We recently connected with Anthony Bless and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Anthony , so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
It starts with waking up and choosing gratitude. As soon as I wake up each morning I choose to act deliberately and ground myself in gratitude by taking a few deep breaths, smiling and repeating “Thank You” several times before getting out of bed. It’s taken years of exercising vulnerability, reading, listening to mentors and prolific writers to accept that gratitude aligns everything. I was fortunate that my Mom exudes this very ideology and her faith and appreciation is illuminated with her way of being.
I like to set up my day by beginning with making matcha and meditating then writing a few intentional words before I go into my work flow. It reminds me of how WE are the creators of our destiny and we choose with deliberate intention what our reality looks like.
Exercising boundaries like putting my phone on Do Not Disturb and not being available to everyone at all times, has allowed me to cultivate a practice of saying Yes to the things that add value to my life and gracefully saying NO to the things that don’t.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I was born in NYC to Cuban and Puerto Rican parents. My mom, younger brother, and myself moved to Miami when my parents split up. I found sports and creating music as a beautiful way to express my joys, adversities and feelings. Being pretty much the only latino doing Hip Hop in the South at the time, it’s not a surprise that I dove deeper into Boxing, Muy Thai and Jeet Kune Do martial arts. Music came 1st then theatre was my gateway into acting for tv / film. My last 2 dogs have been Pitbulls. They’re such intelligent loving companions and I believe that I resonate with how misunderstood and typecasted they are. My happy place is taking a moment to breathe in and experience a beautiful sunset. I feel called, through my art and expression, to uplift and inspire people to become the best most joyful versions of themselves daily.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Faith / Belief in Self With this you can peacefully and triumphantly overcome all of life’s pains, rejections and hardships. This is how you maintain your value despite circumstantial evidence attempting to make you feel otherwise.
Self Love
You have to love yourself and fill your cup so that you can overflow and fill others.
Expression
whether it’s writing, reading, speaking, martial arts or some other method we must find a healthy way to express and confront ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically.
My advice to ppl early in their journey is learn to Love yourself and say NO to things that don’t align with your purpose and joy. Only then can you make space to learn yourself, learn others and grow.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
The type of ppl I want to align myself with in collaboration are those that want to add value to themselves and others. If it’s a brand that really prides themselves in being passionate about their quality, a group that cares about impacting children positively, brands that believe in being eco conscious and honor sustainability. Companies that entertain and inspire the masses be it television, music or another type of artistic expression.
I want people to see my art and hear my soul every time I speak. I want to add so much value and positivity that any room I walk into feels brighter and ppl feel more hopeful, inspired and their passion reawakened from experiencing me and the ppl I’ve aligned myself with.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.AnthonyBless.com
- Instagram: @IamAnthonyBless
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonyBlessNYMiALA/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-bless-1bb06b24
- Twitter: @IamAnthonyBless
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/anthonybless
Image Credits
Lion Trinity: Carbon Collective Headshot: photographer: Brian Parillo Editorial : Colleen Allison – Barjas
