Rising from the Ashes: Tarek Chowdhury's Triumph Over Trauma and Rebirth Through Faith

Have you ever stood at the crossroads of despair, wondering if there was a way out?

Tarek Chowdhary's story is a testament to the fact that there is. Born into the aftermath of genocide and war, Tarek's life was marred by violence, addiction, and the weight of generational trauma.

Yet, the faintest light can seem the brightest in the darkest places. In our powerful discussion, Tarek takes us through his multicultural upbringing and the complex interplay of faith and identity that has defined his journey. From the depths of his parents' tangled past to the catalyst moments that have shaped his own path, his story is a clarion call for anyone grappling with their own shadows.

The transformation narrative can be as jarring as it is inspiring, and Tarek's candid account is no exception. As he revisits the pivotal points where life seemed to crumble, we witness the resilience of a spirit determined to rise.

The gripping tale of his battle with substance abuse, the collapse of his public image, and the subsequent clawing back from the brink is nothing short of a rebirth. Through his eyes, we understand the potency of self-forgiveness, the grounding force of spiritual commitment, and the peace from a life realigned with purpose. His raw honesty about the pitfalls and peaks of his life's journey will surely resonate with many.

This is more than just an episode; it's an intimate exploration of the human spirit's capacity to find meaning, love, and redemption against all odds.

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Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:04

Welcome to the 2% Solution podcast, where small shifts lead to massive transformations. Today, we have a guest whose story is nothing short of a testament to the power of faith, resilience and the human spirit. Meet Tarek Chowdhury, a visionary leader, a Christian entrepreneur and a man who has walked through the valleys of darkness to find his light. Tariq's journey is one of overcoming trauma, addiction and discovering a profound connection with faith that has transformed his life and the lives of those around him. If you've ever faced moments of doubt, if you've ever wondered how to find strength in your lowest points, or if you're curious about the impact of faith in turning life around, this episode is for you.

Dai Manuel: 0:53

Tariq's story is inspiring and a call to action for anyone standing at the crossroads of change. So buckle up as we dive deep into a conversation about faith, transformation and the indomitable human spirit with Tarek Chowdhury. Welcome back to the 2% Solution Podcast. I'm Diamond Will and today, as you heard in the intro, I got a great man here and I am super excited to be hosting Tarek today because we had such an inspiring, inspired I'm going to say inspired talk in our initial meet and greet Tarek. I've really been looking forward to this moment, so welcome to the show.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:36

Thank you so much, ty, as have I brother. I've been extremely excited about this one, the energy you and I shared, the belief systems, how we aligned it's just very exciting man, very, very divine, very serendipitous, very aligned, and I'm very excited to serve with you today.

Dai Manuel: 1:53

Oh man, well, listen, it's going to be great and I know there's so many things I want to talk about, but I also left our conversation just really feeling very inspired and motivated but also, at the same time, shifted. You know, my energy definitely shifted and I think that's just something that about you and I know that's not necessarily how you've always been and I think I'd like to take, you know, go back a little bit to to talk about your unique background, specifically this blending of cultures but also religions, because you have a very interesting upbringing and I love you know. Can you share I guess you know these diverse influences in your life, right, and how they've shaped your approach not only to life but also to faith. And I know it's not a, it's not a straight line by any means, it's not a short story and I love you to take the time and space to really talk about it, because I think this is a story everyone needs to hear.

Tarek Chaudhary: 2:47

Yeah, absolutely, man, I really appreciate the uh. First, let me say this I'm so grateful to God for all of those experiences. I didn't used to be that way because I didn't have God in my life. Now that I have God in my life, my perspective on everything shifted and I went from who are me to thank God for everything you gave me.

Tarek Chaudhary: 3:08

And uh, my mom is Armenian, probably a thousand plus years of lineage in Armenia. And then, in the Armenian genocide, her family had to flee Armenia and go to Palestine. Then, in the Armenian genocide, her family had to flee Armenia and go to Palestine. And then, in 1948, with the Israeli occupation, they once again were torn from their homes literally in the middle of the night, with nothing but the clothes on their back, and then went to Amman, jordan.

Tarek Chaudhary: 3:40

And my mother's family is devout Catholic, like there's men of God in generations of the family, and being born in Jerusalem, you know my mom was born in the holiest city in the world and her religion was very, very important because, you know, to a family that goes through that kind of trauma like religion is usually something that they lean into. Trauma like religion is usually something that they lean into. My mom immigrated here in 1971 to Washington DC, where she met my dad, who is from Pakistan. My dad was born in Kashmir, which is where all of the Muslim Indians had to flee to during the attempt at the eradication of Muslims in India, and he came from a war-torn place. And so both my parents came from generations of genocide and war and suffering. And you know, I don't know if anyone on this call has, but they should look into the concept of generational or cellular trauma, because it's very real, it's scientifically, it's not just in the bible, it is now scientifically proven that generational trauma exists for three to four generations before you.

Tarek Chaudhary: 4:58

So, my father being from pakistan, devout muslim, my mom devout Catholic, but they met in the great country of the United States of America, the land of the free. They came from an environment of war and suffering and poverty to the greatest land the world ever knew and they met and they fell in love and they got married and it used to be that my father would go to church with my mom, my mom would go to the mosque with my dad, and then they had kids and that all started to change very quickly. Now, when I was in my mother's womb, was in my mother's womb, she had found out that my father had not actually dissolved his arranged marriage from Pakistan and he already had two kids from an arranged marriage in Pakistan. And, long story short, my mom found out that my father was still married and that while she was pregnant with me, he had another son with his other wife. So she experienced the greatest trauma of her life while I was in her womb and my mother loved my father immensely and she was a woman of faith, and my father loved my mother immensely and he was a man of faith. My dad didn't think he did anything wrong because in his religion he didn't do anything wrong, and my mom chose to stay with him. But here's the key, and this is a big lesson I want to share with everyone she made the choice to stay and she made the choice to not forgive. And as a result of her choosing to not forgive, not to let go, not to free herself of resentment, it created so much tension within their relationship that that spilled over to every facet of life and by the time I was five, my mom had taken me behind my dad's back and baptized me in the Jordan River. My dad had taken me behind my mom's back to Pakistan and shaved my head in an Islamic ritual.

Tarek Chaudhary: 7:10

And by the time I was eight is when I found out about my other brother. I found out that my oldest brother, who I grew up with, wasn't my mom's actual son. I found out he was the son of another woman. I found out I had a brother who was four months older than me, and that's when my parents were like, look, if you're not Catholic, you know you're gonna break my heart, my dad's, you're not Muslim, you're not my son.

Tarek Chaudhary: 7:35

And it was to the point where I was in Catholic school, I was an altar boy. I would leave mass where I was an altar boy. On Friday morning my father would be waiting outside to take me to the mosque for Jumma prayer, and so my identity conflict was rooted deeply inside of me from such a young age and both my families were so vastly different and, like you know, even on my dad's side I had family members, cousins, who would call me half breed. You know I got a white Catholic mom and I'm the only one in the family that's like that, and I never felt that I belonged anywhere. I never felt that I could please anybody, because if I chose to be Catholic, then I'm not going to get my dad's love. If I chose to be Muslim, I'm not going to get my mom's love. So what do I do? Where do I belong? I'm not white, I'm not black, I'm not fully Catholic, I'm not fully Muslim. I don't fit.

Tarek Chaudhary: 8:37

Wherever I was, I didn't fit in and I experienced quite a bit of bullying in elementary school and there was a lot of violence of every form in my home physical, emotional, spiritual and I never felt safe anywhere. So the reason I say that and this is an important lesson for everyone that is where the ability to survive was born inside of me, my ability to adapt to my surroundings with the intention to survive wherever I was, and that became a gift. And also it gave me such an appreciation for so many people of so many varying creeds, races, everything, because I was able to empathize with multiple people. Right, I was exposed to so many different cultures, I was exposed to so many different religions and but I never had this sense of safety no emotional safety, no physical safety, no spiritual safety. So I was always afraid In every situation. I was afraid and progressed to about the age of 11. My parents had bought a gas station in Anacostia DC, which at that time was the murder capital of the world.

Dai Manuel: 10:15

When, I was 11 years old.

Tarek Chaudhary: 10:15

I watched my father get stabbed right in front of me and that 11-year-old boy who was afraid. I screamed out to my dad, I tried to warn him. I saw it coming, but I was physically frozen and I hated myself because I blamed myself for my father being stabbed as an 11-year-old child, after having done a tremendous amount of work. It's ludicrous to say, but that was the belief system that was inside of me, because it was already. I was already told I was worthless. I was already told I was not good enough. I was already told that I don't fit in. And then, on top of that, I allowed my father to get stabbed, and so that's where self-hatred really blossomed inside of me. By the time I was 14, I witnessed my first murder right in front of me. By the time I was 15, I witnessed a double homicide of two young girls. By the time I was 16, I helped a pregnant woman, a homeless pregnant woman, deliver her child in my gas station.

Tarek Chaudhary: 11:22

I grew up in an environment where I was taught situationally that if people fear you, they respect you, and so it was growing up in that environment. So I grew up in the suburbs, like you know, the best imaginable area to grow up in, imaginable area to grow up in. That's where I lived, but where I grew up was in the hood and I started getting tattoos from the local tattoo shop, trying to make relationships to stop people from trying to rob us. You know I saw what toxic masculinity was, but it worked like if people feared you they wouldn't fuck with you. Pardon my language and I was someone who was always afraid, so I wanted to create this persona that nobody would want to mess with, because in actuality, I was so afraid of them. I wanted them to be afraid of me and I I turned to alcohol and drugs to not be afraid. And the first time I ever got drunk was the first time in my life. I didn't feel fear. And I turned to that constantly.

Tarek Chaudhary: 12:39

And by the time I was 20 years old, I knew I had a problem. I was drinking, I was doing hard drugs I'm going to fast forward a little bit but by the time I was 23, I had had enough, like I couldn't stop and I was like you know what? I'm going to enlist the military, serve my country, get some discipline, get out of this place, do something with my life, prove that I'm good enough. And I went and I gave it my all, my absolute all. It was the first time my mind was committed, but I was a drug addict and a drunk, so my body couldn't match my mind and I got hurt pretty bad in training. I almost died. I lost 80%, I destroyed 80% of the muscle tissue in my body and it came back three months later. And then they were like that's it, you're done. And so I was forced, retired honorably from the army, came home feeling like the biggest failure ever. I had finally applied myself to something in life and it wasn't good enough. So that whole you're worthless, you're not good enough voice that was told to me as a child. That I then began to tell myself became a true belief system. So what did I do? I turned back to the drugs and alcohol. I got worse than ever, and then no human being knows what they're capable until life gives you a situation that you have to be capable of handling. You either handle it or you succumb to it.

Tarek Chaudhary: 14:09

And when I was 28 years old, in the throes of my alcoholism and addiction, my dad got really sick and he had rapid onset dementia. My brother suffered massive brain aneurysm. At the same time, my brother was in the neuro ICU and my dad was in the ICU at the same hospital and for the first time in my life, I was put in a situation where I had to lead. It wasn't a choice, it was an instinct. But it was the first situation that occurred in my life where that natural instinct was really born and I just went into this mode that I wasn't even conscious. I just did what I had to do and ultimately, a week after my brother made a miraculous recovery still no memory at that point or anything, but my dad died in my arms and I washed his body. I made, I promised him I will, I will honor your faith for you and I will do all the traditions and customs so that you can meet your God.

Tarek Chaudhary: 15:25

Now backtrack when I was 18, I told both my parents I don't believe in God. I don't believe in religion. I'm going to take some of the stuff you taught me and use that as my guiding light, but I don't believe in either. My dad didn't speak to me. Living under the same roof for one year, my mom told me I broke her heart and that I would never be fixable, but so, anyways, he died in my arms. Everyone left the room.

Tarek Chaudhary: 15:48

I took all the morphine that was left after he took his last breath and I drank it. And then I shaved his entire body. I took whatever jewelry was on him off, I wrapped him in a sheet, I picked him up, I put him in the back of the casket, I went with the imam to the morgue. I washed my father's body, I prepared him for Allah, I wrapped him in a shroud, I picked him up and I put him in a box and 10 hours later I put him in the.

Tarek Chaudhary: 16:24

I died that day because the hope of that inner child to have a loving, healthy relationship with his father, that inner child's hope died, that part of me that wanted so badly for my father to respect me, to love me, to accept me, that boy died. And then that's where the part system of the angry, resentful man was born. I spiraled completely out of control after his death, worse than I had ever been. After his death, worse than I had ever been. Six months later I was at his grave punching his tombstone and I screamed at the top of my lungs why did you only ever break me down? Why'd you only ever beat me up? Why'd you tell me I was a worthless piece of shit, that I was good for nothing, that no one would ever love me. Why'd you do this to me? And I'm just like punching the marble tombstone.

Tarek Chaudhary: 17:30

And then that that night, for the first time ever, I let somebody put a needle in my arm. And then I had so many different drugs in my pocket and was drinking so much I didn't know what was what. I mixed it all together. Next thing I know, I woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed. When I opened my eyes, all I felt was the cold metal tight against my wrists. And then I looked forward and my mother was staring at me. And the disgust for myself, the shame, the grief, the agony, the pain, the rage. I hated myself so much that I vowed never to drink or do another drug again in my life.

Tarek Chaudhary: 18:11

I had no education. I barely graduated from high school. I was a degenerate, and that power of negative emotion became who I was. I wanted to prove my dad wrong, which meant I believed him, which meant I truly believed I was not good enough. And when someone truly believes that we're not good enough, that means that no matter what we do, it will never be good enough by the time I was 30, I got sober at 29. By the time I was 30, I got sober at 29. By the time I was 32, I had gotten a leadership role at the second largest software company in the world. With no education, I was the first ever manager hired into the company without a degree. By the time I was 34, I was an executive of the company. By the time I was 36, I was running the North American government division for the second largest software company in the world.

Tarek Chaudhary: 19:13

And it's all because of my massive inferiority-driven ego, complex, the underdog, the chip on my shoulder. I built this life man beyond my wildest imagination. I couldn't believe it. I was a leader, I was established, I was a role model, I was a comeback story, I was a mentor, I was an inspiration and I hated myself. I had a beautiful wife, I had two sons and I hated myself because nothing was ever good enough, because I'm not good enough, because nothing was ever good enough, because I'm not good enough. And it got to a point where it was so overwhelming. And then I started my own government contracting company.

Tarek Chaudhary: 19:56

While I'm an executive of this company, while I've got two young children and a wife, I'm working 20 hours a day, seven days a week for three years straight and I cracked and all this resentment came back towards everyone, mostly myself, and I separated from my wife and within nine months I relapsed. And within 45 days of relapsing I burned my entire life to the ground because I again woke up chained and handcuffed to a hospital bed die. That happened three more times after that. Three more times it. It got to the point where the second time I was in a lot of trouble. Well, the the third time in totality.

Tarek Chaudhary: 20:46

The second time after I relapsed, I was in a lot of trouble and I came home from jail and for the first time in my life, I dropped to my knees and I called out to God and I said I don't know who you are, I don't know what your name is, but I beg you to save my life, and not. But 15 minutes later Jesus Christ answered me. I was looking at the TV, it was 1026 pm and this voice in my stomach said Google, bible 1026. So I Googled Bible 1026 and Matthew 1026 came up. Do not be afraid. There is nothing to fear. There is nothing concealed that will not be made known. There is nothing hidden that will not come to light. But do not be afraid of the ones who can break the mind and body here. What I whisper to you, shout in the day. What I tell you in the night, proclaim from the roof. Do not be afraid. All I knew is that my whole life I was afraid of everything. And the first thing he ever said to me five times was do not be afraid. I didn't understand the rest of it.

Tarek Chaudhary: 22:05

So the next day I'm sitting there riddled with fear what if people find out? What if this gets out? What's going to happen to my career? What's going to happen to my life? What's going to happen to my reputation? And then next thing I know I get a text, I get another text, I get 50 more texts. I get all these phone calls and I'm like does somebody know? How could they know? And then I finally read one text and it says are you okay? And I said what are you talking about? And they said come on. I said I don't know what you're talking about. And they were like you really don't know. And I said know what? And they said your, your mug shots on the front page of the news. You're viral on social media. Everybody knows. Now when I was in trouble.

Tarek Chaudhary: 23:00

I had to remember the sheriff had told me. He asked me do you own any guns? And I said, yeah, I'm a registered gun owner. And he said I would get rid of them because tomorrow you're going to want to kill yourself. I didn't know why he said that, but then, the moment I found out that everyone knew, the first thought was to go get one of my guns and end my life.

Tarek Chaudhary: 23:20

And then I remembered Matthew 10, 26. There's nothing concealed that will not be made known. There's nothing hidden that will not come to light. But do not be afraid. And in that moment, my belief in God's existence, my belief in God's protection, my belief in God's word was born. Now I believed it. I didn't follow it because I was still a man who was an egomaniac, who didn't think he was good enough, who always had to prove he was, who had this mindset that no one cares about me. I'm the one who cares about everyone. No one loves me. I'm the one who loves everyone. No one helps me. I'm the one who cares about everyone. No one loves me. I'm the one who loves everyone. No one helps me. I'm the one who helps everyone.

Tarek Chaudhary: 24:10

So I'm going to pick myself back up by the bootstraps and I'm going to be this amazing comeback story again. And I got sober for like five months and then relapsed Same thing, handcuffed to a hospital bed. Oh, I'm going to do it. I'm going to pray a little bit more. I'm going to do it. I'm going to pray a little bit more. I'm going to be a comeback, sober for four months, relapse, chained to a hospital bed, and this time I lost custody of my children.

Tarek Chaudhary: 24:43

And so, for the second time in my life, I dropped to my niece and I put my AR-15 at the foot of an even bigger painting of Jesus, just like this one. I dropped to my knees and I said, lord, forgive me for what I'm about to do. And I couldn't do it. I said, god, I can't leave my sons this way. I can't leave them with a father who gave up and did the most selfish thing a man could do. So instead, I beg you to kill me. Kill me, please, god. Kill me. I'm lost, I'm in the darkness, I can't find my way out. I beg you to kill me. And so I tried to die. Just alcohol and drugs not working, incapable of working, incapable of relationship in my house, like just trying to die and I didn't. And it was God breaking me into complete submission 100%, complete and total submission the absolute lowest I could possibly go.

Tarek Chaudhary: 25:49

And I went to rehab. I went into a chapel. At that rehab I opened up a physical Bible for the first time in my life. God spoke to me again and my story was in there. Everything he said was going to happen If I did. It happened and I started going to AA for the first time in my life and I said that's it.

Tarek Chaudhary: 26:12

I dedicated my entire life to healing my traumas, to developing a relationship with God, to putting the past in the past, to accepting things for what they were, doing a deep inventory of myself, taking a look inward and not taking and placing blame outward. I walked away from my career. I said, no matter what it takes, no matter what it takes, I don't care if I lose all of this stuff that I built, because none of it gave me what I needed. None of it was the solution. And so, after I did rehab, I went and I lived in this house with other men like me for three months.

Tarek Chaudhary: 26:50

I started working with these amazing therapists in so many different modalities and I was like I got to stay here. God was like you got to stay here. And so I rented a little tiny shack in the woods in the Appalachian Mountains and I lived there with my dog for nine months. And I lived there with my dog for nine months with my Bible and my dog. I went to and did therapy every single day. I had spiritual therapists, I had trauma therapists, I had acupuncture therapists, I had hypnotherapists. I had every form of help I could ever get. God gave it all to me get.

Tarek Chaudhary: 27:34

God gave it all to me and I sat in stillness and grew more than I ever could in movement, I learned to love myself. Through in which, the way God loves me, I learned to forgive myself. In which, the way God forgave me, I learned to forgive others in the way God forgives others. And I learned the difference between loneliness, isolation and solitude. Being with myself and my relationship with my God was the greatest peace I ever had in my life, that growth in stillness. And then it was Lord, what is your will for my life? I need to know what your will for my life is. I won't change anything until I know what your will for my life is.

Tarek Chaudhary: 28:22

I was making seven figures a year. For the last, I made $3.8 million in the three and a half years before all this happened and I burned through all of it. In my relapse, it was almost all gone and I was running out of money and it was like, well, what am I going to do? And I was still living in a scarcity, fearful mindset. What am I going to do? What's going to happen? What am I going to do? What's going to happen? And then, finally, it was like I know what I'm going to do. I'm just going to trust in God, that's it. I'm going to relinquish complete control of my life and would give my life to God. And, uh, god gave me the gift of influence, inspiration and impact and he didn't want me to use it in corporate america anymore. And I remembered matthew 10, 26 what I whisper to you, proclaim in the day, what I tell you at night, shout from the roof. God said go testify. So I did. What am I doing right now? This is what I do for a living. And then Proverbs 16, 3, put God at the center of all you do, and all you do shall prosper. I don't know if you noticed, guy, but God is quite literally at the center of everything I'm doing right now. He's right here too. And I just listened and he put somebody in my path and I said, lord, show me that this is the right person. And I, literally, in my other office, same painting, much larger, made sure God was at the center of who I was. I didn't know this person's spiritual beliefs and I said, lord, if it turns him off, he's not the one of them. If he is a believer, then I know this is you. And he ended up being a believer. He just looked at the picture of Jesus. It was like that's the most beautiful painting I've ever seen. I didn't know I was going to be talking to another brother in Christ showed me his cross and I said that's it, I'm in and I instantly I gave him one third of all the cash I had left to my name and the next day die.

Tarek Chaudhary: 30:35

I'm once again on my knees and I'm praying and I'm giving thanks to the Lord. I'm saying Lord, I'm acting in faith. My faith is the size of a mustard seed. Today I'm acting in faith and for the second time in my life, a voice came into my stomach. Now, di, I told you I was in the army. I told you you got hurt.

Tarek Chaudhary: 30:56

I was in a battle with the VA. For almost a decade they had been denying me all my benefits, everything. I hadn't heard from them since April 2019. The voice in my stomach, when I'm on my knees, says check the VA, okay, go log in. All of a sudden, somehow, everything's approved. Then the Holy Spirit said check your bank account, check my bank account.

Tarek Chaudhary: 31:33

10 years of back pay deposited into my bank account overnight, the day after I stopped being afraid, like God told me to in Matthew 10, 26, five times, that I acted in faith, that I put God at the center of all I did. He showed up and he said good job. He finally listened and it was in that moment, di, where the biggest 2% quite literally 2% shift I ever made happen. Because it was in that moment I stopped asking the question why did this happen to me? And I went from two to four why is this happening for me? I understand why everything and I found the beauty and the joy and the gratitude and the power and the privilege of my pain to serve him Went from self-pity and pain to powerful purpose.

Tarek Chaudhary: 32:54

In praise of him, and that's how I am where I am today. Man, faith, hell on earth is what it took for me to turn to God. Money, sex, alcohol, drugs, prostitution, everything imaginable to fill that God-sized void that only God himself could fill. And now the only purpose in my life is to fulfill God's will at whatever cost. You know what the most terrifying prayer that I say is? Every day, di I'd like to hear it.

Tarek Chaudhary: 33:27

God, whatever it takes, never let my faith waver. Whatever it takes, take away from me what's not meant for me, at whatever cost, whatever it takes, lord. And it's terrifying when I say that, because the power of God is incomprehensible and I'm welcoming God to give me the most unimaginable hardship and suffering, because the thought of ever losing my faith and my relationship with him is a suffering I could never endure or never come back from. God quite literally saved my life. Man Literally saved my life.

Dai Manuel: 34:12

Literally it's well. And you know, gosh, I think just your experience, but also your way of articulating the experience is, you know, I, I, I wanted you to tell your story. You know, after we met, I was like this this is just something I want to capture. I want to be here to support and to help to get this out there more, because faith is a very powerful, powerful way of not only knowing yourself, but also knowing the world right, it's, it's it's this idea of purpose.

Dai Manuel: 34:44

But, uh, and I know you know, a big part of you now is this faith-based action versus fear-based thinking, and just that concept on its own is powerful, like I mean it, even if you know and again you've touched on you had this very much a duality. You know this, this internal conflict under the roof that you were raised, based on two parents with, you know, quite frankly, diametrically opposing faith-based systems, right, and that in itself creates a huge tug. Just, I can imagine you being in the middle of that, right, and just like that, as such an early child, as an early part of your earliest memories, I can see how that can be just so, not only debilitating but also creating a lot of fear. Right, it's like, what do you trust, what do you believe? I mean, everything comes into question, and so I love you know, just based on time, right now, you know, how do you personally apply or invite others to potentially start to explore faith for them? Because, again, yeah, I mean you had to have a very harrowing experience, let's be honest, you know, and and for most people I was gonna say, I mean, how many chances do you need? Right, like dude, that's like wow, and and yet still to come to this realization and putting all of this energy into your faith and trust right, and putting fear aside and saying you know what. I'm giving myself to this, and I've heard other people have similar experiences when it comes to faith-based experiences, and so I don't want to get down the rabbit hole of any one type of God.

Dai Manuel: 36:21

You know, because people have a very personal relationship with God, just like you do, whatever that is to them, and I'm wondering how do you invite people to start to explore faith more in their lives? You know, because I know that just even the conversation, sometimes people hear the word faith and they just like, just want to turn and run, which I find interesting. You know, I really do, because you look at the blue zones around the world where you have people living to be 100 plus years old and thriving in life. One of the primary nine reasons that's been attributed to their longevity and vitality is very strong faith-based systems. So you know, it's like hey guys, there's scientific proof here showing that if you have a strong faith-based system, you're probably going to live a longer, healthier, also more fulfilling life.

Dai Manuel: 37:03

Like hello, why ignore this part of your life? And so, for those that are out there that maybe you know hear these types of stories and they kind of cringe because I know people do because they're afraid of whatever their belief system around faith is and and I know you speak to this so like, what's that invitation to somebody that might be feeling rock bottom right now, might be feeling like, geez, nothing's going my way, but they've ignored this sort of pull to something greater than themselves. And what's your invitation to them to get started? Or to just you know, cause I, I, selfishly, I'd love to know too.

Tarek Chaudhary: 37:39

I'll say this, brother yeah, the power of fear. Fear is so powerful that it stops human potential. It prevents human happiness. It prevents human growth. What do you think the power of faith can do? If the power of fear holds that much weight? What do you think the power of faith can do? What do you think the power of faith can do? And faith is nothing more than a belief that something greater than you deems you worthy, loves you unconditionally and wants the best for you and is there for you, no matter what. That, exactly as you are, you are worthy.

Tarek Chaudhary: 38:34

I've I've got an acronym for bible, so it's a three, three-part acronym. And again I'll say this I found, he found me. I didn't find him. I didn't call out to Jesus Christ. I said I don't know who you are, I don't know what your name is, but I beg you to save my life. I called out for help. That is what faith is. I called out for help. That is an act of faith. I didn't know what was going to respond, but that act of faith was the first act of self-love I ever actually gave myself, because I thought I was worthy enough for help for the first time ever. And I asked for it, and so that's an act of self-love and that's what faith is. And then receiving an intangible belief system that you are worthy, that is what faith is.

Tarek Chaudhary: 39:35

I built my relationship, I wrote down the characteristics of what an ideal parent and an ideal best friend and an ideal coach are, and I made that my God. I made that my version of Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ for me is. He is for each of us, whoever we need him to be, at whatever point we need him at. If we need him to be a disciplinarian, he's a disciplinarian. If we need him to be a loving, nurturing father figure, he's a loving, nurturing father figure. He's whatever you need him, toian. If we need him to be a loving, nurturing father figure, he's a loving, nurturing father figure. Like he's whatever you need him to be, whenever you need him to be it, and he's there all the time, right.

Tarek Chaudhary: 40:15

And I'll also say this like what's the worst thing that's going to happen if you call out to god when you're already living in a living hell, if your life is unmanageable, if you are depressed, if you are anxious, if you are fearful? What's the worst thing that's going to happen if you call out to God A release, giving it away, admitting the truth even if no one responds to you, you're at least releasing the blockage that's inside of you. That's that's faith, man. It's. It's doing it without knowing what's gonna happen, but doing it because you have such a belief that doing it alone and nothing more is going to change you, change your life, change your circumstance, change your soul, change your mindset. That's what it is and literally the moment I believed I was worthy of love, that's what my faith gave me.

Tarek Chaudhary: 41:26

I had a therapist one time tell me she cried. My therapist cried during our session and I'm like what is happening. And she said it breaks my heart and I'm like what she goes you have so much love to give, but you are incapable of receiving love. You can't. You truly believe you are not worthy of love. And then what kind of love do you think you're giving when you don't believe you're worthy of love? You're giving everything you have to someone else and that's an act of self-hate. And she was like it breaks my heart and to actually believe that I'm worthy of love, not just of anybody's love, but the love of a divine, all-knowing, all-powerful creator. He says I'm good enough.

Tarek Chaudhary: 42:43

Okay, let me say this. This is for anyone who believes in God. If you believe in God and you think you're not good enough, then you, my friend, have a God complex. Because you believe your opinion of yourself matters more than God's opinion of you, which means you think you're God. To believe in God is to believe in yourself.

Tarek Chaudhary: 42:50

Now, those three acronyms for Bible is super. And you ain't got to be Christian. Sometimes, brother, honestly, sometimes I don't even identify as Christian, because my faith was born in hell. My faith was born in my soul. My relationship was born in my intention. My relationship was born in my intention. It wasn't born in a church with four walls. Church isn't here. This is where church exists. Church is you and me talking about God. That's where church exists. You know, there's things I do that most Christians would call me a Satanist for, call me a devil worshiper for some of the things I do to seek God. But I live a godly life. I serve every day. I'm not a once a day or once a week, an hour a day, christian Like I dedicated my life to it. And so Bible basic instructions before leaving earth, best implemented by loving everyone. Believe in both. Life everlasting. It's pretty effing simple, bro.

Dai Manuel: 44:00

Yeah, I love those acronyms man Receive unconditional love.

Tarek Chaudhary: 44:07

Give unconditional love. Give unconditional love, that's it. But you don't know what love. You'll never learn what love is from another human being, because every other human being is seeking to obtain love. We're self-centered. As human beings, we're self-centered. Our goal is to receive love before it is to give love. Beings, we're self-centered. Our goal is to receive love before it is to give love. True love can only be received from the one who only seeks to give it. And if you want to unconditionally love yourself, you must unconditionally love everybody else. That's where forgiveness comes from, man. That's where breaking free from resentment comes from. That's where empathy comes from. That's where release of pain comes from, when you truly learn what true love is.

Tarek Chaudhary: 45:02

I'm getting chills right now, man, because one thing I didn't share, didn't share, brother. In all five of those psychosis, there was one common thing there is always a vision of me on stage talking about true love and I, when the words were coming out of my mouth right now, I didn't even realize that that's what's happening. Those weren't, those were psychosis, but those were acts of god. He was telling me no matter what you do, there is a destiny for you. Whatever path you are gonna force me to take you down to get there. So be it, but but this is it, it's gonna happen. And bro to to know that god had a divine plan for my life all along. Do you think there's any sorrow? Do you think there's any pain? Do you think there's any uncertainty? Do you think there's any fear? Do you think there's any doubt? The only thing I fear is losing my relationship and my faith. And guess what, when I pray to god lord, never let me lose my faith, what do you think happens? My faith gets tested.

Dai Manuel: 46:23

That's right. Well, yeah, I mean, life is going to continuously test us. I think that's the one thing that we all know for certain. I mean, whether you're a Buddhist, I mean Buddha talked about this we're born into a life of suffering, but there's so much beyond. It's funny how we hear these messages again and again in every religion 100% man. It has to make you curious At the very least. I hope people from our conversation today are a little bit more curious To just ask themselves what do I believe? What is a non-negotiable that I can give my a hundred percent to? You know and and cause?

Dai Manuel: 47:07

I think that act in itself for some people is very fearful. You know there's a lot of fear created with that idea of that release. But it's not like you're relinquishing control of your life. You're still autonomous, you're still choosing every day to buy by that belief system right and trust it. And I and I think there's there's that sort of conflicting views and philosophers always like to debate about this right, like the idea of free will, and blah, blah, blah. And I'm like you're choosing this path, you're choosing to release it. You're choosing to to dedicate your life to helping people understand that there's so much in them to be grateful for, but also this global experience of love. You know, I mean it's just like back to John Lennon, right? Like what if he didn't get killed? What if he wasn't shot? I mean, that was what he was working for, that was his whole purpose, right? He talked about it.

Tarek Chaudhary: 48:08

He's like you know, all we need is love man, and, and he wanted to spread that message and he had strong religious beliefs as well.

Tarek Chaudhary: 48:11

Well, guess what his death spread that message further than it ever would have if he were still alive. You know, if people cannot accept suffering, people do not know love. God, and you know, this is just my belief, man, sure, sure, it's just a story for everybody. If you look at the biblical story and you conceptualize it, the most powerful divine, artistic creator, an intellectual mind in existence, creator and intellectual mind in existence, took the thing he created that he loved more than anything, more than all of his creation, and chose the thing he loved more than anything to suffer more than anyone ever would. He chose his only begotten son, that he loved more than anything, to suffer more than anyone ever would. To love is to suffer because you are going to lose what you love. If you cannot embrace and accept willingly the suffering, then you cannot fully love. Who am I to complain when this man willingly chose to suffer because of his love for me? What did I ever do for him? Like I said, we're self-centered. What are you going to do for me? How is you in my life going to benefit me? How did we in his life benefit him? Hung from a cross in the most painful, long-lasting death known to man at that time. That's love, bro. You got to suffer for love, right?

Tarek Chaudhary: 50:12

There's difference between wants and needs in life. Most people want to have a million dollars. Life. Most people want to have a million dollars, but they're not willing to suffer for what it takes to get a million dollars. Most people want a loving relationship in their life, but they're not willing to give up their selfishness.

Tarek Chaudhary: 50:34

Love requires both selfishness and selflessness. Love requires both selfishness and selflessness. Most of us are only selfish. We're not selfless. Most of us put our needs before other people's needs. That's not selfless. That's selfish.

Tarek Chaudhary: 50:49

Now, if you're putting your needs above all others so that the best you can serve others, that's the perfect balance of selfishness. To be selfless If all you do is give, give, give, give, give and you're giving nothing to yourself, there's a limit on what you're capable of giving people, because then you're going to be resentful. Right, and resentment is one of the most powerful emotions on earth. Resentment is like pouring a nice tall glass of poison, looking at someone else dead in the eyes and sipping on it, waiting for them to die. That's what resentment is.

Tarek Chaudhary: 51:32

Do you, do you think that bully who beat me up multiple times for years is sitting there every day thinking about how he beat me up multiple times for years. No man that it would be me who was suffering. He inflicted pain on me. I gave myself the the gift of suffering. Unenjoyable suffering. Suffering out of the choice of suffering. Unenjoyable suffering, suffering out of the choice of agony, not the choice of love. You know what I mean. Like why harbor this negativity inside of you? You're not hurting anyone else, you're hurting you. The other person isn't suffering, you're some. There's. There's intentional suffering to suffer joylessly, and then there's intentional suffering to suffer joyfully. If you truly need something, need it. You will suffer for it, and then one day you will realize that what you were so afraid of, that you thought was going to be so painful, actually brings you pleasure that's right stepping it's stepping into the fear is the greatest act of strength you could ever have.

Tarek Chaudhary: 52:57

It's not being fearless, it's fearing less. You're still. You still have fear. You're not completely fearful, you just fear less because your faith overpowers your fear. And when faith is 51 and fear is 49, that's where movement happens. Whether it's one step at a time, or or one foot at a time, or one yard at a time, it's still movement in the right direction, like. Think about a seed, right, we talk about faith. The size of a mustard seed. What does a seed do? It grows, sure does. And what does it grow? Grow into? If it's nurtured the right way, it's going to grow into something that it was meant to grow into, like I'm gonna. I'm gonna give this example the chinese bamboo plant. The chinese bamboo plant has to be watered every single day for five years. If it is not watered once, it will never grow beyond the soil. But if it's watered every day for five years, within five weeks of breaking through the soil, it grows to its full maturity. Five years of suffering and consistency.

Dai Manuel: 54:25

Five weeks of full potential obtained, gained, earned, won and it's funny because we try to reconcile, like there's a timeline on suffering. Oh, if I go suffer for one year, everything I'll want is there, and you can't really put a timeline on it. You know what I mean. Like you just have to trust in the flow of just life. We just keep living by those belief systems, right, that faith-based system. And I think it's just interesting because I think when we think about suffering I think you really painted a nice picture of this today especially is that we all experience it differently.

Tarek Chaudhary: 55:11

Look, but we're all going to experience it. We are all going to experience it. What do you do with it? What do you do with it?

Dai Manuel: 55:18

Yeah, and how do you use that to frame your life around Right, Like it's? Oh, you know, and I'm looking at the time I'm like, oh my goodness, I actually got another appointment, but I don't want to rush this and and this has been just such a wonderful call, but I do want to talk before we go.

Dai Manuel: 55:38

Today touched the surface whether you and you and I could talk honestly for probably 10 days straight without I know, and it would be just an amazing conversation and I'm excited to have another one with you very quickly and but I want to talk about the book you're working on, because I I remember when you were telling me about this.

Dai Manuel: 55:56

It's just such a unique approach because you're actually doing it also documentary style, which is I just because you know, a lot of people are releasing books now, and especially the audio versions, like we got, like the David Goggins of the world or Tim Grover's of the world, where they re-release their books and then they'll have these little interviews between chapters, right, more like a podcast. You have like turned that upside down and say no, no, no, no, podcast. You, you would like turn that upside down, say no, no, no, we're going documentary style and we're gonna like give people that, really that that visceral experience of what the book's gonna be covering. So can you just talk a little bit about this project and where it's at and and also how people can follow along as you're doing this?

Tarek Chaudhary: 56:33

yeah, absolutely, brother. Look, man, divine inspiration. You know when, when you, when you have faith and you have a purpose driven calling you, just get downloads, man, right, you know, like they're given to me, they're not coming. Young man who was doing some content for me and he he heard my message on some of the content was like yo, I want to learn from this guy, like his messages is amazing. And so then the idea was great, get behind the camera and ask me all the questions you want to know from my book and, based off of what you need from me, we'll create the course via the documentary.

Tarek Chaudhary: 57:36

And so the camera guy was my first student to take the course and ultimately build the course. But so every chapter of the book is a module of the course. Now I did the documentary and I told the story, and a lot of the book framework is in that story. But the other thing I did is some of the stories I shared with you today. I actually went to those places and I filmed the course from those places, like the gas station.

Tarek Chaudhary: 58:12

I stood where I stood when I was 11 years old, watching my father get stabbed.

Tarek Chaudhary: 58:17

I stood where I stood when I watched murders. I stood where I stood when I watched murders. I stood where I stood when I delivered a baby. I stood where I was when I I was punching my father's tombstone. And I'm sharing those moments because it was those moments that created the course of the rest of my life, because of the choices I made. But the belief systems that I created, and those were that's where my heart systems were created. You know, I I even tried to get into, like my old house where I grew up, in that I tried to get to my school, but I mean there's a lot of legal stuff with that. But yeah, man, it's, it's, it's live, it's interactive.

Tarek Chaudhary: 58:59

And one of the other things I'm doing too, um, for a limited time, is I'm gonna actually do an interactive community with the book so it's gonna be one chapter a week and then everyone reading the book comes back together and then you're doing the course, interactive with each other and with me, every week, and so I'm taking. My book is designed to be a transformational journey, so if you actually do the work in the course at the end of every chapter, by the time when you're done with the book pun intended you'll be a new creation. You'll have done all the work that I have done. You'll have faced the challenges internally that I have faced. You will have looked inside of yourself the way I looked inside of myself. You will build a relationship with God the way I built a relationship with God. You will release your pain, the way that I release my pain with God. You will release your pain the way that I release my pain, like I'm giving you. My suffering is my gift to you.

Dai Manuel: 1:00:08

Yes.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:00:09

You know what I mean. I suffer with joy Like I dude. It's been two years, not even a full two years, that I've been on this. My journey to healing started a long time ago, but my commitment to it started two years ago and everything I've done in that two years is in in my book and I'm going to take people like with me, interactive with me, on a weekly basis to do the transformation. But then the course is there for everyone, like read a chapter, watch, watch the online version of the course, watch the documentary module and like hear from it and then do the actual coursework.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:00:55

And so I tried to make it as interactive and unique as I possibly could, and there's a couple of people doing different kinds of flavors of it, but sure, you know teaching from the places that those moments happened. You know that's. That's a transformative experience just for me, and I hope that other people will do the same thing. They'll go back and they'll face certain things that they've been trying to avoid their whole life Actual people, places, things you know and step into it as a different person with a different mindset. You know, I observed the 11 year old watching his dad get stabbed, as a 42 year old man with a completely different mindset. I gave that inner child respect, nurturing and peace, smiled respect, nurturing and peace. I gave it empathy.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:01:42

I observed his experience and I was like I'm so sorry I neglected you, like I didn't understand, I wasn't equipped to care for you and I let you remain unnurtured inside of me for so long, crying for help. I myself couldn't comprehend it Like I asked myself for forgiveness in that moment, you know, and I forgave myself because it's like you think, that inner child of mine doesn't resent the man I am now for having neglected it. So you know, I did what God told me to bro. The rest is in his hands. We'll see what happens with it. If I got to change things up, I will, and the only way I'll know is if, you know, your listeners or anybody else DMs me, reaches out to me and is like I loved it, I hated it, I wish it was this way. I wish it was that way. I'm constantly going to do whatever the community I serve needs me to do. You know, I love it.

Dai Manuel: 1:02:38

So how do? What's the best way for people to take that first step to, to connect with you, to learn more about this opportunity, to experience this Cause? It's an experience, it's not just a blog. You know, not even just a documentary. I mean, this is so much more visceral.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:02:52

It's a transformation and it is it is a.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:02:54

It is an act of self-love. That's what it is. It is an act of self-love. That's what it is. It is an act of faith. It is an act of strength. It is an act of self-love. That's what this is, man. It is a choice to change in an act of love, not an act of hate. It's a choice to heal and grow and evolve and transform. That's what it is. It's not a self-help book, it's a new creation book.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:03:30

Yeah, if you do that but you have to need to do that kind of work, wanting it, you won't do it. You have to need it. You have to have a burning desire in you for a different life that's so strong it consumes you and you can think of nothing else. And this is a set of tools to help you take go from stagnant thought to faith-based action. Stillness and fear-based thinking to transformation and faith-based acting. Yes, ah, and so the the best thing anyone can do is just follow me on ig.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:04:08

I put out all of my forms of content on instagram. It's tarik underscore chadri, and then my my tiktok is uh, mass impact. My youtube is tarik underscore chad. I'm going to release the long form documentary on YouTube and I'm pretty sure I told you this. I recorded in my documentary a module specifically for your community, and so I put a challenge in there for your community and I'm giving you the most powerful part of my transformation both the video, the coursework, like all of it for free, and it's breaking free from resentment.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:04:54

It's that module awesome, and that in itself you do that. That alone will change the way you view yourself and to change the way you view the world. It's hard work because you're gonna have to look inward and you're gonna have to be like damn, I'm the problem. I can't blame anybody else, it's me. I gotta ask me for forgiveness. And then go ask everybody else for forgiveness that I've been hating on for so long. That's right, harboring that negativity towards them, but breaking free from resentment is is the free module that I've got for your community. Um, and yeah, man, you know, get the book, sign up for the course I'm going to do. I don't know what it is yet, man, but anyone who gets it, just have them DM me 2% if they get the book and I'll give them a special deal.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:05:55

Good man, whether it's for, like the online interactive version, and whether it's a discount for the course, like whatever it is, like I'll give them. God just said 25, so I'll give you 25 off of whatever. Whatever it is that they want all right.

Dai Manuel: 1:06:11

Thank you, uh, and everyone. You just heard that and and um, obviously, if you just hit expand on the show notes, all the links are there for everything I talked about today. But definitely connect with them on social, take advantage of the offer. I mean, you know, if you need this already, you've heard this conversation, you know. You know, you know, just trust what you're feeling right now, trust that little voice in you and and do something. I mean intentional action is the only way we see change through. And, uh, I just got to say thank you, tarek, for being here today. It's been an absolute pleasure. I'm excited to have you back again because I want to keep this conversation flowing. I know I got tremendous value from it and I know for 120% that the community did as well, and so thank you again for being here today.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:07:04

Thank you much. Thank you, dai. Honestly, brother, like the gift you're giving me right now the opportunity to serve, to testify like this fills my cup. Man, I am to my children the father. I am to my children when I get this spiritual download, and it's just this. Like this is the greatest gift I can get right now. You know what I mean my desire to serve in his name and just serve people and heal man Like bro. There's not an amount of money on earth that equates to what I feel right now.

Dai Manuel: 1:07:47

Oh, I love it. That's the power of love, right.

Dai Manuel: 1:07:51

But also a strong faith where you know, when you think about the journey of life, really we're all born into a life where we should be able to experience joy, happiness and fulfillment. And if you go and you do your research and you look at all the people that speak to this, there's an underpinning of faith in every single one, Every single one. So, at the very least, I hope today's conversation piqued everybody's curiosity to maybe start to look internally and start to ask what's your faith-based relationship look like?

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:08:24

Faith is the number one cure to anxiety and depression. It is exactly.

Dai Manuel: 1:08:29

This is like proven data, you know, and it's like I forget what the stat was in something like 35 to 40% more effective than than uh, like when, when you couple it together, it actually goes up to something like 80% more effective when you couple it with the right kind of medication, but just on its own, it is better than medication alone, you know. So, um, and there's some interesting stats that they've just brought into the mental health space, talking about face. So that's it. I'd actually like to add to that.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:08:54

We'll have to talk about mental health connection, especially, you know.

Dai Manuel: 1:08:57

so, uh, I I hate that I got to go, but I got to go and thank you for being here, tarek, this is freaking amazing.

Tarek Chaudhary: 1:09:03

Thank you, brother. I really appreciate you, man. God bless you, bro, and God bless every single person listening. Take action, love yourself and take action, and if you're not ready to, then you don't love yourself yet. You're just not ready to receive the blessing that's waiting for you.

Dai Manuel: 1:09:18

Love you brother.

Dai Manuel: 1:09:19

Thank you again for being here today and we'll be in touch, brother. And that's a wrap on an incredibly powerful episode of the 2% Solution podcast with our remarkable guest, tarek Chowdhury. Tarek's journey from despair to becoming a beacon of hope and leadership is a compelling reminder of what's possible when we lean into faith and take action toward change. This story illuminates the path from fear-based thinking to faith-based action, showcasing how embracing our darkest moments can lead to our brightest futures.

Dai Manuel: 1:09:55

If today's conversation touched your heart and sparked a curiosity within you to explore faith and resilience in your own life, we urge you to connect with Tarek, follow his journey, dive into the transformative resources he's created and maybe, just maybe, start writing a new chapter in your own story. Remember the small shifts. The 2% changes lead to massive transformations. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and continue to be a part of our journey towards living a more fulfilled life. Thank you for joining us and until next time, keep pushing forward, keep believing and never underestimate the power of faith in transforming your life.