I'm going to be 25?!

There are always certain times in a year when individuals pay special attention to evaluating their life.  One is the New Year, and secondly… your birthday.  You bet, my birthday is this coming week and I’ve spent the last 2 weeks doing a lot of pondering. 

The big 25!  Ok, so it’s not really that big… but for me it seems big because I know how fast life as flown by since I graduated.  It all seems like a big blur.  With turning 25, the first question that comes to mind is have I gotten anywhere?  Have I made any progression?

I graduated in 2010 with a degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in Special Education.  I started working at a school with students who were physically and mentally challenged after spending the summer volunteering in inner city St. Louis, MO.  My dream after college was to be the leading change for inner city schools, but the plan didn't work out.  I moved back to Kansas and substitute taught for a year.  But after not landing a full time job for the following year with the school district I moved on to retail and was quite distraught!  For 5 years I had the dream of working with students and teaching individuals and began to question why God allowed me to do all that work and not get anywhere?  I moved on to a job in retail where I was supposed to be on the fast track to a manager’s position, but that really didn’t work out either!  I was making crappy money, but picked up teaching a couple spin classes so I could use that money to pay for gas and my gym membership.  A whole year of retail and many tears, I was offered a full time job as a personal trainer at the gym I was teaching classes at.  I was speechless, and snatched up the job.

Today, I couldn’t be more than happy with what I’m doing!  But what I want to point out is the path the brought me to this point.  The last 24 years have been all prep.  All those “fat years” of being the “fat girl”… All those years of struggling with a undiagnosed thyroid disorder…  All those education classes… the patience I had to put into practice with each student I worked with.  All those experiences have helped better me.  Not easy, but they have made me who I am today.

Yes, I make mistakes!  And no, I don’t have it all together.  I'm not the perfect trainer or have all the diet answers.  No I’m not making a fortune at my job.  But I’m enjoying what I do, and that’s important to me.  Back in college I committed to being a life long learner, and so it continues.  I continue to grow in my knowledge so I can better guide, inspire, and encourage others.  People ask me how I find the energy to get up at 4 am.  And the answer:  I love what I do and love the people I work with.  I’m able to truly see God in each individual I train.  They all have unique character and bring a smile to my face.  They all have been through some form of an experience that I’m able to learn from.  They each are wise in their own way and I know God has placed them in my life for some reason.

Moving into my 25^th year of life, the answer is YES I have made progress.  But I don’t want to stop there.  I have short and long term goals and the only thing I will let interfere with them is if God has another plan in mind.  I’m choosing to remain humble and let God lead the way.

Stay blessed FitCREW!

A