Why should you listen to me?
Well, number 1: I’ve been there. I have faced so many “life happens” moments over the last 5 years that I’m starting to think of myself as an expert in starting over. And each time I have, I have realized that I’m better off because of it.
That doesn’t mean it’s been easy. And it doesn’t mean I haven’t gone through mourning periods, or that I don’t still hear the old me pushing for being leaner, stronger, more outwardly “in shape”. I have just learned to leverage my new understanding so I can keep moving forward in a way that is more in alignment with what truly matters.
While I still may have starts and stops, I will never stop starting.
The second reason you should listen to me is that I have guided hundreds of clients, members, and viewers out of being stuck in this exact way. I coach on calls, live and recorded videos, and occasionally in-person (pre-Covid), not just in exercise form and programing (which I love), but I help people see things from new perspectives. I ask questions that might nudge a shift toward compassion, forgiveness, and freedom from all the traps this world gets us with.
The reason I started doing this was because I couldn’t stand seeing unrealistic examples of fitness. The kind where a fitness person – whose entire life revolves around how they look – holds themselves up as a standard, whether or not they realize it.
I saw so many people left confused and overwhelmed because they couldn’t do what was being shown, but they didn’t know how to make it fit their capabilities. That was in 2010.
These days, I see so many people bombarded with black and white thinking: this is right, that is wrong, you must do this, and doing that is dumb. People are left trying to do it all, jumping from one thing to the next, or wishing they could just feel contented or focused on SOMETHING!
Another thing I hear from people is they think they need a goal. Like a strength or aesthetic goal. That there’s something wrong with “floating” and going through the motions.
I hate to see people feel alone in their struggles. And I love to see people make progress.
That’s why I do this. And what better way to make a living that doing something that feeds your sense of purpose.
I also have a bunch of certifications (ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Extreme Kettlebell Instructor, and a qualified Mentor Coach), and I was a Registered Nurse (in Cardiac Surgery) for a decade.
So since 2004, I’ve worked with people in all walks of life who want or need to make significant lifestyle changes, but struggle to find the time/energy to make these tough changes. So often, it’s because the perceived journey seems so great, it feels unachievable and overwhelming. We get so focused on the destination and “getting it right”, we don’t give ourselves a chance to grow into it, one step at a time. Nor do we give ourselves permission to “fail” (which is KEY, yes KEY, to long-term success).
I don’t like talking about credentials, but they are important. I’m not just someone who’s read a blog and now has the answers. I have the education, but I have the experience both from a distance, and up close. So let’s carry on…