My earliest memory in pre-school may give you a little insight into who I am, my personal journey, & how how I built the skills to turn fear and anxiety into an adventurous and joy-filled life. When I was four years old, my teacher asked my class to line up to go outside for a fire drill. Distressed, instead of hopping in line to do as my teacher instructed, I marched up to her and demanded to know, “Where exactly are we going? How long are we going to be there? And when are we going to be back?!”
I was paralyzed with fear of the unknown.
I didn't yet have the tools to manage uncertainty. It wasn't until I started to dance - my first entry into the world of maximizing my own potential through movement - that I could connect the dots between building physical strength, emotional strength & resilience inside and outside of my workout.
I firmly believe my experience as a dancer did two important things for me: it allowed me to learn what it means to go with the flow in so many more ways than one, and it opened the door to other movement disciplines like strength training and yoga which gave me physical strength and mental fortitude to move through
life with so much more joy.
I can’t pretend I don’t have some of those innate reactions today to compulsively check and double check my work, plan for anything and everything I can, and strive to know exactly what is going on and how I should prepare to navigate it all, but learning to utilize movement to my advantage – to train my body to know it is strong and resilient – changed my life. It has made me feel at home wherever I am. This is why I move daily. This is why I find physical challenges like triathlons to train for and accomplish. This is why I made it my profession and why I love sharing it with others.
Physical movement can be more than a workout. It can unlock a whole lot more. It may show you your weaknesses, but it will give you the opportunity to make them your strengths. It can remind you of your inherent power and propel you towards a level of confidence that transcends your workout hour.
Thanks for stopping by my little Internet living room. It’s a cozy place that I really love, and I hope you feel welcome to stay awhile – it wouldn’t be the same without you.
