Just like the title says, I had an epiphany last weekend! For those of who you know me well, you may be a little nervous about where I’m about to go with this….you’re not the only one, I’m a little nervous too! I have moments in my life (usually a few times a day) where I definitely put Jessica Simpson to shame. Is it chicken or fish? LOL Oh the realizations I come to on a daily basis…I really am amazed sometimes about how far I’ve made it in life. Last weekend’s is actually worth writing about.
As you may know, I own a fitness studio, Feelin’ PHAT Fitness in Newbury, NH. It’s a boutique studio where we offer a variety of group fitness classes. One of my 2019 goals is to get my personal training certification, but that’s a whole other post. I guess now that I just went public with that goal, I better get studying!😳 Any tips are appreciated!
At my studio, I currently teach Zumba, Barre and PiYo. I signed up for TRX Training, which is suspension training using your body weight. One of the main reasons I signed up for TRX is that I have all of the equipment (which isn’t cheap) just sitting in my studio collecting dust, so I figured why not, I’m just gonna go for it! At least that was my attitude two months ago when I signed up.
The week of the training came along and my anxiety about it grew. I have been a Zumba Fitness instructor for nine years now. I really do have a passion for health and exercise, but in my head, I’m just a girl who loves to dance! I’ve been so lucky that I have been able to share my passion of dance with other people while staying in shape and making a few bucks. Yes mom, I dance for money…aren’t you proud!?
I guess you could say I have a slightly distorted image of myself, as I think most of us do sometimes. In my head, I’m just a girl who loves to shake it. I have a big fat butt and I love “bad carbs.” Honestly, my dream menu would be a plain bagel loaded with cream cheese for breakfast, pizza dipped in ranch dressing for lunch and a huge bowl of pasta for dinner, with some watermelon in between. I don’t feel like I fit into the fitness instructor mold. I actually don’t think I fit into any mold…I’m just dancing along to my own drum beat, or whatever that saying is. I’m just being real. 😜
I was definitely dreading the TRX Training a little bit. I thought that I was going to be with all personal instructors and just feeling out of place. The training was in Massachusetts, two and a half hours from my house. I figured I would be the out of shape, country bumpkin in the big city, just sticking out like a sore thumb. These trainings are always a little brutal because you usually have to partner up and present in front of the whole group. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited, but my nerves definitely took over the week leading up to it.
The training was last Sunday morning. I hopped in my car at 6:35am (I was supposed to leave at 6 #alwayslate) and I headed out. I pulled out of my road and turned right…luckily about a mile down the road, I stopped and realized I was supposed to turn left out of my road! Watch out Alicia Silverstone, Shannon MacMichael coming through! #clueless😜
Once I started heading in the correct direction, I cranked up the tunes and that’s when my party started! It was a gorgeous, crisp winter morning. The sun was rising over the mountains, the lake looked so calm and beautiful and I had the open road all to myself. It was tranquil. A great way to start the day!
It was the first time in a long time that I took a road trip by myself and I think I need to do it more often! I love my kids with all my heart, but it was nice to not have to worry about any one else. I cranked up the tunes and cruised. I put my phone on shuffle and belted out everything from the Counting Crows, to Bob Marley, Dr. Dre and a bunch of Zumba music!! You should hear me sing in Spanish, it’s pretty funny considering the only Spanish word I know is Hola. I’m actually quite surprised my car windows are still in tact…I feel like I sound like Whitney Houston, but in reality, it’s the sound of a dying animal.
I arrived at the training early (yes people, that was a pig that just flew by) and I actually made my first TRX friend in the parking lot. We were the two that were confused and standing on the wrong side of the building trying to enter through the locked doors. After about ten minutes of confusion, we walked around the building, found the entrance and I knew I had my partner for the day! SCORE!!!!
The training was AMAZING, as they all usually are! I got in my car at the end of the day and that’s when I had my epiphany. I did belong there! I am strong as hell and I’m right where I’m supposed to be! I wasn’t out of place at all. We are all on our own journeys and none of us fit into a mold, that’s what makes us so great! There were people there who can from all different backgrounds. They were all different genders, shapes, sizes, ages, etc.
It truly was a great day! On the ride home, I felt like I could conquer the world!!! I take for granted what my body is capable of. I have grown and given birth to two beautiful baby boys. This body exclusively fed them for over a year after they both were born. I have been able to run half marathons, ski, snowboard, waterski, I used to teach 14 Zumba classes a week, my body is strong. I am a single mom, this body doesn’t get sick days. It is strong and it carries me through the thick and the thin.
I left the TRX Training that day with so much more than being a qualified TRX instructor. I left with a whole new sense of empowerment! I was reminded of how strong I really am, both physically and mentally. I left there knowing it’s ok to not fit the mold, because none of us do, which makes us all so powerful. I left there with an open mind and a freshly lit fire in my soul, knowing that I can do anything I set my mind to. I left there realizing how important it is to take time for yourself with the music bumpin.
It really was a great day! We all have negative thoughts. You need to push them to the side and just go for it people! You’ll be glad that you did.
xoxo,
Shannon
I'm Feelin’ PHAT! 