When I was 24 we bought a small gym in a small town that was on the brink of going out of business. Josh had a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and had always wanted his own business so we took the jump. The first month this “breaking even business” lost us almost $4,000. I quit my job as a kitchen designer and took on the gym full time.
I had no previous experience or training in business and had never been to a gym before buying this one. To say I felt I was in over my head is an understatement. On top of this, the year leading up to this huge decision was rather challenging for me and I was going into this already feeling rather raw and beaten down from life.
But, as often happens, my challenge became a great gift to me. I threw myself into this crazy big thing and started to learn about the world of fitness. My first certification was yoga, but I have since certified as a Personal Trainer, a Senior Fitness Trainer, I have certified in 6 different Les Mills certifications and more. I can confidently teach everything from Pump, to Combat to Cycling and many things in between. I have worked with a significantly diverse group of clients and continue to learn so much from them. We sold our original gym in 2013 and bought a building in Saratoga Springs where we ran a Group Fitness studio for a couple years and are now focusing solely on Personal Training.
Jumping into the fitness scene as I did, I think it has given me a unique window into the “why” of fitness but also many of the “why-not’s.” Training clients can be very interesting because most people come to you because of something they do not like about themselves. Something they want you to change. Something they want you to fix.
After working with so many people I have learned that most women do not like the way they look. It’s pretty true across the board. It doesn’t seem to matter what body type they have... I have learned that the way people feel about themselves has very little to do with with how their body actually looks.
The big lie that is typically perpetuated through the fitness industry as a whole is that your value as a woman is determined by your pant size or your number on the scale.
Now in our heads, we know this is simply not true. We have all been taught who we are and whose we are right? Walk Tall You’re a Daughter of God. Be Still and know I am God. I have imprinted you on the Palms of my Hands. These things are real. These things are true. So why do we always feel the pull towards the need to fit into such a limited and shallow little box?
The truth is Satan has been at war with women from the beginning with Mother Eve. The truth is that Satan is terrified of strong women. Strong women who know who they are, who are not ashamed of their strength, who can fully embrace her own unique beauty. These are women who can and do change the world.
One of my favorite quotes is by Marianne Williamson:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of GOD
Your playing small does not serve the World
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
Won’t feel insecure around you
We are all meant to shine, as children do
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others
permission to do the same
As we are liberated from our own fear
Our presence automatically liberates others”
How many of us can look at our own reflection and can easily think kind things about ourselves? Or, how many of us zone into our perceived flaws? Now I say “perceived” because I don’t believe any of us are truly honest with ourselves. I mean, if we are gonna lie to ourselves, why don’t we at least tell ourselves kind lies? Why do we literally train our brain to take the negative line on all things about ourselves? What message does that send to our subconscious (which is uber powerful)? What message does that send to our husband? What message does that send to our children? How many times have you said something negative about your body in front of your kids? What message does that send to our God who created us?
I read a book about a man and his near death experience. When he came back he soon found himself in the middle of World War II patching up the poor men taken off the battlefield. Whenever he lost someone, he found himself jealous. He so desperately wanted to go home. To be with his Savior. One day, he met a man in recovery that he continually found himself drawn to and he couldn’t figure out why. He also noticed that this man had the same affect on nearly everyone else too. He liked the way he felt around this man and even said he looked familiar to him, although he couldn’t pin-point why. And then one day, he realized. This man reminded him of his Savior in he love he felt from him and even the light shining from his eyes. He then realized he did not need to return to heaven to see his Savior again. That he could find him in the eyes of those who had truly accepted Him, who had allowed their Savior to become a part of themselves. And he realized he wanted to become one of those people.
Have you received His image in your countenance?
Does the light of Christ shine in your eyes?
Will He know you when He comes again because you will be like Him?
When He sees you, will the Father know His child?
What is a better definition of beauty than that?
What is the difference between Self-Esteem and Self-Worth?
Have you ever noticed how obsessed we are with contests? With winning? With comparisons?
That is Self-Esteem. That is how the world determines your “value.” What can you do for it? It is a flawed system. You have to “esteem” yourself and see how you measure up to others. The problem with this is there will always be people above and below you on this scale. You will never measure up. You will never be enough. You will always be chasing a shadow. Pursuing things that will never fill you.
So what is Self-Worth? The exact opposite. Self-worth is understanding and acknowledging your value as a child of God. Sheri Dew said, “None of us come to this earth to gain our worth; we brought it with us.” You were born with it and you will leave this world with it and there is nothing you can do that can change it. You can be the biggest bone head in the world and it will not change your value the slightest bit. Your choices will have a lot to do with the joy you feel in this life and in the next, but you cannot change your VALUE. It is who you are. It is intrinsic. Have you ever heard the quote, God doesn’t want anything FROM you, He just wants YOU. He wants us to honor ourselves to stay true to our Divine Nature enough to feel the joy in who we are and to allow us to return home to Him.
President Uchdorf recently gave a talk geared towards teens where he asked if we honestly believed God cared about how many likes we had on our Facebook page? Well, do you honestly believe God cares about what number you see on your scale? Do you really think he sees your crows feet and gray hairs as ugly or undesirable?
Here is another favorite quote of mine:
I love getting older
My understanding deepens
I can see what connects
I can weave stories of experience and apply them
I can integrate the lessons
Things simply become more and more fascinating
Beauty reveals itself in thousands of forms within me
Now do not mistake me by thinking I am advocating a lifetime of mistreatment of our bodies simply because we don’t care about what size pants we are wearing anymore.
Earlier I said I have noticed that a woman’s opinion of herself seemed to have little to do with what her body looked like but rather, the way she took care of and honored herself.
I am a firm believer that ALL women should strength train with weights. There are so many cardio options and I will always be a big advocate for yoga. As you build up your body you will be amazed at how much you are empowered in ALL other aspects of your life. It is amazing how a well balanced, challenging exercise program gives you the daily reminder that you are stronger than you think you are. You can succeed in hard things. You are a work in progress, and that’s ok. You do have the power to live your life how you choose. Daily exercise is one of the BEST ways to beat back that victim mind-set and unlock the power within you so YOU can see it, feel it and use it as you lift up others around you. As you strengthen your body you will strengthen your spirit. They are eternally connected. The body and the spirit are the soul of man and it is essential to protect and care for both. It is easy to take for granted the incredible gift our bodies are. I mean, can you remember NOT having one? Making our physical health a priority is how we show our gratitude to our Father in Heaven for that gift.
It’s not about weight. It’s not about looking like the photo-shopped pictures we are constantly bombarded with. It’s not about having the the whitest teeth, the smoothest skin, or the perkiest boobs. If you are diligent in taking care of your body, YOUR perfect body will reveal itself. But here’s the catch: It will always be changing. Evolving. Embrace that. Celebrate the story your body tells. The journey you take with your body should not be about perfection. It’s about freedom. It’s about independence. It’s about valuing individual worth and divine nature. It’s about embracing our eternal future. It’s about being a light to our families, our friends and our communities. It’s about living with purpose, on purpose.
You are beautiful. Understand your self-worth and do not be ashamed of it. Life is not a competition to look the same. Use your knowledge of yourself it to lift up others. Empower them. Inspire them. It will come to you naturally because you are women. The errand of angels is given to women. We find joy in the service of others. Accept your value as a daughter of God. Embrace your true beauty. Discover all that you are and will become. And go change your world.
