Episode Transcript
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 0:00
your femininity is powerful in all its forms exceptional women, rare girls must be appreciated in every way for their perspectives, actions, thoughts, and their unique ways of being such rare girls are inspiring. And this is what this podcast is all about. Hello, my name is Aziz and my guest today is she know her yeah, she knows a Japanese citizen who used to live in Austria. She speaks German, and plans to start her studies in Germany to become a physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning trainer. For professional players and athletes. She was an exchange student in Colorado, USA and her hobbies are fitness, working out doing other sports like paddleboarding, running, hiking, skiing, and snowboarding. She also enjoys camping and barbecue with her family. She know got into fitness when COVID started. And now she has a fitness account where she shares her workouts and daily motivation. She is now an affiliate for a brand called women's best and an athlete for a brand called rider where and constantly grow in her impact and her reach. She now experienced Asian hate and discrimination at a young age, with all the Asian hate that's going on in this world. And how people now talk about it more openly, she really hope that this will not just be a trend, and that it will make a difference. You know, how are you today?
Shino Horie 1:55
Hi, I'm great. Thank you.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:58
Thank you. I'm lucky. I'm happy. I'm excited to have you here. And to begin with an interesting question to me, which is, if your friends were to describe your personality, especially now after your fitness journey, and maybe how you changed compared to before and who you are right now, what would they say?
Shino Horie 2:19
Um, I would say that I'm a outgoing person, and probably very curious about things like I'm always willing to know about stuff. And I would say I'm a very positive person, especially after the pandemic, since I started doing fitness and working out, I feel like I found a way to relieve stress more and kind of found my happy place. So I would say I'm more happy, more positive. And I'm able to think with like a clearer head, if that makes sense. So yeah, I feel like fitness has affected me a lot. And I'm overall a happy person. Generally, I would say,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:08
I love that I love happy people. I love positive people, and the impact that working out had on your life. But to ask you even more, because most people don't seem to be happy and positive. What beliefs do you have that create this happiness? Do you believe life is too short to be unhappy? Do you believe you have the power to create your world just like you were able to strengthen your body? Or what kind of beliefs allow you to be happy, even if sometimes the certain circumstances in this world are not so positive?
Shino Horie 3:47
So I would say I would always think of like, if there's a bad situation, then I would say like, Okay, this looks bad. But there will be like a better perspective. Like, for example, I recently tore my ACL and meniscus and I had surgery two months ago. So that's why I had to postpone moving to Germany for another year. And it seems really bad. And it seems like it's like the worst thing that could happen to me at that time. But in another way since I wanted to become a physiotherapist. It was a way for me to look at that job or career like closely since I'm the patient and I'm going to a physiotherapist. And also I would understand professional players feelings and like them being in a situation when they get injured and then I can understand what they're feeling like and I can kind of like support them mentally as well maybe in the future. So I would try to think of like a better way or like a better perspective and every situation and I feel like that has helped me a lot to kind of be more positive and always have like an open mind. So yeah, I think there's always a different side to look at things. And that's probably my most important belief.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:11
Thank you. And I will ask you somehow, or somewhat of a philosophical or psychological question, it seems to be that when people are closed minded, they're very confident because they refuse to believe anything other than that, what they do, and people who are super open minded, they're confident because they flow with the energy of life. But as people become more and more open minded, they can somehow lose their confidence because they think, Oh, my God, there are so many perspectives in life. What is true? What is real? This is so confusing. DeRay later this, do you feel you're a very confident person? Where does your confidence come from? Or have you been through that confusion of thinking, Oh, wow, if all perspectives are valid, then what is true?
Shino Horie 6:03
I have definitely been in that situation a couple of times, especially when I'm like, discussing something with someone. And I tried to like listen to everybody, I, of course, say what's in like, what's on my mind, but I also tried to listen to other people as well. And then it starts to feel like everyone's, like, opinions are right, even though they're completely different on mine. And I kind of start losing my confidence in like my answer and stuff. So I definitely been in that situation. But I mean, nobody's like completely wrong when it comes to like, discussion and stuff. I don't know if I'm answering the question, right. But I would say I'm a pretty confident person, mostly, but there are definitely things when I like kind of questioned myself, if I'm right or not, but I would try to like, I would try to think when I'm confused, I would try to think that everyone has their own opinion. And the people I talk to, I feel like they are pretty open minded. And if they are, like close minded, I would say like, okay, that person is close minded, but it's okay. It's that person's, like personality. And I don't know, I just tried to keep, I try to understand other people as well. But, and that's how I keep my confidence, I guess, I don't know if I understood, like, completely? I don't know if I answered a question. Right. But
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 7:37
you did. And thank you for that. And then do you have some kind of metaphysical or spiritual beliefs like Zen, you know, or stoicism, or somehow a feeling that life is good, and everything in this world is done and happens for a reason, etcetera? Or what is your perspective? on reality? I know, it's a super big question, but it's part of who you are.
Shino Horie 8:07
I don't have like, a specific belief that I like fully believe in. But there are like a couple of things that I pick up and, like, create my own belief system, if that makes sense. For example, what you said like life is too short. I don't know, I just like pick something up, or when I listen to somebody talk about like their belief system. And if I kind of, like agree with that, or if I think that quote is good, or it's like a good thing, to kind of like I would say, I would kind of like nitpick and kind of pick up a couple of stuff that I agree to, and not like the whole package, if that makes sense.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 8:50
Thank you, it makes a lot of sense. And do you do the same when it comes to fitness and working out and nutrition? Etc? Do you try to do like Bruce Lee and JKD? Or where you pick what works for you and your discard? What doesn't?
Shino Horie 9:10
Um, yeah, there are so many things online. And, you know, one person says this, and the other person says, do a completely different thing. And I try to kind of like try it for myself. And then if that works for me, then I would pick that up. And so yeah, I would say there are things that I kind of like don't think it's true, but it's like, so well known. Like, um, for example, like carbs, carbs make you fat and stuff like it's all over the internet, but it's actually not true. And CARB is like a really important and source of energy for human beings. And so there are things that people say and there are things that Other people say what's completely different from what the other group of people are saying. So I definitely tried to try for myself and kind of find my way out or find my way to which I believe
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:14
Thank you. And when it comes to working out, which is your most favorite moment of being in the gym, of doing a workout, what's the highlight that really makes your day?
Shino Horie 10:28
Oh my god, I have so many when it comes to fitness and, you know, working out, it's, um, for example, what makes me like, what's the highlight of my gym time, I'm showing up in a cute gym fit, that would be number one, number two, lifting heavy, and like dying on the last rep. But kind of like the relief that you get that you did that whole set with your 100%. And also, when I hit my PR, that makes me so happy. And also right now I can't do it. But I love heat workout like high intensity workouts. I love the feeling of that I get afterwards. So I would say those are a couple of my highlights when I when it comes to working out in gym.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 11:20
Thank you and you're growing your brand online. What's your strategy? What did you find that works for you? How, and what are your future goals and plans when it comes to this online presence.
Shino Horie 11:35
So for me, I don't have like a specific goal for my online kind of like, online situation. But the reason that I started is because I didn't have a friend that would share the same passion for fitness as I do. And I just wanted to have that community. And that's why I started my Instagram account. And from that it was about two years ago. And from that I found some online fitness friends and also kind of grew a little community for myself as well. So from my goal is to enjoy that and also, hopefully grow my fitness page to maybe 10k I feel like that will be a big milestone for me. I don't know for like a professional, you know, goal. I can I cannot think of it right now. But I'm very grateful that I have that platform and to have to be able to share with other people like the same passion. So I would say keep that passion alive and to have fun with other people and share sharing that passion with with like the entire community. That will be my passion and that will be my goal.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 12:48
Thank you. And are you mostly focusing on Instagram? Or do you plan to have like a workout YouTube channel, some tic TOCs all kinds of stuff.
Shino Horie 12:58
I actually do have both Tik Tok and YouTube. I post Tik Tok quite often, I would say, and I have fun there a lot as well. I did sometimes show my gym foods. And I also share my workout workouts there do little holes on YouTube. Right now I'm not posting I haven't posted in a couple of months, but I'm trying to slowly get back into it. I'm trying to like approach from different directions to grow my fitness account in general. So yeah,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:37
thank you. And can you tell me about your experience with Asian hate? Where did you experience it? In which parts of the world what was the story? And how can you explain it? What do you think, is causing this bad, bad kind of aggression, violence and hate? Like you mentioned,
Shino Horie 13:59
the first time that I experienced it was when I was when I was five years old or something like that. It wasn't kindergarten. And I didn't actually kind of recognize it as hate. Because I was so little. And my friends were so little. And I think they were just like questioning. It was just like a pure question for me. But they were constantly asking why I looked so different and why my parents are so different. Why, you know, like from the skin tone to hair color, to my face to like literally everything and when I think about it now I know it was a pure question. But from that young age, I was always I remember like going back home and crying because and questioning my mom. Why I was looking so different from others. And that was the first kind of memory of mine. When I think about like, when I think about discrimination I don't, and the actual, like discrimination that I experienced, where I actually felt really hurt and recognize that as discrimination was when I kind of like, when I moved back to Germany for a half year. And I stayed there, I stayed in a little town. And it was a place where a lot of refugees came from south from the south area, I was, I think, and even from the refugees, and also from the European people. And also mainly Germans that lived there, I got discriminated quite a lot. They would do like those Asian II things, and kind of like, walk past me, they would kind of ask me questions, if I eat cats, or if I eat dogs, or if they would eat there, if I would eat their pets and stuff. And that was very hurtful as a person who has never been said those words before to, to my face, it was very hurtful. And that's the first thing that I kind of recognize it as discrimination. Funny, it's not actually funny, but I didn't really experience any Asian hate. When I was studying abroad in the US. I didn't get those discrimination, Shin at all in the US, mainly in Europe, is when I got quite heavily discriminated. And I think it comes from, I think it comes the reason why people are discriminating me in Europe is probably because they weren't many Asians there. And it's kind of rare to have a black haired Asian person there were other people are like blonde brunettes, and who looks completely different. So I think it's there are not so many like communication with other agents in Germany or in Europe in general.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 17:24
Thank you. It is horrible. And it sounds horrible. And I feel for you. What do you believe is the solution? How can Asian hate be solved? How can the culture be changed? How can tolerance and acceptance and positivity all around be propagated in Europe and in this world,
Shino Horie 17:49
I think the most important thing is to know about what's going on around the world, like Asian hate. I know that in Japan, it's not very common to talk about Asian hate or hate in general discrimination in general. And I think it's important for people to talk about that topic and kind of be aware of the situation that's going on around the world. I think by knowing that, and by understanding that those things are happening around the world, people will be more aware of when it's happening in real life. So I think the most important thing is to get that information, know about it, know about the things, the horrible news or something like that that's going on around the world and talking about it with other people share your information. And I think by that a lot of people be more aware of it.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 18:47
Thank you. And I know that you have friends from Ukraine, and you have supported Ukraine during the invasion and the war, etc. Can you share your perspective? What do you want to raise awareness of why it's an et cetera, so that people can understand?
Shino Horie 19:06
So for me, I have a friend who lives in Ukraine or who is Ukrainian. And that's why I was very, very invested in knowing about the war and getting information sharing information. And at the beginning of the war, like half years ago, about six months ago, it was on the news every day in Japan as well. Every news paper, every news on the TV, they were talking about it but now, six months later, there are less and less information online. On the news and I feel like I wish that people would still be like invested in knowing and getting information and sharing it because it is not a trend and it is actually going out on in this world. rolled and my friend is experiencing sing it and her family, her loved ones are experiencing it like every single, every second every day, and I wish that people would be more aware of it. So it's not so much that I can do but the least that at least I like to share it on my social media, I also talk about it constantly with my family with my friends, so that at least one more person will be like, invested in knowing about the situation. So that's what I'm trying to do.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 20:39
I agree with you 100%. It should not be forgotten, it should not be ignored. And people, you know, when it comes to something so catastrophic, like that war, that invasion, people shouldn't just move on to the latest gossip from celebrities or whatever easily and quickly, because people are literally losing their lives and their futures for those who survive every day to ask you since you have lived in Austria, and in Japan, and in the US. I mean, I guess Austria is not so different culturally from Germany. How would you compare the three cultures? What is like did you notice was similar between them? And what differences surprised you?
Shino Horie 21:30
There are quite different, I would say, Europe and the US culture were quite similar when it comes to people's like personality. In Japan, I would say people are more quiet. And they do not like to share their opinions. First, they are pretty shy, I would say they, for example, when they have like a meeting or something. And a person asks for someone to say their opinion. I would say Japanese people are not willing to share the information first. But in Austria, in Germany, and in the US, I would say like opinions, talking about your own opinion is a pretty big priority outside, so there are more are going to share their opinions. So that's a different difference. That's a huge difference. And yeah, I think there are so many differences. But I think that's the number one difference that I recognized since I kind of like been in different countries.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 22:39
That's wonderful. Thank you she know, this was my privilege, my honor. A truly fascinating way to understand you better and to know you more, and I wish you success in your goals. I wish your ACL to heal quickly and for you to be back in tip top shape fast. And thank you again.
Shino Horie 23:05
Thank you so much. Thank you so much for this opportunity. And I hope you have a great life as well. Yeah, thank you so much.
