

I just only use coffee as an analogy because I see some people are looking for that caffeine rush.

in the morning, but I realized there could have been something else I could have consumed in the morning, like a cold-pressed juice that's organic. A smoothie.

or even, hmm, what else could they assume, they could consume a kibacha, it's basically a fermented drink that cleans out the gut. Yeah, that. So what I'm saying is there's alternative things to be drinking besides looking for that caffeine hot.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (36:03)

I know, can betcha.

Ethan A. Poetic (36:14)

I'm not saying it.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (36:14)

Because coffee

is what? It's technically a bit of a drug, isn't it? Coffee.

Ethan A. Poetic (36:20)

Well, it's not necessarily a drug because that's not what it was designed for. It just turns into an addiction because somebody wants to cope with life or want to get that rush, which is like a substitute. But I realize when a person works on themselves, they don't need that rush of caffeine anymore. I'm just only saying that as an example, not that coffee is a drug.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (36:31)

bread.

Ethan A. Poetic (36:46)

Because according to the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, coffee is not a drug. It's just something that people consume.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (36:47)

understood.

I understand. Now, I think what we're saying though, is that people need to do the wellness habits. And I think that here's the thing, wellness has became such an industry and glorified. And some people become skeptical about the consumerism of wellness. However, in a simple, everyday, common sense way, we all need those wellness

habits to really cope with the complexities of life so we don't then end up turning to things that on the surface appear to make us feel better but they're actually causing damage.

Ethan A. Poetic (37:36)

mean, wellness is important to practice every day all year round. That's how we become a better version of ourselves. That's how we learn to cope with life much better and face things head on. But also it can be done in a group setting where you have support. There's some people who more experienced in certain areas to help us become a better version of ourselves.

I'll just say the information is out there, relevant books, ebooks, audiobooks, you know, then there's also on the internet.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (38:11)

There's almost no excuse

then.

Ethan A. Poetic (38:13)

Well, excuse is one thing, but it's a matter of does a person feel motivated and do they want it bad enough. And so far, with the information that's out now, some people are definitely making changes in their lives.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (38:25)

Absolutely. There's so much available. There are so many resources. So I'm wondering if you want to sort of wrap up and give a message out to anyone who's trying to turn life around. What are three key lessons that you would want everybody to know about turning life

Ethan A. Poetic (38:48)

Don't invest more than you can afford to lose or your decisions and the people be around the most is who you'd like to become

and be willing to understand that there is beauty for your underlying pain wounds and scars where you can turn it around for the greater good.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (39:03)

great lessons. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your vulnerable experiences.

Ethan A. Poetic (39:10)

You're very welcome.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (39:11)

It has been great to hear from you. So this is Ethan Poetic.

Ethan A. Poetic (39:15)

Yeah, that's me. I'll just give a wrap up and say if you want to follow me, you can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn. My username is Ethan Poetic or Ethan Poetic 23. Also for serious speaking engagements or opportunities on the summit, a panel or your event, you can book me through ethanspeaks.com.

Melanie Suzanne Wilson (39:41)

Awesome. Reach out to Ethan Poetic. Okay, thanks for talking.

Ethan A. Poetic (39:48)

You're welcome.