I knew Mat (real name Mohammad Hadafi) since 4 years ago when we worked under same department but in different team. He is famous in our department due to his outgoing character and a very active person in our departmental community activities. He was known as Hadafi back then and now we call him “Mat”.
First met him in our free fitness workout about a year ago. Glad to see him again but he was on and off for the session until we officially become November Project in June. I can still recalled at his 2nd appearance in November Project, we were doing shirt tagging and he was asking if we will do tagging every week because he didn’t bring extra shirt that day. “Sorry buddy, we have to wait till next tagging session, probably next month” I replied. But after 2 weeks we did tagging again and he brought his shirt this time and wear it for the upcoming running event. Mat is one of the very energized and self motivated member in the tribe.
On 4th October 2017, Mat created a history of NPMAL by completing our Bumiko Hill’s PR (3 loops the whole hills within 30 minutes), thereafter we name the workout after him “The MAT”
Thanks for being part of the tribe, glad to have you with us Mat!
Here I would like to share his personal story with November Project Malaysia.
I Quit Because Of November Project!
I have a confession to make. I quit my job because of November Project! When I first join November Project, I was actually on the verge of losing myself. I was under major depression, a chronic insomnia, and I’ve got Plantar Fasciitis all at the same time. I don’t really know what to do and most of the time I feel lost. I can hardly sleep where I usually manage to sleep at 3am and awake at 4am without any reason. I go to work every single day with a blank mind and yet I will try to avoid talking to people and colleague which very hard to do because in my line of work, I have to talk to people a lot in order to supervise and give them orders. I have to work from 6.30am till around 7pm, and there are times where I even have to go to the office on Saturday and Sunday (well… most of the time actually for almost 2 years). There are times where I fall asleep during driving which almost got me into accidents. I was under Prozac and going for a counselling every single month feels like a burden to me. I know something is wrong with me and yet I don’t know how to handle it. Nobody knows about it. Not even my family or close friend, accept my wife (who is very supportive and the reason why I’m still alive).
But I suppose miracles do happen. One day my wife have asked me to give it a try in joining a workout group called “MYY FITNESS” (before it became NOVEMBER PROJECT). Since it’s free, I didn’t think it will hurt to give it a try. For one hour, I feel something that I haven’t felt for a very long time, the sense of living a life! I was sweating and yet working out with all this “unknown” people makes me feel so satisfied and happy. I can see the satisfaction on everyone faces. The awesomeness is there!! The best part is for the first time I manage to sleep at 11pm and wake up at 5am! It made me think of what I have actually lost.
The first session of workout is good. But the second one is even better! I get to know few people that is less fortunate than me and yet they do the entire workout like they have done it thousands of times, and they never complained. Victor, who has hearing and speech impaired always perform at his best to complete whatever workout that is being asked to do, and yet he never show that he has disabilities! Irene, a lady who is very dedicated to working out that I even met her going to the gym at 12pm alone! I can see she lost a lot of weight now. And then there’s Robert, a guy who is full of dedication to become a long distance runner. He is getting faster now. But what makes me feels lucky towards November Project is because we have 3 very dedicated co-leaders, Ridley, Harry, and Ing. These guys have made everything looks possible. Even during heavy rain, we still working out and these 3 guys are always there to lead us!
After the second session, I have made up my mind. The best way to solve a problem is to make it go away right? So I decide to quit my job. I try to focus on the thing that is more important, which is my health. Some people told me that I’m crazy for leaving my job (due to the good salary wise), but November Project have made me realize that a good health can give you happiness, and when you have a good health and happiness, I’m sure things will become better. It’s great to have lots of money, but it definitely can’t promise us health and happiness. By the time I’m writing this, I have stop taking meds and I don’t have to go to counselling anymore. I’ve manage to sleep early and I’ve start running again. I never expect joining November Project will bring me this far, but as for now I’m enjoying my life to the fullest! Ridley, Harry, and Ing… if you reading this, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for making November Project Miri possible.
SIGNING OFF,
MOHAMMAD HADAFI
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So much love for you Mat!