I’m a normal 15 year old kid who happens to have a drug problem. So bad that I even had to go to two different facilities. when I got out about a month ago I was hell bent on using again. I had never really intended to give it up.

I’d known about Arnold for a while. I never really took him seriously though. All I knew about him was from his movies. And don’t get me wrong I like his movies I think they’re hilarious. But I had heard his story. Right after I got out of rehab I picked up his autobiography online. I thought it might be interesting. Don’t even ask me why I didn’t spend the money on drugs because i couldn’t answer that question. As I read the book I learned a lot of things. I took a lot out of it. His story is truly inspiring and I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say i think it changed my life.

As a small kid I was always larger. That changed as I got older. But I’ve never been very active in the sense of actual fitness. After reading Arnold book I’m trying to change that. Make that balance between mind and body where one can be happy. I’ve started weight training. Not a lot because I’m a beginner. It’s a start though. I don’t intend to get huge but I would like to get more weight on that bar. Arnolds message is fitness not just body building. With that in mind I’ve started training for my first 5k. Been at it for a week and I love it. The actual 5k is in April and I’ve already paid so I can’t back out of it. I’m actually feeling the best I have for a long time. Sometimes I’ll even forget that I’m craving that head change. I hope that when I get deep enough into a healthy life style the cravings will fade even more. I really do want to remain sober.

An even bigger thing that i got from his book than the importance of a healthy life style was the importance of making goals and achieving them. That really stuck with me. I can’t achieve anything if I’m getting high. I sincerely admire Arnolds dogged determination. I would like to have a mindset like his. It will be a long process though.

I don’t know if Arnold actually goes through and reads these but I hope he does. I want to say thank you and let him know the major impact he is having on my life right now. I wish I could meet him in person. Thank him face to face. Maybe one day he’ll come to my state of missouri. Maybe even my city. I would love to say thank you face to face. But this will do. Thank you Arnold. Thank you a thousand times.