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Three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Y’all, I’ve hid from my past long enough.

Definitely nothing I’m proud of but this was my reality; two decades ago I was a 19 year old kid facing 20 years in prison*

16-22ish year old Mike was careless, violent, and very very stupid.

As I got away from that lifestyle, the only way I knew how to control that side of me was to push him way, way, waaaay down below the depths of my soul, lock him up, and throw away the key.

And so I did that.

Problem, is, unknowingly, along with that dumb kid I also locked away my:

• Assertiveness

• Ability to set boundaries

• Confidence

But I was terrified for my wife and kids to ever see that side of me.

So I kept those pieces of me dormant too. In deep, deep hibernation.

From 25ish to 32ish years of age I went through life a shell of myself. Scared of that stupid kid rearing his ugly head and everybody around me seeing me for what I thought I was, an impostor.

That I wasn’t this nice, genuine, loving, caring husband, father, and personal trainer who just wanted to help others.

That’s a long time, y’all. A long time not feeling like yourself.

But I was willing to sacrifice myself, that was way more important to me than the potential and repercussions of old Mike coming back out.

Here’s the thing about it all though— I AM a nice, genuine, loving, and caring family man AND also assertive, confident, along with ready and willing to set boundaries.

I just didn’t know I could be both WITHOUT the hoodlum showing back up.

What’s the first step to fixing a problem?

Say it with me y'all: ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

This, my friends, was just scratching the surface. Among other issues, this also brought a ton of self sabotage, but that’s for another day.

I knew something had to give and so I began my quest to a new and improved me. Hopefully some of the following will help you on your journey, too.

• 📚I started reading, a lot

  • Since 2016 I’ve read over 100 books, a stark contrast to the previous 31 years of my life where that total number was less than 10. I often get asked what I would tell my younger self if I could go back and my answer has remained the same for years: “Read, dumbass”.

  • My wife** was the spark that ignited the fire inside me to ‘find myself again’ but reading became the lighter fluid and the wind, turning that flame into a blazing fire of rediscovery.

  • Some of my favorite books (with links):

    • “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey

    • “Good To Great” by Jim Collins

    • “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy

    • “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon

    • “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius

    • “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod

    • “Spark” by John J Ratey

The books I chose to read taught me:

• ✍️How important journaling can be

  • Coming up with my own personal mission statement had the biggest impact on my growth. Company’s have them to keep them on track and locked in on their values and belief systems so why don’t we as individuals? Shout out to Mike Erwin, founder of two nation-changing 501c3 nonprofits— Team RWB and The Positivity Project— for help with this. Here’s my most recently updated (it should change every 1-5 years as you continue to grow):

    “To show the world—starting with and ending with my wife and kids—just how unstoppable their body can be, when properly aligned with a calm yet confident mind and a soul at peace.” 

👆🏽In order for me to do that👆🏽

👇🏽I must continue to do this, too👇🏽

• 🧘‍♂️Meditate

  • I’ve tried various methods and recommend you do the same!

  • Here’s some legit info on it’s laundry list of science backed benefits.

• 💪🏽Suffer

  • Here, when I say suffer I’m referring to INTENSE ASS workouts, “suffer sessions” as I refer to them as. Not your typical routine, not to be done everyday, separate from your regular workouts. Only 1-2x per week, 20-40 minutes TOPS. Character building workouts baby— trying to make yourself quit, but don’t you dare!

  • We all know how great physical activity is for your body but often what gets overlooked is the benefits it also has on your brain.

• Morning Routine

  • Check two newsletters ago to see my morning routine.

  • And don’t forget to practice daily gratitude!

^{Truthfully, all of the above was the catalyst to me also creating GOAT Planners. I wanted to create a place where you could track all of the above and then some. Click here to grab The Greatest Planner of All Time!}

It also finally brought me to a comfortable place within my own skin to be unapologetically me.

I can’t tell you whether or not what I did and continue to do will also work for you but I promise it’s a good start! And at least now you have something to look at to build from.

I’m not perfect. No one is.

I will always and forever say that I am an every-day-work-in-progress and so I will continue to fight the good fight. (As should you)

The fight isn’t just for myself, but also so I can show up for my loved ones and you beautiful people, each and every day, as my best self.

Because that’s the least I can do and the best way to have the greatest impact!

That’s precisely why we all need to continue to water the dirt, so that our roots grow deep and strong, increasing the integrity of our very being, allowing us to bear and provide the sweetest offerings to our people and the world.

Another big part of that is never forgetting where you came from, it helped make you who you are today!

Much love, y’all— TGIM, baby!

- Mike O’Hara

_{* The charges were eventually dropped, I’ll never stop striving to pay God back and I’ll never not be grateful for the 2nd chance at life when so many aren’t.}

^{** I wouldn’t be a fraction of the man I am today without my wife, her continuous push, and her relentless belief in me. She is walking, talking, living proof of heaven on earth because there’s no way you can convince me she’s not an angel. And what’s wild is, she’s my angel!}

PS

Guess what?! Y’all voted in Hump Day Pump Day— it reached 250 votes last week! So be on the look out this coming Wednesday and every following for Hump Day Pump Day to join Monday Morning Motivation With Mike every week moving forward!

And last but most certainly not least, I can’t make this the greatest health and wellness newsletter on the planet if you’re not honest with me, so please do tell!