I’m Joe Chan, a 44-year-old former social worker from Singapore, now
living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, since December 2023. From my teenage
years, I knew I was called to work with at-risk youth, which motivated
me to pursue social work at the National University of Singapore. My
career progressed as I helped marginalized families and youth,
eventually leading a team of social workers, counselors, and youth
workers. I was deeply fulfilled by my work until the COVID-19 pandemic
changed everything. On January 15, 2022, I was forced to resign from my
position due to my decision not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, a personal
choice I made because I believed in protecting my health and body. This
decision had significant consequences, isolating my family and me from
public spaces and opportunities in Singapore due to strict policies.
Faced with uncertainty, I had to quickly pivot to support my family,
including my two young children, who were 10 and 12 at the time. I
hustled, taking on any job I could while building my own life coaching
business focused on helping parents and youth navigate the challenges of
family life and communication. We had to cut back, simplify, and explain
to our children the new reality we were in, all while fighting to
maintain hope and stability.
The hardest part wasn’t the financial struggle but feeling that my
life’s work and calling had been abruptly taken from me. It was like a
part of my identity had been erased. However, I refused to let that be
the end of my story. I kept pushing, alongside my wife, to rebuild our
lives and pursue my dream of coaching. Over time, I found a supportive
community of people who, like me, were navigating the fallout of the
pandemic, which gave me the strength to keep moving forward.
By 2023, we found stability again in Singapore, but I knew there was
more to learn from this chapter of my life. I felt a strong desire for
personal transformation, which led me to take up martial arts—not just
as a way to stay fit, but as a metaphor for life. Martial arts taught me
to face challenges head-on, to get back up after being knocked down, and
to find strength even when the odds were against me.
In December 2023, my family and I made the bold decision to relocate to
Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I could dedicate myself to martial arts
training. Currently, I’m learning self-defense and mixed martial arts at
Core Combat Chiang Mai, with the aspiration to one day compete in
professional fights. The training has been therapeutic, teaching me
resilience, focus, and how to overcome life’s submissions and takedowns.
I believe my story isn’t unique. Many people have faced similar
struggles—losing jobs, dreams, or loved ones. But I’ve seen too many
people accept defeat, believing they have no choice but to settle.
Through my journey, I want to share that we all have the power to fight
back, even when life feels unfair. We’re all fighting in some
way—whether it’s for space, recognition, or the courage to be seen and
heard.
Today, I share my fight story with the world through my video trailer,
“From Rat to Warrior,” which you can watch here:
https://coachjoechan.com/myfightstory
My eBook, documenting this
journey, is also available at
https://coachjoechan.com/product/from-rat-to-warrior
I invite you to connect with me, follow my journey, and find your own fight within.
Visit my website at www.coachjoechan.com.
Let’s fight on together!