Social media’s undeniable power over the youth is nothing short of terrifying. Millions upon millions of children are exposed to who knows what, each and every day. Parents cringe at the idea of their kids seeing horrible or malicious information, and they have every right to feel so. However, not all social media is lies and provocative images– take Austin Dotson, who is challenging the negative influence of social media by proving that it can be used for good, through fitness.
Growing up, Dotson always had a deep passion for working out and pushing his body to its limits to achieve great results. This passion led to him find football, in which he dedicated 16 of his 30 years of life towards. From grade school through high school, he played the sport and did so well. After earning a scholarship to attend and play football for Sacramento State University, Dotson felt as if his life could not get any better. He had the fans, the friends, and the fame of a college athlete, and all that was left was to get drafted into the NFL when the draft season came around during his senior year. Until, he wasn’t drafted.
Dotson was both shocked and heartbroken, as his lifelong dreams of becoming a true hall-of-famer were yanked from possibility. Realizing that he had to drop football in order to make ends meet was, as he recalls, “one of the most intense moments [he has] ever gone through.” To have to accept that his childhood hopes were for naught was nothing short of devastating. To have to work a regular, draining job at a mortgage firm was humiliating compared to what he wanted for himself. Dotson was angry, disappointed, and above all else, depressed. To cope, he turned to alcohol. After getting fired from his position in the firm, life for Dotson was more of hell than earth. Drink after drink, long night after night, and the bills kept coming. Court fees for a DUI on Christmas day, a daughter to support and be present for, and all the other stresses of being a young man coming into this day and age mounted on each other. Life felt horrid– a true nightmare.
On January 3rd, 2017, as Dotson recalls, specifically, he decided he needed to make a change. That life was not going to pass him by, and that he was going to be the master of his own fate. After filing for unemployment, and using what little savings he had to buy a membership at a rundown gym, his journey to find himself had begun. The discipline he gained from going to gym daily, along with his charming charisma, landed him a job as a behavioral therapist. Throughout the years he worked in this position, he says that he helped countless people gain the confidence to work through life’s problems by advising them to focus on themselves through fitness. Realizing the power of fitness and physical wellbeing, Dotson decided to create an account on the growing social media sensation called Instagram.
550,000 followers later, Dotson is uploading daily content on how to eat right, stay motivated, and be healthy. Workout routines, beautiful landscapes, and the occasional backflip are just a few of the things one can find on his page. With a message to share and a story that brings a tear to the eye, Austin Dotson is proving to the world that fitness is more than the body– it heals the soul. Follow Austin on his Instagram to see where he goes next!
