When we are little, our parents always tell us to chase our dreams. It didn’t matter how ridiculous the idea may be, we were encourage to use our creativity to become the person who we want to be. Now, let me ask you a question, when did it stop? When did you decide for yourself or let others decide for you that you can’t do those things anymore?

We live through the same routine over and over again, without a single question, we just accept the world as it is. Our family, friends, the media, and all the external things are trying to “guide” us to a world where you will be happy. The college degree, a job, a happy family, a house, a good retirement fund. And honestly, if that’s what you wish to obtain in life and nothing more, I’m happy for you. But for those of you who wish to do more with your lives, I’m going to ask you this, “What are you afraid of?”

I spend most of my life complaining about every little thing in life. Ever since I can remember I hear my parents complaining, my friends, my coworkers, and just about everyone else, so I become influence within that idea and start doing it myself. To me, it feels like I’m okay when I complain because since everyone else does it when they encounter hardship then I can do the same. That mindset stayed with me for a very long time. Until one day I decided to prove myself wrong.

I’ve always been the skinniest person around when I moved to America, the fact that both of my parents don’t weight over 130lbs give me very little faith in my ability of thinking that I can change my body. During senior year of high school I weight in around 90lbs and always get made fun of for being the skinnest kid around. But one day, it all change, I can still remember that day. After being made fun of for maybe the one thousands time and everyone around me laughing at me, I went home and look into the mirror, and I asked myself, “Is this really who I’m going to be for the rest of my life?” My thoughts starts to wonder, I remember my parents told me to accept that fact because we’re Asian and we are skinny, you will be fine. I start think about my own life, I followed every rule possible to get to where I was, I listen to my parents, friends, teachers, and everyone around me telling me who I can be and who I can’t be, who I am and who I’m not. I got so sick of the lifestyle that I was in during that time and I put my foot down that day to decide to make a change, for me, for the first time in my life.

I begin by researching all the information regards to lifting as beginners and from there create my blue print of exactly what to do. I knew it was going to be difficult as hell, and I was right. I was so insecure about my body that I decided the only time I could go was 6am everyday when the YMCA opens. I would wake up every morning at 5am to get ready and eat breakfast. I was always the first person there in the morning, and I did it for 3 striaght months. You must be wondering what did I do exactly every single day to get my ass out of my bed and have the motivation to go every morning. It’s simple, I want to prove to myself that I can do it. I love the quote Eric Thomas, one of my favorite motivator said, “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breath, then you will become successful.” I want to change my body so bad that I was willing to do whatever it takes to get it done. That means getting my homework done early, get myself to bed every night by 9:30pm, never hit that snooze button, to eat every 2 hours, and so on. Thinking back now, I honestly have no idea how I was able to accomplish it, I just knew I want my life to be better, I want to raise the standard of living for myself.

Les Brown, one of the greatest speaker I listen to everyday said, “You don’t get in life what you want, you get in life what you are, what you subconsciously believe that you deserve.” During that first three months, I wanted to give up every single day, but I also 110% believe in the fact that my life is more than this, I deserve to be happy by transforming my body into something that I would be proud of, I envision what I would look like in the future, I knew that if I hold on, I will make it. Since then, 3 years later, I’m sitting at 155lbs, under 7% body fat, and following my dream of becoming an aesthetic bodybuilder every single day.

One of the greatest gift that I received from transforming my body is a new mindset. Guys, when you go to the gym every single day and give it your 120%, yes I say 120% because I KNOW for a fact, you can always do more rep and more weight than you think you can, don’t believe me, well you must have not train with me. When you give it your 120% you will realize how strong you get mentally and physically. You start to believe in yourself and prove to yourself every single day that you can do better because you deserve better, so instead of just talking about it like most people around you, you get your ass to the gym and you put in the work. When you start seeing the result, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks out, you are going to realize your unlimited potential.

The point that I’m trying to say is that if I can do it, I can prove myself wrong, then every single one of you out there can as well. It doesn’t necessarily have to be working out. That is what made me who I am, that’s what I’m passionate about. For many of you out there could be taking a chance at doing something that you always want to do, learning how to dance, draw a master piece, learn how to cook, whatever it may be. You must ask yourself this every single day. Am I happy? No, not like yeah I’m doing okay, great, I’m happy. You have to dig deep down within yourself, do you feel fulfill? Are you happy with your life the way it is? Because every single person is got a dream, something that they always want to accomplish but they are afraid to give it a chance because they are afraid what people will say and what if they fail? Hey, STOP THAT RIGHT NOW! Screw what anyone else thinks, you are going to realize one day, the only person that can make you happy is you, yeah its clićhe as hell but its true. (I’ll do a blog on how I learn that) Do the things you want to do that makes you happy regardless of what anyone else thinks. What is the worst that could happen? You will fail, but at least you tried and you learned from it, by failing you’re doing better than most people that’s in your life, because most people just sits on their asses to think of the what if’s, you are actually out there making a change to make your life better, good for you, KEEP DOING IT and DON’T EVER GIVE UP.

Be who you truly want to be and don’t be so afraid of the norms. They are norms because they don’t believe they can do better, they let others tell them how to live their life. They start hating on you and putting you down because they are afraid you are going to be better than them. Screw them. You are meant for much more than you could possibly imagine. I start this blog because I want to follow my dream, to help people realize their true potentials are unlimited. You. Are. More. Than. You. Think. You have so much to give and worth so much more to yourself than you probably give yourself credit for. You deserve the very best, and if you truly believe in that, then get your ass out of your sit and go out and GET IT.

Start questioning things in your life, start asking yourself why aren’t I doing more? doing better? Start to get to know yourself and love yourself. Because then you will know how to be who you want to be. Read, explore, do the things that make you feel alive because you are going to realize life is awesome that way, and I truly believe that’s the way we are suppose to live it. I’ll leave you with this quote, so until next time…

“Be you and live free. Trust that in living true to yourself, you will attract people that support and love you, just as you are.” — J.C.