i finally watched the bear, and it said a lot more than i thought it would.

Four seasons already, with season five coming next year.
I’ve known about this show for a long time.
Friends kept telling me that I have to watch it.
But I never actually sat down to do it.

Life in Malaysia was always packed, especially as a business owner.
I just didn’t have the space to watch a full series properly.
But after transitioning into ‘employee mode’ here in Perth, my weekends are different. And I intentionally wanted to slow the pace down a little while I can.
So I told myself last week, let’s finally watch The Bear.

Didn’t expect anything. Just wanted to chill.
And somehow I ended up binge-watching all four seasons in one week lol.
First time I ever did that.

Maybe because the show reminded me of the last 10–15 years of my life.
Or maybe because every character felt like someone I’ve worked with, or someone I’ve been.

Some parts were draggy, sure.
But what makes this show so good is how grounded the characters are.
They feel real to me. They’re not perfect, a little rough around the edges.
And that’s what makes them so relatable.
It’s easy to form a connection with these characters because they feel so realistic, and that connection makes them easy to root for.
The writing in this show makes the character development so satisfying to watch because you see every little step of their growth and how they got to be where they are now.

Watching the kitchen slowly become a home made me think about my own journey in Malaysia.

Blankslate wasn’t just a company.
It was ‘family’ to me, especially as an only child.
People who grew up with me since the early formation of the business.
People who are basically running the place now that I’ve moved.
As much as I don’t like telling the team “we’re a family”, deep inside I actually treat them as one.

Moving to Perth showed me how rare that kind of bond is.
Some days I miss it more than I want to admit.

The Bear keeps showing how a kitchen only works when people feel safe.
Not from making mistakes, but safe from being judged for them.
That reminded me of what I always tried to build.

A space where people could say “sorry I messed up” without being afraid.
Where juniors could speak freely because they may have better suggestions.
Where no one felt small just because someone else had a higher authority.

Thinking back now, this was probably the thing I still stand by.
I wanted a place where hierarchy didn’t overwrite anyone.
Just a bunch of people working together, collaboratively with trust.

Carmy tried. I tried too.

At the start, I tried carrying everything I could.
Every possible responsibilities that I can do, I’ll do it just because I can.
Partly because I cared.
Partly because I didn’t know how to let go.

But the best seasons of my life were the ones where I didn’t do everything.
Where I trusted people.
Where someone else carried the weight with me.

Even now, in a new country, starting over…
I’m slowly learning this again.

Richie’s transformation hit hard.
There’s something about seeing a grown man break down…
and then slowly rebuild himself.

For the longest time, I acted like I had everything under control.
Like I could solve anything.
Even when I didn’t know what to do yet.

But being honest with people;
being open, made the burden feel lighter.

Although it didn’t always fix the problem,
but it kept me from feeling alone in it.

The show made this so clear.
Everyone is figuring things out while life keeps moving.
And honestly… same for me.

I used to think purpose was a straight line:
work hard → become good → career success → find meaning.

But mine looks more like:
a few pivots,
a few pauses,
one big move across the world,
a new season,
another beginning.

And somewhere in between all of that, things started making sense.

For a loud and chaotic show…
the scenes I remember most (or reflected the most) are the quiet ones.

A silent car ride.
Two people cooking without words.
Someone sitting alone thinking.

It reminded me of my own small moments:

driving home after-work,
having meals with my team,
idling in the car for 15 minutes before going inside the house,
coming home to my wife with home cooked meal,
those tiny pauses that helped me stay calm.

These moments ended up meaning more to me than any big achievements.

Every character in the show reaches a point where they ask:
“Who do I want to become?”

And I’ve been asking myself the same thing lately.

A husband.
A father.
A son.
A friend.
A builder.
A creator.
A mentor.

I don’t think I have the full picture yet.
But I don’t think I’m meant to pick just one.
I think my life will be a mix of different roles.
And that’s okay.
That’s my choice.

Marcus had Luca. I’ve had a few people too.
Not all ‘official’ mentors, but some were just friends or acquaintances.

KH taught me how to run a real business, not a hobby business.
Ben taught me resilience during tough times and taking risks.
Simone taught me excellence and long-term thinking in knowing what I want.
And so many others, even people I only spoke to once or twice.
Because of them, I’ve also become that person for others.

At some point we should realise, our knowledge and skills are meant to be shared because it was never ours to keep.
All our hard work and time spent are sacrifices. Not just for ourselves, but for others as well.
Eventually when we leave this world someday, we can’t bring our knowledge with us anyway.
So might as well just start helping others while we can.

And the more I look for mentorship for myself (still do),
the more I feel like helping others too.
I’ve mentored a few creatives and business owners on how to run their business and build a good team culture.
If you ever want support, just DM me on Instagram.

That’s what the show left me with.
I don’t usually write post-show reflections… but this one felt right.
It reminded me that all of us are still growing, still failing, still rebuilding, still trying again,
until one day we become someone we’re proud of…
or at least someone we’re at peace with.

That’s all for now.
See ya in the next one!

- bryanlyt.