by Tony Gjokaj March 11, 2021 2 min read

In my teenage years, I was overweight and depressed. My poor choice in lifestyle led me to have bad insomnia and high levels of fatigue.

Poor diet, poor exercise, poor sleep... poor outlook.

This made me very resentful towards people who, to me, had it made... more successful, more talented, and so on.

I was angry because I believed these individuals were given everything they wanted out of life simply for existing.

I never saw the hours they committed to BE successful.

This is why I look back and realized why I never got any of it.

It Started With Exercise

When my mother heard me complaining about these things, she told me to put that talk into action.

I started exercising with her.

I completely despised it.

I hated how embarrassing I looked, and believed that everyone looked at me in judgment. Some actually did, which made me want to stop at times... but I continued.

I stopped complaining about my circumstances once I started seeing results from exercise, and seeing that my perceived limitations could be destroyed if I worked my ass off for it.

I realized, and finally admitted to myself I am not where I wanted to be because of all the things I told myself subconsciously.

My thoughts weren't mine... they were what others said about me. I was picked on because I projected that I had zero self-confidence in myself.

I started making better food choices.

I started sleeping better.

My mood was better. My energy was higher.

...My depression started to dissipate...

I started to enjoy what fitness gave me.

This was my glimpse of Self-Sovereignty through Fitness: realizing that I can be in charge of what I could potentially become.

Self-Sovereignty

Self-Sovereignty - A state of mind that allows you to control your own destiny.

To me, Self-Sovereignty is simply the definition above.

When my muscles stopped growing as efficiently, I had to focus on getting stronger - physically and mentally.

Once the physical started to have some limitations, I had to focus and prioritize on how I felt and how I thought... I had to focus on the mental.

Some people are genetically more gifted than you or I. It's a reality we need to accept.

But we can't focus or ruminate on that.

Some of us aren't naturally gifted at anything... but we refuse to let that stop us.

This is exactly why I believe Fitness is the analogy to life itself: we all struggle... and there's beauty in that struggle.

The struggle is where we define ourselves and shape our individuality.

Some accept their circumstances. 

Others, like us, refuse to accept our current deficiencies or circumstances.

We strive to change them.

Use Fitness to reach Self-Sovereignty to reforge yourself.

Use Fitness to Seize Your Destiny.

I know I will.

Tony Gjokaj
Tony Gjokaj

Tony is the Owner of Reforged. He is a PN1 Certified Nutrition Coach and has been in the fitness space for over a decade. His goal is to help millions exercise their way out of depression and anxiety.



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