"Burn out." This is the main reason why Filipino-American online content creator Alex Wassabi will be taking a break from YouTube, his platform for 15 years.
"This channel was created on January 25, 2006 -- that's almost 15 years ago. I spent my entire adult life showing you everything. No privacy. You guys know me, in and out -- that's crazy. In all that time, I have not taken a break longer than a week, at the most," he started, then continuing that because of non-stop work he came to the point that he felt "less creative."
The 30-year-old said he doesn't have the same "urge" to create as he used to.
"So, I want to take a break to just be myself, just figure out who I am, figure out what I want to do with this channel, or if I even want to be a YouTube creator anymore," he declared.
"The main reason I'm taking this break is because I just don't feel like myself anymore. I don't even know who I am. At the beginning there was Alex Burris (his real name), and then there was Alex Wassabi. And slowly Alex Wassabi took over my life and all I knew was Alex Wassabi so I don't even know who Alex Burris is anymore," he explained to his 11 million followers.
He shared that for the longest time if he didn't have a camera in his hand, he also didn't feel like he was "living."
"I used to love going on adventures, traveling, no camera, no work just doing whatever I wanted to do, and just making my friends laugh and make memories. But I've grown so used to documenting everything that if I'm not documenting it, I forgot how to enjoy it. I just feel like it's not even worth doing without filming it, which is, again, not a healthy way of thinking," he said.
Alex admitted that he had forgotten how to just "enjoy the little things."
"I'm taking this break to figure out who I am, figure out what I want to do this channel, who I want to be in the future, and just find the passion for life again," he reiterated. "I just want to live again when 2020 was a crazy year. We all deserve a break!"
When he will come back, he is not sure.
"I don't know how long it's going to be, most likely, I'm going to be back in February. I'm going to take a month off and see how I'm feeling and if I feel okay with coming back I will," he said, noting that he doesn't want to come back unless he's "excited" about it again.
"I want to take this break to focus on myself and reignite my passion for spreading positivity, making the world a better place, creating content that I feel good about. I want to do things, I care about -- that's what I want. I want to post videos that I want to watch over and over and over again," he pointed out.
At the latter part of the clip, he signed off with his well-loved slogan, relating that it “might be the last time” he ever says it.
“Until next time, do me a favor and don’t forget to remember: if you’re not smiling, you’re doing it wrong.”