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My Life Is Art: 11 Pillars for a Positive and Purposeful Life
Drawing on lessons from his remarkable life, former child soldier turned activist, author, entrepreneur, and international recording artist Emmanuel Jal provides 11 pillars for overcoming adversity and living a life of purpose
As a child growing up in South Sudan, Emmanuel Jal witnessed atrocities perpetrated against his family and community. These actions drove him to become a child soldier in a vicious civil war. Hunger, isolation, and the ever-present specter of death in battle attended his every moment. Yet his greatest challenge did not come from the outside; it arose from within, from the corrosive nature of hopelessness, trauma, and narratives of victimization.
Rather than succumb to these forces of negativity, Jal turned his life’s challenges into opportunities by utilizing a comprehensive framework developed around 11 pillars of support. Each of these pillars can be used singularly or as a unit to help build an internal structure and solidarity that will allow anyone to overcome adversity, regain joy, gratitude, and peace of mind, and live a life of purpose that enriches those around us.
As a child growing up in South Sudan, Emmanuel Jal witnessed atrocities perpetrated against his family and community. These actions drove him to become a child soldier in a vicious civil war. Hunger, isolation, and the ever-present specter of death in battle attended his every moment. Yet his greatest challenge did not come from the outside; it arose from within, from the corrosive nature of hopelessness, trauma, and narratives of victimization.
Rather than succumb to these forces of negativity, Jal turned his life’s challenges into opportunities by utilizing a comprehensive framework developed around 11 pillars of support. Each of these pillars can be used singularly or as a unit to help build an internal structure and solidarity that will allow anyone to overcome adversity, regain joy, gratitude, and peace of mind, and live a life of purpose that enriches those around us.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2023
9 people are currently reading
1452 people want to read
About the author
Emmanuel Jal
9 books25 followersEmmanuel Jal has no fixed record of when, exactly, he was born, but he is fairly sure that he was about seven years old when he was recruited as a child soldier in his native Sudan. He didn't need much persuading to join: three years previously, his father, a police officer, disappeared at the onset of the country's second civil war (raging from 1983 to, despite the 2005 peace agreement, this very day), and his mother had just been killed in the conflict. Hellbent on revenge, Jal very much wanted to represent the Sudan People's Liberation Army because, as he explains, "no one else in the world was going to help us".
From a vantage point of some 20 years, Jal still harbours fond memories of the SPLA. "Unlike many armies that have children," he says, "the SPLA trained us well." He recounts that the training lasted a full year, in which time he was taught how to cook, camp and how to be handy with both spears and AK-47s. "By the time they sent us out to battle, we couldn't wait. My friends, my family members, had been murdered; I wanted to kill as many Muslims and Arabs as I could."
Two decades on, the fact that Jal escaped with his life is just one remarkable aspect in what has come to be a remarkable life. Now in his late twenties – he estimates 28 – this strikingly good-looking young man has settled in London, and become intent on telling his story, not just once but over and over again. Today, he is a rapper, an author and even the subject of a documentary film. "I believe I have escaped for a reason," he says, quoting the title track of his forthcoming album, Warchild. "To tell my story, to touch lives."
From a vantage point of some 20 years, Jal still harbours fond memories of the SPLA. "Unlike many armies that have children," he says, "the SPLA trained us well." He recounts that the training lasted a full year, in which time he was taught how to cook, camp and how to be handy with both spears and AK-47s. "By the time they sent us out to battle, we couldn't wait. My friends, my family members, had been murdered; I wanted to kill as many Muslims and Arabs as I could."
Two decades on, the fact that Jal escaped with his life is just one remarkable aspect in what has come to be a remarkable life. Now in his late twenties – he estimates 28 – this strikingly good-looking young man has settled in London, and become intent on telling his story, not just once but over and over again. Today, he is a rapper, an author and even the subject of a documentary film. "I believe I have escaped for a reason," he says, quoting the title track of his forthcoming album, Warchild. "To tell my story, to touch lives."
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 13, 2024
DNF at 47% of the audiobook, probably would have stopped sooner if reading the text. This guy has been through a LOT and the fact that he has healed so much and is working to spread healing to others is wonderful, but this book is a bit too tedious for me. He tells so many stories that the principles and meditations he's sharing get lost, and from my point of view as a person who has done a lot of meditating, they're far too wordy, at least for me. I hope others get a lot more out of this book, and I'm sure some do, but it's definitely not for me.
January 19, 2024
Thanks to the author and publisher for the giveaway.
This is part memoir and part self help book. I give the memoir portion a rating of a four and the self help portion a three. Jal’s life is extremely compelling. A tragic yet exciting story of a boy soldier turned author, activist and artist. The self help part is too wordy, uses too many acronyms and gets lost in Jal’s personal story. That is not to say his points on self help are not worthwhile, as they they are, but they seem to interrupt the narrative of his memoir.
My personal opinion is that they should be two different books. I think if it was it would have held my attention longer to the points he was trying to make. Good, just not great. There are other self help type books that are more succinct and are more user friendly than this one. Again, his personal story is amazing.
This is part memoir and part self help book. I give the memoir portion a rating of a four and the self help portion a three. Jal’s life is extremely compelling. A tragic yet exciting story of a boy soldier turned author, activist and artist. The self help part is too wordy, uses too many acronyms and gets lost in Jal’s personal story. That is not to say his points on self help are not worthwhile, as they they are, but they seem to interrupt the narrative of his memoir.
My personal opinion is that they should be two different books. I think if it was it would have held my attention longer to the points he was trying to make. Good, just not great. There are other self help type books that are more succinct and are more user friendly than this one. Again, his personal story is amazing.
October 28, 2023
In his gripping memoir Jal takes readers on an intimate and deeply personal journey through the harrowing landscape of his life as a former child soldier during the Sudan Civil War. From the tender age of four, Jal's innocence was shattered as he bore witness to unspeakable atrocities of murder, rape, and violence that scarred his young mind. In this poignant narrative, Jal not only recounts his traumatic experiences but also offers a profound exploration of the impact of war trauma on the human psyche and, more importantly, the remarkable power of healing and transformation.
Jal's perspective on trauma healing is nothing short of revolutionary. He challenges the conventional narrative of victimization and despair, inviting readers to seize control of their own stories and minds. The book's central question, "Who owns your mind?" serves as a rallying cry for readers to take ownership of their narratives, rewrite their identities, and break free from the chains of negativity. In a world often defined by pain, Jal's positive and hopeful perspective on trauma healing is a breath of fresh air.
Jal ingeniously fashioned a program to heal himself. He combined various elements from his personal experiences, spiritual insights, and psychological growth to construct a scaffold of support that would hold his fragile sense of self together. This program, laid out through the eleven pillars, offers readers a roadmap for their own journeys of healing and transformation.
Emmanuel Jal's book is not just a memoir; it's a manual for reclaiming one's life after trauma. It's an ode to the indomitable human spirit and the capacity for healing and growth, no matter the depth of the scars. "My Life Is Art" serves as a testament to the power of reframing narratives, finding purpose in pain, and embracing the potential for positive change. Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!
Jal's perspective on trauma healing is nothing short of revolutionary. He challenges the conventional narrative of victimization and despair, inviting readers to seize control of their own stories and minds. The book's central question, "Who owns your mind?" serves as a rallying cry for readers to take ownership of their narratives, rewrite their identities, and break free from the chains of negativity. In a world often defined by pain, Jal's positive and hopeful perspective on trauma healing is a breath of fresh air.
Jal ingeniously fashioned a program to heal himself. He combined various elements from his personal experiences, spiritual insights, and psychological growth to construct a scaffold of support that would hold his fragile sense of self together. This program, laid out through the eleven pillars, offers readers a roadmap for their own journeys of healing and transformation.
Emmanuel Jal's book is not just a memoir; it's a manual for reclaiming one's life after trauma. It's an ode to the indomitable human spirit and the capacity for healing and growth, no matter the depth of the scars. "My Life Is Art" serves as a testament to the power of reframing narratives, finding purpose in pain, and embracing the potential for positive change. Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!
April 22, 2024
What makes his book so great is that it comes from a figure who has experienced trauma and extreme violence. And yet he has gone through a self discovery journey. He is positive has faith and a mission statement. He is also a very great writer, and does excellent job at motivating people to live their best lives. The only thing is that he briefly mentions nutrition exercise. I think you could’ve went more in depth, and that or omitted it. Honestly, I couldn’t read this all at a short time period . Took me a very long time to read it because of how busy Life is at the moment . I wish the Read it shorter time frame to better appreciate material.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews