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Many know Garth Voisin as the pretty boy with the tattoos and ‘gym body’. In the early years of his career, he was a personal trainer, brand ambassador and even appeared in a number of music videos in the US. In the recent years, he transitioned to motivational coaching and became a self-help author. He has demonstrated that there is substance to accompany the form. Over the past year, he launched The Dear Men Project to serve as a platform to empower and inspire men. This is his journey from Arima, Trinidad to the US, where he is currently based.

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My childhood was relatively smooth. I was very fortunate to grow up not needing anything. I may have wanted things but thankfully all my basic needs were provided by my parents and family. I am extremely grateful for that. While most of my friends were outside doing the usual “children’s activities” and playing video games, I enjoyed writing and music.

The love I had for writing continued throughout my teenage years and my early 20s but I wasn’t able to dedicate enough time to it. After secondary school, I delved into sports which eventually took me into fitness and personal training which later led to some modelling jobs. I also did some acting along the way. Writing therefore took a back seat.

Through fitness and personal training, I was able to help many clients reach their physical goals. However, I realised that while achieving those milestones and living a healthier lifestyle are great, my ultimate goal was to positively transform the mind and mental well-being of my clients.

“There were expectations that I was not willing to comply with”

Although many perceive the entertainment industry as glamorous and the “it” field to be in, my introduction to that industry wasn’t the best. There were expectations that I was not willing to comply with: expectations that I believe, conflicted with my personal morals. I would be dishonest if I didn’t acknowledge that my participation in the entertainment sector, also created opportunities for me to advance my writing career and formalise my motivational coaching.

“Creatives are often seen as going against the norm”

It is difficult being a creative since many times, the people closest to us do not fully understand our passion or why we choose this path. We are often seen as going against the norm. In my case, I had the support from my family but I was also very aware that I would be misunderstood by them until I started accomplishing what I had set out to do. I also understood that it was my vision and not theirs and therefore, I had to pursue it passionately and purposefully.

“There is limited support for each other”

Throughout my life, my father epitomised hard work, consistency and dedication. He provided a good foundation for me and my sister and was a positive male figure. To this day, he still is a significant force in my life. But while I have been fortunate to have him as a mentor, I honestly don’t think that there are enough mentors for the younger generation. This may be because there are too many self-cantered ways of thinking which result in limited support for one another.

“We have been silenced”

Black men have been silenced for as long as I can remember, and it seems to be getting worse. In 2020, we have seen the issues facing black men being highlighted and brought to the frontline. The challenges that we have experienced over the years, are now being discussed and raised. Historically, we have not felt empowered to effectively communicate our issues and problems. This is further compounded by the fact that there aren’t many spaces for us to feel safe and not be judged.  Change therefore is required.

The launch of the Dear Men Project

My personal experiences and my passion about the issues facing men, are what encouraged me to launch The Dear Men Project. For me, it was important to build a bridge between men and themselves: build a bridge between men and the people who love them because it is vital for men to have an environment which will facilitate reflection and growth. We must find ways to communicate more effectively to be able to discuss how we feel and the issues which affect us. I do believe that if we can express our feelings and ventilate the issues we experience, we can have better relationships with those we love.

This is something I am really passionate about and I try to practise it in my personal life also. With my son, I try my best to create a safe space for him to share both his feelings and perspective on things. It is so important to lead by example and I am trying my best.

“Be positive”

I have had my share of challenges along the journey and I still do from time to time. From living in my car to sleeping in houses with no heat during the winter, but it was all worth it. The experiences were priceless as I use them as motivation to continue pushing harder. This is why I am a firm believer in maintaining a positive outlook and using the negative experiences to foster great experiences.

To that young man who is confused and still searching for a career path, believe in yourself and don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. Comparison is the killer of creativity and everything else. Trust YOUR journey!

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In addition to being a four-time author, Garth is the 2009 winner of the World Bodybuilding Federation Fitness Model Competition and the Krave Kover Model Search in that same year. His books, The Journey Continues can be found on Amazon. You may visit https://dearmenproject.com/ to learn more about The Dear Men Project.