5 Things People Think I Am, But I'm NOT

Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) - 2015

When I first signed up on Facebook, I was hesitant on sharing my personal life with anyone. I've always been someone who kept to myself, and I could describe myself as an "analyzer" and a "skeptic". I really don't know where that came from, but I believe that it's just a natural instinct for US humans,  "to question things". Maybe if I can just be upfront with you, and tell you that I am a true, extreme INTROVERT, that might better explain things.

Through the years, I've opened up to my friends more and more (and even family), and although it seems like it comes easy for me, it definitely isn't, "openness" actually terrifies me. As life moves on though, responsibilities take over and many people including myself are forced to think out of the box, and do things that are way out of our comfort zones. Change was always scary for me, but as soon as my daughter was born in 1996, my life was forever changed. Let me explain a little.

WHAT CHANGED?
I began driving slower (yes, I am that annoying slow driver, but defensive driving kept my daughter safe), I began to set goals, financial stability became a priority, and more importantly, I began to open up. Why is "opening up" such a BIG DEAL? Well, it isn't a "big deal" for some people, but for me it meant being vulnerable. It meant more opportunity for rejection and negativity, and I hated that. Common or not, I know that I'm not the only one who felt this way either, I guess I just needed someone to show me the POSITIVE sides to the coin, the bigger picture if you will.

Change is scary but I've learned to accept it and adapt. I've had a BAZILLION jobs through my life, mostly in the hospitality industry. At one point, I had one job at a local casino in Tampa, FL and a nightlife marketing business which I built up from ZERO to a 6 figure income business. Once I made a decision to leave the nightlife business (for reasons to better myself as a father) I was forced to work up to 3 jobs at 100 hours per week just to make ends meet. I did that for what seemed like ETERNITY.

I SAID TO MYSELF
Is this really what LIFE is all about? Is happiness and true "TIME FREEDOM" only for the lucky ones?

Hardships is what everyone goes through when they do not want to settle at being so-called "average". And in all honesty, I was comfortable with my life for many of my single, childless years, but once my Princess came into this world, I knew that things had to change. Oh, the single part hasn't changed yet =).

I hit rock-bottom multiple times in the recent years, and I could've easily quit, in fact I did a few times. There were times when I just wanted to go away for good. Yes, I just wanted to go sometimes, why? Because it was just easier. Pretty crazy right, yup...but that's what I went through, and most people don't know about that, again this is why I still feel a little uncomfortable with Facebook sharing. I mean, how much is too much.

Fast forward to PRESENT DAY. I've met some amazing people who have showed me the POSITIVE sides to the coin, and although it may seem like I am living the dream (to some people) I am still working hard everyday to ensure the success and freedom for my family. It's just a never-ending journey, but most definitely something that I look forward too, day in and day out.

WHAT AND WHO AM I TODAY?
I am an humble Entrepreneur who is constantly learning. I am a MINIMALIST, and prefer to own less than more. I run a fitness-related internet company affiliated with an amazing lifestyle brand. I truly believe that TRAVEL is the best education and THERAPY in the world. I started a cause-related media project to raise awareness for charity. But most of all, I am HAPPY. Monetary things (money) means very little to me, but I have a huge understanding on how it can affect our lives, and how important it is in order to grow as a nation, global community, as well as, how it can create a better future for my family.

My HATERS are my MOTIVATORS

SO WHAT ARE THE 5 THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE THINK I AM, but I'm not?

1.  I AM RICH - Nope, I am a hard-working father just trying to provide for my daughter and my family. I do not take short cuts, and prefer to give more than I make. Does this make me rich? It depends on what your definition of RICH is. I would say that I am rich in happiness, and I would love to meet more people who share the same views.

2.  I AM FIT - For some reason, people think that I am a fitness freak. I am far from that, and by no means is that my goal. I was introduced to obstacle racing by my brother Fermin after finishing multiple rounds of P90X, and I ran competitive for a few years until I accumulated some minor injures and unfortunately found out that my GOUT flare ups were caused mostly by my extreme training methods, so I had to step  down, put my ego aside, and just focus on being the healthiest that I could be. Although I was so upset that I could not race like I did in the past, something GREAT came out of it, and that is the creation of my OCRTUBE media project where I can still feel like I am part of the obstacle course racing community, whilst giving back to the community and making an impact in other people's lives. You see, everything happens for a reason.

3.  I AM A BLOGGER OR FILM PROFESSIONAL - I am a terrible writer/blogger and avoid the lime-light as much as possible. But this is something that I actually force myself to do just to adapt to change, and ultimately learn more about myself. I may NEVER be as fluid as Amelia Boone, Brett Stewart, Rachelanne Gladden, or Margaret Schlachter when it comes to the art of telling stories, and WOW, they are all absolutely amazing, but we all have our strengths and our weaknesses, and I'm not afraid to share mine with anyone, I guess that makes me real?

I make short obstacle racing, fitness, and travel videos/blogs but I've never been to film school, and I'll have you know, that I am my VERY worst critic! But I've learned that it's truly all about believing in the message that you are trying to project, and I am very passionate about what I do. Am I trying to be the BEST blogger, or the BEST filmmaker, or the BEST Coach? Not at all, I am simply trying to "pay it forward" in the way that I know BEST, because that's what others have done for me. #Grateful

Read about my DIGITAL NOMADIC LIFESTYLE

4.  I AM PERFECT - I have had many negative reactions with certain Facebook posts that I have shared. For example: "Why do you workout every day?" "Why are you bragging about your travel adventures?" "Why are you promoting Beachbody all the time?" And the list goes on. When people see my posts, they think that I am living the perfect life. I am always spending time with my family, I am traveling all over the world, and I workout anytime that I want because I have nothing better to do. BUT, here's the thing, I DO NOT LIVE A PERFECT LIFE. In fact, I work very hard at what I do, and it is NOT glamorous by any means. I mean I probably still work 100 hours a week, every week. When I am with my family, I still have to make time to work on my business, or else I will not be able to spend time with them. When I travel, there are tough challenges with racism (yes unfortunately, this still happens, it's pretty sad), filming 8 hours in some of the most remote mountains in the world to have your camera footage stolen. And having the freedom to workout everyday is not always a luxury because mentally I am not always there. I still go through life challenges, I still pay bills, things do not always go MY WAY, because I am a real person just like you. I do not live the PERFECT life, but I just make the BEST of it. For me, a simple life is the best life.

5.  I DO THE IMPOSSIBLE -  "I want to do what you do!!!" I get that all the time. In the back of my mind, I say, "no you don't!" =). What I do and how I live my life is definitely not for everyone. Growing up in a family where "entrepreneurism" was highly-praised over job employment, I learned a lot about being independent. My father went from POVERTY in the Philippines to building a successful restaurant empire. He was not college-educated and learned everything from sheer HARD WORK and street knowledge. So when people tell me that I want to do what you do, BUT I CAN NEVER SELL, OR TALK LIKE YOU DO (really), OR MAKE VIDEOS LIKE YOU, OR WORKOUT LIKE YOU etc. that's not true, because frankly, I never knew how to do any of that, and I'm still learning. What made me decide to learn, accept change, and adapt is because I found my WHY, my purpose if you will. Every successful person that I have met has been driven by their WHY. Once you find out what the most important thing or person in your life, and you combine that with your non-negotiable goal, than you too can do what you once thought was IMPOSSIBLE.

I am still under construction, and I always will be, and frankly, I'm okay with that.

Pakse, Laos

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How to Stay Motivated While Working Out from Home

 7 Ways to Stay Motivated While Working Out from Home

When I began my fitness journey back in September 2010, the question that I asked myself was "how in the heck am I going to keep myself motivated while working out at home?" In the beginning, I preferred to workout at home because I worked a lot of hours (I had 3 jobs), and my income was limited so I could not afford a gym membership or a personal trainer. I started with P90X which was given to me by my brother Fermin Banawa, and that's how it all started. Even though I am a naturally self-motivated person, I unfortunately had plenty of days where I needed some help with staying motivated and accountable. These are the 7 things that kept me motivated while working out at home, which could also be implemented to working out at the gym.

7 Ways to Stay Motivated While Working Out at Home:

1.  GET A FREE COACH - Nothing beats having a Free Coach to be there for you while you are going through your fitness journey. Working out at home is tough, but having a coach who can be there for you online anytime can be a game changer. A free coach can give you advice, motivate you, and give you that extra push that you need to get the results you are looking for. That's what my coach did for me! Need Free Coaching from me? Click here!

2.  JOIN A FREE ONLINE FITNESS GROUP - A Free Fitness Support Group is a group of like-minded people who have one set goal, to get healthy and fit while meeting others. If you ever lack the motivation to workout, it's pretty simple, all you have to do is post a message in the group, and you will literally get a ton of messages motivating you to get your butt off the couch! The group is for everyone to post their workouts, healthy recipes, motivational messages, and even get in on some challenges. Simply log in everyday, interact with hundreds of your friends, and get your fit on!

3.  JOIN A CHALLENGE GROUP - If your goal is to get the best results possible, then a Beachbody Challenge Group is what I recommend. I started with a P90X Challenge, and I stayed motivated and had an absolute blast! A Challenge Group is like a regular online fitness support group on STEROIDS! It's not just about health and fitness, it's about your life, your family, and your future. It's about making health and fitness a lifestyle and making friends for life. Ask me about my upcoming challenge groups!

4.  INVITE FRIENDS TO WORKOUT - Some days I would not want to workout by myself, so I would invite my roommate or a friend to join me, and believe me, it made a huge difference. Not only do you get that extra motivation from working out with someone, but you are also sharing the lifestyle with others. Sometimes when you are working out on your own at home, you may not push yourself as hard, but when you think you're tired and you look up, and your friend is still doing push ups, that can give you that extra push to go the extra mile, and that's when the RESULTS come! =)

5.  GET THE FAMILY INVOLVED - It all started when my brother introduced me to P90X, and since then, I've inspired many of my other family members to a healthier lifestyle. A family who works out together, stays together =). I am always motivated when I work out with family, especially very inspired when I workout with my father who is 70 years old and still killing his Insanity workouts!

6.  FIT CLUBS - Yes, I'll say it again, working out at home can be tough, and that's why I started a Fit Club back in 2011 in Tampa, Fl to help my fitness challengers get more motivated with their home workouts. There are Beachbody Fit Clubs all over the USA and Canada. Fit Clubs are for people who would like to try Beachbody Fitness Programs for the first time, or for people who are already doing Beachbody Fitness Challenge Groups and would like more motivation to get them through the week. It's also for anyone who enjoys group fitness. I know that this option takes you away from your home, but if it can motivate you, then why not right? Here's an idea, why not start a little group fit club at your house once or twice a week with your friends and family! Working out at home doesn't mean that you have to do it alone =)

7.  REST - This is a very important part of staying motivated. If you are not well-rested, you will not have the energy to workout at home. Let's face it, without energy, there is no motivation. So make sure that you are taking full advantage of your rest and recovery days. I recommend that you also focus on 80% nutrition. You are what you eat, and if you eat clean, you will rest better, and have the fuel needed to conquer your workouts at home.

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