Meet Andrew Williams: Survivor Coach and Aspiring Dietitian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
I want to be remembered and renowned for bringing light, hope, healing and identity to people’s lives. What I mean by that is, I want people to awaken to the fact that they have a unique light of their own. You should never give up and know it’s ok to slow down. You can slow down to speed up. In terms of discovering identity, it is found by awakening their true selves. I pursue bringing forth a movement of healing and progressive undertakings of growth, knowledge, Faith and health in all aspects.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work is in constant progress. My vision is to bring hope and knowledge to the forefront of healing through mindset, music and nutrition. What sets me apart, is that I share and help people heal from my personal ways of healing combined with numerous others, ranging from life experiences and different methodologies. We often accept blindly what we’re told by  our professors, doctors, work superiors and peers as factual without questioning. This is a habit we must become aware of and have due diligence to learn more about what is occurring in our lives. Oftentimes, we resonate with those who understand what we feel because they have experienced it as well. You see, life is a study of things we don’t have but we want, and things we don’t want but we have. We must educate ourselves in more ways than one, to look for potentially highly plausible other ways to heal. We are constantly tricked into thinking we have to stay in a state of acceptance to what we’re told, and this state creates the thought that we’re in control of life, but really aren’t. The purpose of healing is so that future generations don’t have to experience the painful woes of the past and what we’re currently going through. We must be able to provide the blueprint for healing and avoiding the pain and trauma from the past and present. Professionally, I am in motion to continue to make strides (or baby steps even) into a future that will affect the world in a positive way. It’s not easy. I had/have so many setbacks both internally (myself) and externally that have created useless loops of self-doubt, worry and even anxiety and depression. I have overcome/am overcoming these traps by opening my mind and heart to people more than ever. Along with this, I am accepting that it’s ok to slow down, even rest(!) and know that all I have to do is what is right and true, then let God worry about the details. Our destinies are the same in the end, but our journeys are different. I became immersed in prayer, meditation, music, nature and exuberant amounts of reading and audiobooks which continually helps me move forward daily. I’m so proud that I am able to take steps and come to the stage with confidence in a way I never thought I could. I have so much excitement and anticipation being built up for the day I can see and know my experiences, my teachings, my seminars, and my programs have kept people moving forward, both through healing and getting their lives back. One of the most crucial lessons I’ve learned, is to always remember that we need to share our stories of challenge and pain along with joy and success. This contrast allows these stories that we consider ours, to no longer belong just to us. Why? Because there are ears and hearts that are in need to hear and feel your particular story to help them initiate their rise from the ashes. Along with this, I would even dare to say as of the utmost importance to me, is to have overwhelming Faith and compassion. We tend to constantly judge one another without knowing what that person is experiencing in their world. We have but one Earth, but there are 7 billion worlds within it. I made the mistake of trying to get a person to see something in a new light that they weren’t ready for, therefore wrongly utilizing force that did not help. I thought I could really help, but it didn’t turn out that way. My lack of proper compassion, not listening to my intuition and enough Faith knowing everything would be as it should, hindered the situation. I will share on a positive note now though, that I held fast to my Faith in an excruciating, distressing time, which in the end, pulled me through. I stuck to my story, my known identity and refused to be moved from it, believing I would emerge right where I needed to be (and I did!). I want the world to know that the biggest thing we have to realize in life, is that we’re all here to help each other navigate, make the world a less toxic and more enjoyable place in the short time we’re here together. It’s not about how many years we live, it’s about the life we live within those years. The purpose of a talent, a skill, a kind heart, immense intelligence and otherworldly perspectives are not meant just for ourselves. These are gifts that must be shared. It’s been said that the most prosperous place on Earth is the graveyard. This is because so many have passed before us with an overflow of inventions, perspectives, innovations, books, poems, songs and technologies that we all didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy. I want to make sure I don’t leave Earth without my contribution; therefore, I want to help people heal and live life as it should be, by understanding that life is not meant to be lived in mediocre health or with a closed mind and heart. True life begins the moment you start living it in great health. Let’s move forward to get momentum in the right direction. Sometimes you just need 20 seconds of insane, intense bravery, and I promise you, something great can come out of it. Uncertainty is the root of all progress. Be Brave!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hrmmm…Absolute must go places I’d recommended are: French: Votre cuisine spéciale, Japanese: あなたのキッチンスペシャル (Anata no kitchin supesharu), Chinese: 你的廚房特別 (Nǐ de chúfáng tèbié), Korean: 당신의 주방 스페셜 (dangsin-ui jubang seupesyeol), Italian: la tua cucina speciale, Filipino: espesyal ang kusina mo American: Your Kitchen Special! In other words, there’s a pandemic, I wouldn’t take you out to eat or play around LA right now. All of these translate to: Your Kitchen Special. (Lol) But once things are safe I’d recommend: Santa Monica Pier, The Last Bookstore, Cecil Hotel (interesting yet sketchy) MOMA, Griffin Observatory, An escape room (so many so take your pick off yelp!) the plethora of trails (less busy ones with great views in Malibu), The Crystal Cathedral (along PCH), the poppy fields (a little bit of a drive but beautiful.), vibrato grill jazz club. Vegan: then Streets of India, Vinh Loi Tofu, Vegan Studio, Crossroads Kitchen, LA Vegan, El Cocinero. Cassel’s Burgers (many more to choose from) Non-Vegan: Home Restaurant, Perch, Eat N’ Park (portions are hearty), Local Mexican: King Taco, Albertos, Salsa & Beer, Candelas, etc (MUST HAVE CARNE ASADA FRIES/NACHOS), Cassell’s Burgers, Tokyo Fried Chicken, Colapasta, Hummus Yummy, Northern Thai Food Club. Venice Beach has some very interesting people and vendors to check out. It’s also a great are to ride a bike through to Santa Monica. Beach views, nice breeze and warm sunshine.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that deserve an inordinate amount of gratitude in my life. From my family, to many friends, mentors of young and old and even those who have brought times of discomfort and pain in my life… Thank you. All of these stated people have taught me many things in life and/or have ignited in me moments of realization and growth I wouldn’t have experienced without them. There was a chance the life I could’ve potentially lived without some of these influences, would have been without as much strife. But what is the benefit of that?  Had that occurred, it would’ve imprisoned me in a cocoon in which I would’ve been robbed of understanding the yin and yang of balance and momentum. How does one know what happiness is without sadness? Joy without pain? Light without dark? I want to show so much gratitude for the hundreds, no, countless books, audiobooks, podcasts and groups I’ve been blessed to participate in. For without your knowledge, inspiration, motivation and provoking creative critical thinking, I never would have I experienced such an elite level of awareness, insight, connection, intuition and gratitude of life like I have in the past few years.

Website: survivor-coach.com

Instagram: theasianandrewwilliams

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-williams-a97b875b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007529291845

Other: tiktok: @survivor_coach