I don't believe that I've ever written a thank you to the community regarding the help you guys have provided me over the years and I'm going to change that.

Like many here, when I first found TRP it was over a woman. I was trying to find answers to the question of "Why". Why did she leave? Why am I not good enough? Why did this happen? Why now? Why? Why? Why?

It was one of the hardest things that I had ever dealt with because it involved my new born son. I had just overcome my fear of becoming a father and starting a family (single mom/deadbeat dad) and now it was all crumbling around me like a deck of cards in a hurricane.

For those of you who have never gone through a divorce, I'll briefly touch on the experience. When I went through it, I had stocks, a savings account of 36K (would've had more but bad business venture with the wife), a good job and various assets. Afterwards, I was 17k in debt, I had moved in with family and my possessions were almost able to fit under my bed in a suitcase.

EVERYONE thinks it's YOUR fault and nobody can really understand or truly helps. I once was told that it was "...like getting raped in a police station" and it's the most accurate description to date that I've heard.

I was depressed and turned to drinking. I felt like I had lost my best friend, lover, spouse, and life all in one shot. What's worse is that it was all the from the same person.

If it wasn't for my son, I wouldn't be here today. Seeing him, gave me the resolve to push past it for no one's sake but him.

One day, I stumbled onto "The Rational Male" and that sparked my journey into the TRP forums. I started to read like a wild man and at first I thought that most of this shit was crazy. Some made sense. You work out and look better and women will find you more attractive, but other parts were really hard to swallow "AF/BB, AWALT, dread etc." despite the fact that some of these concepts I have lived it was a different world and I struggled (sometimes I still do) with it.

I did what everyone should do. I quit drinking so heavily and started to lift. I bought some clothes and started to come up with an action plan to get myself out of debt and I started to cold approach. None of this shit was easy but it was right.

Guys, I'm not a bad looking guy, but when you start to actually internalize self improvement...it's night and day. I was getting IOIs, looks and compliments from everybody. I even noticed my ex checking me out a few times and I kid you not, I was getting the vibe that she was getting buyer's remorse as she would 'play nice' when I came by to see my son. This both turned me on and repulsed me.

If it wasn't for you guys, again, I would've entertained the notion of going back to her 'make it work'.

Not for her sake but for the sake of my son. I grew up in a family with no dad and with a step father and having someone there is better, but then I remembered what life was like and decided that the best thing I can do is be a strong example for my son and continue on this path I'm set to instead of being a shell of a man that's reduced to nothing more than an ATM existing while she would end up leaving or cheating.

I said fuck it. If she wants to be over and walked away then I'm going to start dating and banging other women. This is where I struggled with the TRP reality. Seeing how women scorn past lovers, husbands, or even current boyfriends...seeing how women hamster reasons for sex, gas light arguments, light switch relationships...it's a surreal experience.

Two instances that stand out .

One where I had just got a BJ from this woman and her ex husband called. He was negotiating trying to make it work for the kid they had and she was cold as ice. She said she'd think about it. Called him a pussy when she hung up and then proceeded to laugh at him.

The other time was when I had gone over to this woman's house. She bragged about how she's the best at sucking cock. Her kid came downstairs while we were watching TV and fooling around and ruined the mood. She then proceeded to get drunk and want me to ass fuck her. I didn't feel like it anymore and just left. Months later she added me on FB and I found out that she was celebrating her 10 year anniversary.

If playing by the rules gets me a divorce, or one of those bitches then fuck that...

Since I felt that I had nothing to lose, I'm going to do the exact opposite of BP romantic movies and comedies. Just ignore every piece of advice I was ever given about romance. If I did everything right and they still dumped me or cheated on me, what's the worst that can happen if I decide to be selfish and self serving about my needs.

I found that the worst I treated a woman the more she wanted me. It didn't matter if she was a CEO or a barista. It didn't matter if she was a 7 or a 9. When I didn't care and treated a woman like she was just a glorified fleshlight, she would blow up my phone with pictures and raunchy messages of things she would do with me.

The MOMENT that I opened up, showed any kindness, was understanding, without fail, they would start to test other aspects of my frame and the relationship would start to falter.

To this day, I struggle with being compassionate and am called "hardhearted" and I'm not sure if I should even bother. Sure my relationships last a few months tops but aside from sex, I feel that there's nothing a woman brings to the table that I can't get a better version of somewhere else.

So, we come to the now. I have read numerous books and continue to do so. I'm looking forward to being debt free for the first time in my life, I'm pushing ever closer to my peak physical shape, I'm improving myself, my mind, my career and soon will be starting up a side business. I look good and feel good.

To those of you who have helped me on this journey, I wish to personally thank you. Those of you who are brothers, fathers, uncles to our peers, you're going amazing and I truly am grateful to you all.

Lot of people fall for the narrative of TRP being anti women and full of hate, but here's a story of how you guys saved me and made me for the better. I'm not an asshole to women but I also don't take shit from ANYONE and strive to be a strong masculine role model for my son and I do not put women on a pedestal.

And personally...I think that's an OK way to live my life.

Thanks again.