I felt the urge to write this blog this morning. I am not sure exactly why; maybe it is because I have had a lot discussions lately with friends, other coaches and other athlete friends.
If you have followed me awhile, you know that I am not a life long athlete. I struggled for a long time with my weight, and even longer with my self confidence (still something I continue to work on.). I found fitness almost by accident and realized how much it helped me out of dark places. It helped me find physical and mental health, it gave me a feeling of accomplishment, it eased my anxiety, it relieved stress. Over the years it has truly given me a sense of community.
I will be 40 years old in August (or really I should say ... 25 again! haha!). I am an simply an age group triathlete. I love being active every day, spending time outdoors and continue to set lofy athletic goals for myself. But - -I am just that. an Age Grouper. I am not a professional athlete. I never have been. I don't make money from racing, I pay to race. I don't have sponsors who use me in their advertising (although if Nike wants to give me a call, I won't turn them down). I am certified by USA Triathlon, IRONMAN and McMillan Running - but I will always continue to learn and apply new science and methods of training. So Why Coach? What do I have to offer that the millons of other coaches out there don't ? There are so many coaches that are top performers - winning Kona spots in IRONMAN etc... so I can't help but have that feeling that because I haven't done that, that I am just a fraud. Imposter.
However, I make myself stop. I think to myself. "Mandy, what would you say to someone else if this wasn't you?" I would say to them... "You don't have to physically be the BEST at something to know the methods and training to get there. There are many factors that lead to performances including things out of our control like genetics." ALSO ... "There are so many other factors that make up coaching like People Skills that I KNOW I have down." ... So I sit on that. I hear it, I feel it. And it is then that I realize I am doing exactly what I was meant to be doing.
I have been doing somes sort of soul searching for 20 years when it comes to career. I knew when I was 23 that I really wanted to work in fitness, but I couldn't make it work financially. Then again when I was 30 - I tried again, and that way didn't work financially either. I was devesated when that happened, but it was the right decision at that time in our lives. Yet, throughout all the ups and downs and changes... fitness has always been the thing I fall back on. Always. I never get tired of coaching others, sharing my passion for fitness and learning all the ins and outs of the human body and perforamance. I go to an hour group workout and it's common for me to be gone 4 hours because of all the chatter that goes on around it. (My husband no longer even texts me to find out when I'll actually be home, haha.).
It is for these reasons that I am a Coach. It is for these reasons that I am meant to be a Coach. It is for these reasons that I will continue be coaching and training as long as I can.
I will end this blog post with this .... if your heart guides you to do something: LISTEN. Sometimes, it may not be the perfect time for that journey, but really listen. Dabble in it. Give it thought and if it doesn't work out the first time, don't throw it in the trash. If you had asked me when I closed the doors on BodyLife 360 if I would be coaching athletes now to do IRONMAN races, I would have laughed at you .. but why? I am doing exactly what I was meant to do, and I am so excited to continue to build my coaching business and see where it takes all of us.
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