I’ve never really fit in.

I mean, I know how to blend in when I need to, but I’ve never actually felt like I fit in basically anywhere I go.

When I was growing up, I loved all kinds of things that I guess wasn’t typical for people my age to be interested in. I remember being 9 years old learning about electromagnetic induction, and theorizing about the nature of the universe.

It wasn’t for any reason other than I simply found these things fascinating.

But I was shamed for exploring these things that I felt called to explore.  I wasn’t shamed directly, but it was more like snide comments, and dismissiveness, and passive aggressive remarks that made it clear that I was not normal.

This weighed heavily on me because at the time, I didn’t have the confidence or wisdom to understand that it was okay to be different. I didn’t realize that all of the negative energy that I received was mostly do to people’s own insecurities and ignorance.

Unfortunately, back then I thought something was wrong with me for being interested in things that no one else my age seemed to care about at all. I couldn’t relate to whatever one else was interested in.  I never could get into fashion, or pop culture, or whatever else young people cared about back in those days.

So I struggled to be authentic with anyone. I had to put on a mask … because I didn’t want anyone to think I was weird or lame, or someone who they didn’t want to be around.

As I got older, I began to learn that the things that I previously hid about myself, were the same things that pave my path towards living my dream life. 

Being a nerd, for lack of better term, is what gave me the knowledge to get into the best shape of my life at 39 years old without even lifting weights.  It was the catalyst for me leaving my corporate 9-5 and having more time to do with my life whatever I want.  It’s the reason why I’m now enjoying a slower and more peaceful life in Europe.

So the lesson that took me much longer to learn than it should have taken is that, in the modern world, it is advantageous to embrace your authentic self at the risk of everyone else not understanding you. In reality, most people don’t’ know what the f**k they’re doing in life. They’re just following whatever blueprint they were told to follow and they play by the rules of a broken system.

Referencing a quote from Erich Fromm:

“The fact that millions of people share the same forms of mental pathology does not make these people sane.”

Over the years after having conversations with many people about fulfillment, and purpose, and the meaning of life, I’ve learned that my experience is not unique.  So many people deep down on the inside feel like they have to hide their true selves and conform to a certain lifestyle that they don’t even want to live, because they know they will be misunderstood when they present themselves to the world in a way that challenges the rules.

At some point you probably question this whole system that we’re living in. You might ask yourself why you have to work some 9-5 job for 40 years, and go into debt to build “good credit”, and to live in a certain way that, when you really think about it, doesn’t make sense to you. The life you actually want for yourself might be in direct conflict with everything you were taught about what a successful life looks like.

But the moment you think about challenging conventional wisdom, people will be sure to let you know that you are crazy.  They say that misery loves company, and it’s as if the world doesn’t want you to think for yourself, or play by your own rules, or to live on your own terms.

So my message to you in this essay is that you are not crazy for wanting the best for yourself. You're just misunderstood.

And when I say “the best” I don’t mean it according to whatever society defines is best, but I mean it in terms of what you know is best.

If you are constantly thinking about how much you feel like you don’t belong in the corporate rat race, and life for you would be better doing a simple job that actually makes you feel deeply fulfilled, then you’re not crazy for that.

If you feel like most things that people buy is a waste of money, and that you’ll find far more satisfaction when you’re able to just unplug and live a very simple life with few possessions, then you’re not crazy for that.

If you’re noticing that everyone around you is always sick, or stressed out, or very out of shape, and you decide that you want to center your life around health and wellness instead, then you’re not crazy for that.

This is how I ended up leaving my corporate job, giving away almost everything I own, and making my health, physical and mental, a top priority for me….

Society breeds mediocrity. It’s designed for the lowest common denominator and therefore is not supportive of people who want to vibrate on a higher frequency – people who want to elevate themselves in mind, body, and spirit.

So if you are someone who seeks to elevate in any way, this is probably why most people simply do not understand you, but that should not prevent you living as authentically as possible.  And you certainly should not think that something is wrong with you for taking a different path.

If you feel called to do anything that deviates far from what society deems is normal, then you should pursue that calling, 100%.

Society is unwell to say the least, so staying on the normal path is definitely not a winning formula.

Quoting Jiddu Krishnamurti:

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”

75% of American adults have no purpose in life, meaning that people are really just out here existing. They’re not living for anything.

2/3 of Americans say they would quit their jobs if money was no issue, which means that most people go to work because they feel like they have to, and not because they want to.

And here’s the real kicker. 88% of adults in the U.S. are metabolically unhealthy, and it’s almost totally driven by lifestyle factors such as poor eating habits, terrible stress management, and being extraordinarily sedentary.

So trust me, you’re not crazy for intuitively knowing that you want to take a different path.

One thing about all of this is that people can definitely feel it when they are not in alignment.  You probably know when something isn’t right. You know that whatever energy you’re currently feeling is a signal that you’re on the wrong path, but you may not exactly know where to go from here.

So if you do know that something is off and you need to figure out your next move, then you should tap into The Self-Reinvention Cheat Code which is my 60-day system for transforming your life, and the first module is all about finding your true path for authentic living.

You’ll also get access to CerebriX and over 10 hours of video content of everyday people just like you telling their stories about how they overcame their own struggles to change their lives.

What that said, I want to spend the rest of this essay diving into what you should do if you decide that you want to finally embrace that inner self who wants to do life differently than everyone else.

So if you’re ready to drop the mask and exit the system that’s keeping so many people out of shape, depressed, and lacking purpose… and if you want to start living a truly authentic life on your own terms then keep reading.