Bodybuilding, and sport in general developed a confidence and worth within myself. Just the feeling of working out made me feel good about myself, which then helped me on my journey to love myself and see myself for the first time.

But I think it was really the power of storytelling, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s story – despite how different it was from mine, it was the celebration of someone who was physically different, sounded different, whose name was very different. But he celebrated himself and I saw how the community celebrated him, as well.

I think for me, in that moment of learning about that different story, I could see a path in terms of my own difference as well, and how I could celebrate myself, and how the community could celebrate me, as well.

Having a lifetime of sports, became my survival mechanism. Starting sport at a very young age gave me a unique set of skills. The mindset of being able to push past the pain barrier gave me the strength and the resilience to withstand very difficult times.

I think the main reason why I was able to pull myself out of homelessness, was through the power of sports, with having that resilient mindset. I think it would have been much harder for me to have done it, if I hadn't had a lifetime of sports.

[As told to @Ragi Gupta — continued tomorrow]