We recently had the chance to connect with Akiel Cyrus and have shared our conversation below.
Akiel, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A recent moment that made me laugh, as well as feel proud was when I volunteered teaching English to impoverished children in Siem Reap, Cambodia at the New Dream of Cambodian Children Organization. I grew up very poor and thought I had a good perspective on life, but they opened my eyes with how loving, appreciative, and grateful all the kids were. Many of the children did not get to eat everyday, so we would feed them at least once a week. Many didn’t have a place to call home, so we would build houses for the homeless, as well as many other things for people within the community. They showed me what is truly important in life, that I am far fortunate that I had ever imagined, and the importance of community.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
The name’s Akiel Cyrus, but that is nowhere near as important as the message I’m spreading! I have a YouTube channel called “Akiels Adventures” where I travel at random throughout the World, exploring and helping those in need. Enveloping into a countries culture and letting my next destination be dictated by suggestions from locals.
Growing up very poor, with no guidance, I was lost in life for many years. Though, there was always two things I found to be paramount in my heart; seeing something new and helping those less fortunate.
After many years of breaking myself down and building myself up, I finally had the opportunity to travel the World as i’ve always wanted, helping others while doing so.
My goal is to use the fruits of my travel vlog to help children not only in America, but all over the World. Providing food, water, opportunities, guidance and much more. I don’t care for fame, I care to make sure children in America never grow up how I did and children overseas have an opportunity to fulfill any dream they wish to pursue!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
In late February, I was exploring the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam. While riding on my bike up the windy mountain roads, I saw a 80+ year old woman, hunched over with a walking-stick, carrying vegetables and straw on her back for miles. A bit down the road, I would see a girl under 10 years old carrying vegetables and straw on her back as well. In that moment I realized, that young girl may walk this path her entire life without questioning or even thinking that there is more to life.
This moment made me realize that no matter how bad I had it in America… drinking syrup because I had no food, sleeping in my tent in the winter because I had no home, was still lightyears better than how they lived.
Even at my lowest I always had the opportunity to change my circumstances. Many people in this planet do not and are purely at the mercy of their lineage.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
One kind thing I would say to my younger self would be, “Center all that you do around God and you have nothing to fear.”
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is the real me. I am a good man, not a nice man. I hold people accountable and love (a little too much) to speak hard truths to those that would rather live in delusion. I take pride in building up others and being a man that abides by his word.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand deeply what it takes to be genuinely happy, We often are stuck in loops of comparison, which leads to subconsciously devaluing the things and people you have in front of you. Often times resulting in a shallow lived life with materialism being the pinnacle of the gaze one desires from the masses, just to feel happy about themselves.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Zen.zone11
- Youtube: Akiels Adventures
Image Credits
Akiel Cyrus
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