HopeFul Reflections

When I was 13, I moved to a new area in New York. I was a shy kid and didn’t have any confidence. I remember when I started school I met this really great group of people who soon became my friends. While I do not still keep in contact with them they really did mean a lot to me. They were so kind to me at a time when I had no idea how to approach people. They always tried to boost my confidence and reassure me that I wasn’t as bad as I thought I was. They would even speak highly of me. This was new for me and sparked some confidences.

Now this part of the story is a little silly and a hint into the pettiness that has been a character flaw of mine since I was young. Now back then I remember arm wrestling with the other guys in the class. I was a heavy kid and so that gave me an advantage. Then I finally came to arm wrestling one of my female friends. She was very athletic and earned her strength. She beat me and the shame of losing was immense at the time because my male friends teased me for losing to a girl, even though they lost to the very same girl. It was silly, but as a kid you tend to magnify your problems because you lack perspective. I went home that day pretty upset and while out shopping with my father, I asked for my first workout equipment. That silly little event drove me to workout two hours a day for 6 months straight and the movies that kept my motivation high throughout most of it was the Rocky series.

Rocky is about a man who is pretty unimpressive in most regards, and he even sees himself as a loser. While he thinks this, he’s still got a lot of potential. He gets a shot at a title fight, and he gives it everything he’s got. He goes from being a bum of a man to a fighter with a lot of heart. He goes from being terribly awkward with women to finding the love of his life. He goes from being a thug in the streets to being a hero for his city. All it took was a dream, a shot, and a lot of heart.

It was electrifying to see what was possible if I had a vision, made an opportunity for myself, and worked my butt off. In 6 months, I had made a noticeable change in my appearance. I was significantly stronger and my friends noticed the change. I never challenged my friend to a rematch because it wasn’t about her, it was about understanding that I was weak and I wasn’t happy with it. I’m grateful she showed me this issue with myself that I didn’t know I had. It caused me to work and earn my confidence. I also made it a habit to pray before every workout and pray that it would be successful and effective.

The transformation meant a lot to me because I used to be bullied a lot for my weight and my lack of physical ability due to my asthma when I was younger. This new strength let me feel good about myself, allowed me to see what I was capable of, and gave me my first proof that I could build confidence.

The Rocky movies showed me that no matter how many times I felt like I was down, I could always climb my way back up and even higher than before. All the while I’d end up better than before due to my struggles. Each movie drove home the point that struggle isn’t the issue, it’s your attitude while facing the struggle. Rocky always faced every struggle like a fighter. He fought and fought with all he had and if he ever forget that he had people to remind him of that.

-JKG