What a ride these past few years have been from becoming diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and having my entire colon removed, transferring to Michigan State University, pulling through an unexpected global pandemic, cultivating a lifestyle brand, to launching my first product, and graduating college!
Thank you to everyone who has followed and supported me on my journey. I share with hopes of inspiring at least one person to embrace their individuality and overcome whatever obstacles stand in their path.
Picking up where we left off with The Luckiest Unlucky Person, I transferred into Michigan State University during the fall semester of 2019 while battling unforeseen health challenges. I was accepted into the Eli Broad College of Business the following spring semester and looked forward to making the most out of the experience. I enrolled in a mandatory business communication class and got hit with a flurry of impromptu presentations. I still remember freezing on the first day and getting bailed out by my partner! Fast forward to the end of the semester to our final presentation. I'm feeling more confident than I did 13 weeks ago but my anxiety still takes over when I get in front of a class of students. As I'm preparing my presentation the following morning, I receive an email, "effective today at noon, MSU is suspending face-to-face instruction in lectures, seminars and classroom settings and moving coursework to virtual instruction." Hell yes! Now I can comfortably read a script on zoom instead of embarrassing myself in class for the 50th time! But wait, should I be concerned?
At first, I didn't see the danger of Covid-19. I figured I'd be okay since I'm young and relatively healthy despite my health condition and being on immune suppressing medication. However, after learning more, I realized how quickly it spreads, and although it may not be a major concern for me, I could pass it on to someone more vulnerable. You never know about these things and how your body can react so I think it's best to lay on the side of caution. With that said, I don't believe in living in constant states of fear and avoiding public settings at all costs. I find peace in having faith that we will naturally adapt, evolve, and get past this together.
In January, before the pandemic caused a global shutdown, I decided to dedicate 2020 as a year of healing and finding myself. Coincidently the pandemic gave us precious time to stop, spend time with ourselves, and do just that! I booked a Reiki appointment to explore a new spiritual side and further connect with myself. I don't have experience in this field but my Reiki expert mentioned that my energy is unique while noting that my solar plexus and crown chakras illuminate with power. She also picked up on a chaotic, conflicted internal energy that I can only describe as twitches of tension throughout my body. I notice this same tension when I try to meditate and sleep as it prevents me from falling into deep relaxation. After conversation, we picked up on the pattern that I disappear from conflict like a chameleon. It's like my physical body is still here but my spirit travels. I find it fascinating how the mind and body work together and how one can influence the other. I've come to discover how our emotions also play a major role in how we feel over time. Our final thought was to continue doing everything I'm doing because it's working and always trust my intuition, as it has led me up to this point. I've continued to learn more about energy healing and alternative actions such as acupuncture, meditation, Bikram yoga, and taekwondo to optimize my well-being.
Go with the flow of life, not against it.
I prioritized my health for the first half of the year as I desperately wanted to repurpose my personal blog into a lifestyle brand to get away from myself and incorporate others. In June, I finalized my logo Inner Flames to connect with the EMG: Experiences + Mindset = Growth philosophy. Now I just needed a name to bring everything together! The origins of Nova Fusion came to me while I was in astronomy class around October. Nova represents a sudden, rapid increase in a star's brightness and new life, while fusion is a process that combines multiple aspects into a single unique system. Together "Nova Fusion" symbolizes my transformation and compliments the logo and tagline to align the brand. In December, I rebranded and shared Nova Fusion with the world when I felt I assembled all the pieces of my branding puzzle.
With a new look and feel, I was excited to see how it would come to life as I set some ambitious goals. Unfortunately, my plans were delayed by heavier spring and fall schoolwork with a couple of summer classes. Additionally, I had a health relapse for about six months because I decided to go off medication. That backfire in my health and mindset carried over into my work as a lack of clarity grew on me. This trifecta of uncertainty and overwhelm set me back on my aspirations for the year.
Despite these hurdles, I still had some big wins along the way! First, I didn't have to drop any classes as I've done in the past when I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone. Secondly, I had some scary moments but my health never got bad enough to the point where I had to make an emergency room visit. This was the first time since being diagnosed that I managed on my own for a full year! And thirdly, the lapse in clarity allowed me to really reflect on why I started and where I'm going with Nova Fusion which gave me a better sense of judgment to be patient and not rush things. I doubled down on my branding and philosophy and took the time to do things right.
After these enlightening realizations, I noticed that my apartment lease will end in about a year and that I need to soak in and enjoy the rest of my time here on campus. I started embracing my natural socialness and rejected the idea of caring what others think of me. The most enlightening realization of all is that people will love or hate you no matter what you do so you mine as well be unapologetically authentic and love yourself first! The right people that match your energy will be drawn to you and you won't have to fake your identity to fit in anymore. I put more of my authentic self out there for the rest of 2021 and started attending more social events. I'm happy that I got out of my comfort zone as we tend not to regret the things we did but rather the things and experiences we didn't do in life.
Speaking of getting out of my comfort zone, I pitched a yogurt start up in an entrepreneurial class during my last semester of college in the spring of 2022. This is an idea that I've had since 2018 that was also inspired by becoming diagnosed with Crohn's disease. There was a period after my second surgery where I was on a liquid diet for about three months and struggled to find safe, nutritious options to consume. My mission for the company is to provide great tasting supersnacks to replenish and restore gut health while innovating packaging to be more sustainable and support the environment at the same time. I'm very proud of the progress I've made over these past few months and look forward to bringing this idea to life!
I graduated college on May 7th, 2022 marking the end and beginning of a new chapter of my life. I still don't have the words to express how grateful I am to be here today throughout this six year swing of events from my senior year of high school When Life Struck.
Hitting rock bottom granted me a new perspective and appreciation for life. When things couldn't get any worse, they somehow did every time. Despite the odds, I managed to grit through it and now I feel I can accomplish anything!
Pain and adversity are necessary to grow. We shouldn't shy away from discomfort, rather lean into it because that's how we evolve into our highest potential. I wouldn't be the man I am today on this unique path if not for the burdening challenges I faced.
Now I have new dreams as I step into a new chapter of life. I've mapped out where I want to go and now it's time to do the work. If these last six years have taught me anything, it's that life may not unfold in the way you expect or hope for, but if you find ways to adapt and keep moving forward, you can do anything you set your mind to!
