Say “Yes” this time.
The first day I walked into Burn Boot Camp, I was exhausted and smelled like crusty breast milk. I was a new mom all over again. I was carrying extra baby weight and was reminded of it every time the fold of my butt cheeks would stick to the top of my legs. I was conflicted with emotion. My children gave me so much joy, yet I felt so disconnected from myself. My body quickly became a vessel for feeding, and all the hobbies and interests that once made me “me,” started to gather dust.
When I was asked to go to Burn Boot Camp, I avoided the question with the first excuse that popped up.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’d love to, but I can’t. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
None of that was true. I wasn’t sorry, I didn’t love the idea, and I had zero plans except re-applying nipple cream for the 300th time that day.
I was intimidated. I was nervous I couldn’t do it. I was self-conscious and insecure. And most of all, I was still desperate for change.
Eventually, I caved, and the rest is history.
Myth: “I need to get in shape first.”
I hear this often. I have run into many men and women who want to feel and see the change within themselves but become paralyzed by expectations before the journey even begins. There is no such thing as needing to be fit before you begin – at least not at Burn Boot Camp. Beginning is where fit happens! This is like saying you must eat dinner before visiting your favorite restaurant. Or, overcoming trauma before visiting a therapist. Committing to this notion only positions you further away from your goals, and places unnecessary pressure on yourself to do most of the work alone. You don’t have to do any of this alone.
These mental barriers and societal pressures hinder our potential because they feed our deepest doubts and fears. The gateway to your health and happiness becomes clouded and seemingly impossible. The perceived judgment by others and anticipated embarrassment hold us back. We think, “If I could just lose a few more pounds” or “If I was just a little bit more fit,” maybe my fit-ness would help me fit in. But, if we stripped away the perceived judgments of others and removed our fears of failure, we would probably show up. Instead, we let stories determine our destiny. We cling to headlines that both protect and limit us. At the cost of our health and happiness, we subconsciously work to satisfy strangers who may, or may not, have judgments about us in the first place.
What if we trusted instead? What if we trusted that we were exactly where we needed to be to begin? That, we didn’t need to lose a few pounds first, or didn’t need to prove our endurance before beginning. We just showed up. What if we trusted that the environment would support us, the Trainers would take care of us, and that our bodies could do more than we’re giving them credit for?
What if we cheered for ourselves instead of assuming failure?
I know what it’s like to be nervous. I experienced my own first day and went through a rollercoaster of emotions. Excitement. Intimidation. Desire. Uneasiness. Exhilaration. Completion. Pride. I questioned if I was good enough, fast enough, skinny enough, fit enough – and everything in between. The room was full of every body type, shape and size. Exercises were modified to align with the capabilities of each person, including myself. I wasn’t the fastest, most coordinated, or strongest. But I didn’t need to be to become better. I just needed to start.
I also know what it’s like to surrender. The only way to the other side of that anxiety was to go through it. And when I did, I realized that everything I conjured up to work against me could either take me down or build me up. I chose the latter. By surrendering, we let go of the doubts and fears we carry and re-purpose that energy in the work that makes us better. When we commit to ourselves first, the barriers seem to disappear. We find a way to overcome. We take our colicky children with us. We shift our schedule. We prioritize our day.
It wasn’t easy for me to adopt this mentality. My terminally ill mother-in-law, Amy, was living with us and I was her primary caretaker. Leaving left me at ease, but staying left me resentful. I knew that for me to show up differently and maximize my own impact in my home, I needed to advocate for myself.
Each morning, I would prepare her oatmeal, turn on her favorite TV channel, and review the laminated “911” three-step emergency process I taped to her wall just in case her oxygen machine lost power. She never complained, and as a result of me leaving to better myself, I never did either.
Because I started, I began to inch my way closer to the best version of myself. I felt stronger, healthier, and happier. My relationships around me became more meaningful. I started to eat to fuel my body instead of punishing it. I felt energized towards life, and a love for myself that I had not felt in years.
When was the last time you dodged an invitation to feel better? Maybe it wasn’t the right time, and you truly weren’t ready. Or maybe, you were too nervous - just like me.
What if this time was different? What if you said, “YES” and could look back six months from now with so much pride. Surrender for yourself. Lean into the struggle. Show up on the hard days. Celebrate your wins. Ask for help when you need it.
And that’s my entire mission. To nudge you just a little bit more to begin. Because when you begin, your opportunity for life-changing results becomes my purpose. 🩵
