My hair started thinning at 19.

As soon as I noticed it, I was instantly insecure and wore a hat everywhere.

But it taught me a valuable lesson:

-How to turn a perceived weakness into a strength.

That's what this short thread is about...

As you can imagine, going bald at such a young age was a tough pill to swallow.

To top it off, I had to sing and play guitar on stage in front of people... I COULDN'T be going bald!

Even after I shaved my head, I continued to wear a hat everywhere.

I just couldn't accept it, which was the real problem.

There are always going to be things you cannot change.

But there's one thing you can always change:

-Your perspective

It's the only way you can learn to live with the things that are out of your control.

When it comes to your insecurities, you have to own them.

If you don't make them your bitch, they'll make you theirs.

Or even worse, somebody else will use them to make you theirs.

Eventually, I gave myself a clean shave and learned to embrace my baldness.

I started lifting, because if I was going to be bald, I damn sure wasn't going to be fat or skinny.

I forced myself into public situations (without a hat on), like competing in a bodybuilding competition, so that I could become immune to the discomfort.

And that's exactly what happened.

Today, I get compliments for it.

People remember who I am, because apparently, it helps me stand out.

To be honest, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

If you'd like to learn more about how to turn your weaknesses into strengths, subscribe to my newsletter here: https://realmattstephens.com/newsletter/