Keith Edmonds

We have heard that hurt people, hurt people. Bullying and becoming a victim of bullying comes from those hurts. The bullying Keith experienced was most often in the form of cruel looks from others and words like "burnt toast baby," "scarface," and "Freddy Krueger." The words created anger, guilt and shame for Keith at a young age, which resulted in his acting out, fighting, abusing alcohol and feeling like dying for much of his life. Keith understands first-hand the effects bullying can have. Learning Objectives: By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: Understand how to not become desensitized to the word "bullying" Discover what it takes to become resilient Learn about the freedom from forgiveness

Depression is real and Keith's experiences of depression were as a result of the actions of another who held his face to an electric heater at 14 months old caused him to fee alone and isolated. Allowing him to build walls to keep the world out. There were times when Keith walked down an Omaha riverside and felt like the only answer was to jump in and drown. This would be his escape from the walls, and the feelings of loneliness and isolation. Keith sought help and had to convince himself that asking for help was not another sign of weakness or lack of worth. He now teaches that how we respond to adversity determines how we are defined. By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: Realize we all have "superpowers" How to implement techniques to create a healthy mind Understand that we are not held hostage to our past Recognize that through connections we can overcome adversity and depression

Some of life's lessons are taught through our actions, and some are not of our own doing. Adversity is inevitable and it can come in varying degrees of severity. It is how we respond to the adversity which determines how we are defined. Keith teaches others to become who they want to be regardless of the circumstances of their life. Everyone has a story from the past, but not everyone has yet realized that they hold the POWER to write the remainder of their story. Keith challenges others to reinvent themselves without denying the past, but through using their experiences to recognize and bring forth the resilience they possess. Keith leads his life empowering others through his C.O.D.E. By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to: Measure personal experiences of harsh adversity for themselves and others around them. Evaluate our responses to adversity in order to not be defined by the adversity. Illustrate ways to reinvent ourselves and our org