The name Yahya in Arabic means “alive,” and my friend and guest, Yahya Bakkar embodies his name to a T!  Full honesty, when I first met him in our mastermind, I thought he was just this loud person putting on an act, but within 10 minutes, I realized it wasn’t an act at all – that’s just who he was and it was awesome! In fact, I discovered that it was these traits that I wished I possessed more of. And since that time, Yahya has given me permission to be louder, bigger, more self-expressed and perfectly imperfect. After hearing everything Yahya’s gone through, however, it’s hard to believe that he’s such a positive and high energy person. From complicated parental relationships and struggles with religion to following his heart in terms of his career and marrying his high school sweetheart, Yahya discovered what it means to be fully and unapologetically self-expressed and now strives to help others do the same. Whether you want to become a better speaker or just become more self-expressed, our conversation is a must listen. Can’t wait to hear what you take away from it! --  Question Highlights: What’s your favorite quote? What’s one of your superpowers? What’s one thing you’re afraid of? What’s one of your favorite speeches you’ve given? What’s one of your favorite accomplishments? What did your upbringing look like? Looking back on your life, what is one piece of advice to you’d give to those who feel stuck? How does someone who is standing in fear right now become as confident as you? How do you view money? What are your two main intentions this year? If you could empower us by giving us three tips, what would they be?   In This Episode We Talk about: Yahya’s complicated upbringing and his relationship with his parents How Yahya’s wife opened his mind to other faiths Why Yahya dropped out of college with only one semester left Where Yahya got the idea to be a motivational speaker/coach Resourcefulness Having faith in yourself or a higher power Leveraging faith to guide you through your decisions Being fully and unapologetically self-expressed Yahya’s two main intentions for this year Tips to becoming a more confident speaker And so much more… --   Yahya’s Thoughts…   “Real, genuine and authentic confidence comes from a grounded sense of self-esteem and self-worth.”   “Know you’re valuable because you exist.”   “I’m self-centered – not selfish.”   “The more income you make, the more impact you’ll have.”   “You’re so much more than what confines you in the material world.”   “Ditch the script and embody your message.”   --   Yahya Bkkar is a motivational speaker, confidence coach and health educator who has spoken at Harvard University, Georgia Institute of Technology, TedX and various nationally recognized conferences and organizations. He’s the author of Beyond Motivation and The Ultimate Guide to Teen Life, and has trained with the top experts in psychology, physiology and health.  Born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, he first traveled alone to the United States at the age of 5. Like many people, Yahya faced a few challenges growing up. Yahya struggled to find his own identity because he never got along with his father and never met his birth mother.  Despite his circumstances, Yahya did his best to put the missing pieces of his life back together by seeking professional help and finding his birth mother in Thailand after being separated for over 2 decades. Yahya’s inspirational story gives people hope & reminds them to never give up on their dreams. He now lives in New Jersey and is married to his high school sweetheart. -- Resources   Instagram: @yahyabakkar WorldClassSpeaker.com Get Yahya’s 5-Step Blueprint to Become a World Class Speaker for FREE!   --   For more stories and tips on becoming unapologetically wealthy, follow me @Chriswharder on Instagram and check out fortheloveofmoney.com.