We all experience challenges in life. Some are bigger than others, but the wisdom and strength gained from coping with these setbacks and overcoming failures is invaluable. Such lessons might not immediately catch your attention, but they always come as very profound realizations once you are ready to understand them, asBryan Arionhas discovered.
The Mexican-born actor and musician has had an incredible life, and his family history is equally as intriguing.Bryanwas born in the notorious lands of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, the poorest and most violent state in Mexico. He spent his early childhood at the very epicenter of organized crime in the country, with more groups jostling for turf than in any other single region.
Bryan’s mother’s side of the family was heavily involved in the cartel. Some became victims, and others had to join rival groups in order to survive. When a few tried to escape, the Narcos threatened to execute everyone in the family. Unfortunately, they attempted to make good on that threat and beheaded Bryan’s great-grandfather in front of his grandmother when she was just nine.
AlthoughBryandidn’t fully understand what was going on, he tried his best to provide relief anyway he could. Being a naturally artistic child, he started acting and performing in front of his family as a means to provide some form of escape from the chaos. At age five, Bryan’s mother managed to break free and escape Mexico with him and fled to the U.S. They settled in a small town in North Carolina, where his mother had distant family, and began their journey of assimilating into American life.
This new change didn’t automatically bring about the peaceBryanso desired. Life was better there, with less fear of the Narcos getting to them, however, as someone with a different skin color and culture, he again faced numerous challenges in racism and discrimination. From learning a new language, to persevering through the difficult acclimating process, Bryan was able to develop many skills. That, along with his mother’s wisdom and commitment to seeing him excel is what made all the difference in his formative years, and what eventually helped him succeed later in life.
Over the years, it eventually became safe for them to travel back to Mexico and Bryan was finally reunited with his family there. His mother made it a point to visit Mexico every year, in order to stay connected to their heritage and culture, and to never forget where they came from. Bryan discovered that life can be incredibly challenging, especially after coping with all the hardships he had to endure but there’s always a silver lining.
Since making his professional acting debut, Bryan has firmly established his presence in the field and is building a strong and diversified resume. Bryan has appeared in several music videos, commercials, and TV shows, including a commercial for 5 Gum, NBC’s ‘Days of Our Lives’, Michael Bay’s ‘The Last Ship’ on TNT, and ‘Selena: The Series’ on Netflix, among others. He’s currently engaged in several other projects.
“The healing process takes a lot of time,” he shares. “But once that work was done, it gave way to a reflective approach of discovering the valuable wisdom and lessons that were taught. With that insight, you’ll be able to accept the past, and be courageous enough to let go of the anger and bitterness. Only then, can wise lessons be drawn from the things that happened to you, increasing your knowledge about the important wisdom about life.”
This philosophy has helped Bryan succeed in many areas of his life and continue an upward trajectory as a professional actor and musician. He now lives in the moment, day by day, and expects better things in the future because he knows it’s possible to achieve them.