Cheri had a very interesting and complex health history, which understandably gave her much anxiety when it came to exercise. To be honest, our first meeting was right after her heart rate spiked while walking on the treadmill, scaring the bejeezus out of her and catapulting her into a personal training contract. She had had the "AH HA" moment. The moment when one seemingly small happenstance causes you to know it's time for a change. I have never in my life met a more inspiring and determined fighter. Within days of training, Cheri changed. Gone was the fear and here was the can do anything attitude I have been inspired by every hour long, Bon Jovi fueled session we have spent together (and there have been a lot of them). As a personal trainer, I would love to say that every client that passes through your studio doors is special to you. That leaves a mark. But I would be lying. Just like we all have favorite children (joking!), we have favorite clients (totally true.). These clients challenge us and allow us to challenge them. They listen to us. They grow from us. And we become better trainers for having had them in our studio. And when you tell them, go give a yoga class a try they go.... and they leave 15 minutes into it. These are the special ones because the special ones, try again. And that's how you know it has clicked. That they get it. When months later, you say we are trying yoga class again and they don't even blink an eye. They are all in.
Humans are really good at giving up. It's a major bummer. Throwing in the towel. Being afraid to put in the work or only giving enough to barely get a job done. If I could stress one thing, it would be to never give up on your health and especially not to give up on yourself. You are worth a second, third, even a fourth chance. You deserve to live your life without fear. You deserve to be like Cheri. You deserve to run. You deserve to fight. You deserve joy. You deserve to be proud of yourself. You deserve to be strong. You deserve.
There is no overnight magical change. Big change is an accumulation of many tiny changes. Cheri walked before she ran. She planked before she burpeed. Like pennies in a jar, each workout combined with the next one to increase the total value of every workout we completed over time. So, no, she did not conquer her first yoga class, but she went, she tried. And she went again. And that second class, she spent the whole hour and fifteen minutes in active practice. And I spent an hour and fifteen minutes ... well not paying too much attention to Cheri because it was a really crazy yoga class and I was trying not to fall on my face. However, when I was not focusing on my Warrior II, I did sneak a peak and mentally fist pumped the truly inspiring lady warrior-ing one mat down.
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward.
