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What a Difference a Year Can Make…

Just over a year ago, I took an important step in my life. This step was a precursor to all the things I’m doing now professionally and it’s amazing to look back on how it all began. On March 14, 2014, I published my very first blog post entitled:

Passion Fit is Finally Born!

I was happily working for Google in digital advertising sales at the time, but really wanted to start blogging and writing about health, wellness and fitness since I’ve always been passionate about those topics. I’ve also loved writing for as long as I can remember and especially enjoyed my writing classes in college and graduate school. As you’ll read in that first post, there was a lot of history and fear involved in getting started and it actually took me a while to publish my first post. However, once I finally did, I received such wonderful support and encouragement from my friends and family that I got the courage to leave my job and Corporate America a few months later (something I had been thinking about for some time but never had the guts to do previously) and transform myself into an entrepreneur and health, wellness and fitness professional.

Fast forward one year and I’m pursuing my dream by not only blogging, but developing workout videos and other digital content, teaching fitness classes and building and marketing my own brand through Passion Fit. It’s kind of surreal to me sometimes and while it has been an amazingly fun, creative and fulfilling experience so far, it hasn’t been without it’s ups and downs.

For starters, I’ve never taken a risk quite this big in my career or in my life before and I sometimes have days and nights filled with self-doubt, fear, worry and a sense of loss of my former career self and identity. Since being an entrepreneur can sometimes feel isolating, I do miss the camaraderie of working on a team with extremely driven, bright and accomplished people, many of whom continue to be friends near and dear to my heart. I also sometimes miss the rush of presenting to clients and closing major deals, the compensation, benefits and perks of working for a big, brand named company and the fast and exciting pace of the digital media industry. In addition, I have so many future ideas, plans and phases for Passion Fit, but I worry about whether or not I’ll be able to see it all through, whether or not it will be well received by my students, social media followers, subscribers, professional network, friends and family, if I’ll be successful in the end or if I’ll fail and this will all have been for nothing. Obviously most of these feelings are ego-driven and come and go. Also, I know I’m the one who chose to take my career in a different direction and I’m extremely fortunate and grateful that I was even in a position to make this choice in the first place. However, I’m human and I do sometimes question myself and the new path I’m on.

All that said, most days I feel so happy because I have more flexibility and time for my husband, kids, extended family and girlfriends, I’m able to be very involved with my kids’ school and sports activities and can really enjoy their childhood, which is already going by way too fast. I’m also finally doing what I know in my heart I was always meant to do. I’m being creative and leveraging my passions to educate and help people and make a healthy and positive impact in this world. I’m getting a chance to meet, network and learn from some of the most talented, inspiring and innovative people in the health, wellness, fitness and dance industries and work with so many people from all over the world and of different age groups including school-aged children, young adults, middle-aged adults and senior citizens. I’m also getting an opportunity to teach in different environments including lifestyle gyms/clubs, studios, corporate fitness centers and schools. The bright smiles I see on my students’ faces when they master a strength training move they couldn’t previously do in one of my fitness classes or when they tell me they love a song or my choreography in one of my dance classes is simply heart warming. When my blog readers or video subscribers tell me my posts or workout videos have really resonated or inspired them to make a healthy change in their own lives around their fitness regimen, nutrition, stress management or career, I feel like this is all worth it.

In addition, I’m still using my previous professional skills to work with my brilliant lawyer to negotiate contracts with business development partners, learn the ropes of video production with my talented videographers, write and publish content, develop and execute digital brand advertising strategies and manage the operations and financial planning for my company, which is all very exciting.

At the end of the day, I know there will be really good times and really hard times and that all comes with the territory of starting a new venture on my own. Therefore, I write this post today, not only for my own self-reflection, but more importantly, to encourage you guys to take risks, do what you love, trust your instincts, keep pushing through and believe in yourselves, even during the toughest of times. If we don’t believe in ourselves, who else will believe in us? The strength to be patient, keep going and stay motivated is something that can only come from within ourselves, so we have to look internally and nowhere else. With hard work, positive intentions, true perseverance and faith in something bigger than ourselves, I honestly and truly believe with all my heart that anything is possible…

That’s it for today my dearest Passion Fit Crew. Believe in yourselves and know that I believe in YOU! Until next time….

XOXO

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