The best teachers in life will always be authentic. Perspective is a crucial factor that makes all the difference while learning life lessons. The most revolutionizing pieces of textual art have always been authored by people that have experienced relevant phases or experiences in their lives. Having similar experiences helps the author portray their words beautifully that impact the very heart and minds of the audience. Many authors have this valuable talent of portrayal in their arsenal, which helps them to be effective people. However, this talent truly shines only when authenticity is the primary goal. Former house DJ and dance music producer, Christopher Dines, is someone that experienced many ups and downs and prevailed over them, and is now teaching others to find their own inner resources. 

Being at war with oneself is a situation that is commonly observed in today's society. It is a fight where the cards are always stacked against oneself. No matter how strong a person is, negative thinking will always be present. Not everyone is born with the courage and mental control to prevail on worldly urges and take the high road. Many lose this battle time and time again. However, it is not how many battles are lost that matter in building a person's character, but what we do after we have taken a fall. Christopher Dines is a person who, at first glance, had gained all that he aspired to in life through hard work but ended up losing it all due to untreated alcohol addiction and depression. However, his story does not end just there.

Dines was born in Harrow, England, and was born on 19th August 1983. He gained his foundational education at Stanborough independent primary school in Watford and Pinner Park middle school and then went on to study at Nower Hill high school. All while continuing his education, he had a budding passion for the musical arts and used to spend much time rehearsing and creating DJ mix tapes at home. His father used to buy him vinyl in the early-90s, and his mother encouraged him to pursue his love of dance music. Over time his interest grew to a point at which he contemplated the importance of conventional education in his life. He would often mentally debate as to whether to continue his formal education or leave it all to pursue his passion for dance music. At fifteen, he made a monumentus decision to leave high school and pursue music seriously. After spending time honing his talents and hosting school and college parties, he received enough recognition from his audience that he garnered the opportunity in the late-90s to DJ on one of London's most respected pirate stations, Flex FM. This opportunity led to him becoming well known in the underground DJ market, particually at smaller venues, and making a name for himself as a professional. 

During his DJ career, Dines used the pseudonyms Chris Lopez and Kris Lopez and had the privilege of performing at celebrated nightclubs and parties such as Turnmills, London Fashion Week, Hippodrome, and the Ministry of Sound. He widened his horizons by traveling the world and experiencing different lifestyles and cultures through his profession. 

Dines was experiencing the bright lights the music industry had to offer, but as is often the case, there was also a darker side to it all. The entertainment industry might appear glamorous and prestigious, but its professionals know an alternative side to this volatile industry. Depression, alcohol and drug addiction have had a strong grip on this industry for a very long time. Many professionals involved in this industry battle with some sort of addiction, and soon enough, Dines came face-to-face with this reality. It started innocently having a few too many drinks at a music release after party, but quickly escalated to becoming a regular occurrence. Soon this alcohol abuse grew into a more severe addiction to drugs and cocaine, and depression followed. As his tendency to abuse substances and drugs increased, his career was impacted. The streamlining of his career had taken a complete U-turn for the worse and he soon hit rock bottom. Dines quit drinking alcohol and using drugs days after his twenty-first birthday in August 2004. Dines' professional demise helped him to gain perspective, and he started changing his habits. After experiencing addiction and depression, it is commonly observed that celebrities are seldom able to recover mentally and are soon forgotten. However, the strength of character and ethics that helped Dines build a career had not diminished. He used the power of asking for help to defeat his addictive urges, and at the age of twenty-one, he started a new chapter in life. In 2006, Dines decided to retire from the music industry and spend time helping those with similar mental health problems. He started leading workshops that promoted mindfulness and its help in combating addictions. Dines decided not to waste his victory and convey his teachings through harrowing experiences to others in similar situations. 

Christopher Dines has published eight books. His most recent publications called Drug Addiction Recovery (Hachette UK 2019) and Super Self-Care (Hachette UK 2020) are written with self-awareness supported by personal experiences. Through his books, he teaches people how to like themselves a bit more and avoid making mistakes. Dines is currently writing his debut novel. 

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