Well Now Fitness

How did I get here?

​I simply took the first step and just kept putting one foot in front of the other, even when the path was difficult, and even when I did not know where it was leading, or how I was going to get there.

As far back as I can remember I loved movement. As a child, I was often climbing trees, jumping rope, strolling beaches, climbing rocks, swimming, swinging, skipping, hopping, sliding, skating, and bicycling. I simply loved having fun. ​High school introduced me to organized sports and there I discovered a love for soccer which improved my self-confidence and gave me a sense of belonging. I was not the best athlete, but that did not matter. I was simply doing my best, having fun, and enjoying every moment. Good lessons for life! But lessons that I too easily lost along way.

​Into adulthood, I continued to crave opportunities for sport and recreational activity. I participated in a variety of things like aerobics, golfing, resistance training, snow shoeing, hiking, and softball, and even karate. I was willing to try different activities, but I did not always meet with success. I was quite hard on myself. I began comparing myself to others who were more proficient and I constantly wished I could be better.​ I was beginning to lose my way, and my joy. The activities that once gave me pure joy began to become a burden as I never felt good enough and I constantly judged myself as unworthy.

But I kept pursuing the performance just the same. I was surprised to find my greatest success in martial arts with Shotokan Karate and earned a black belt degree after sixteen years of consistent training. I was persistent in pursuing skills and constantly aimed to improve, or prove myself. I dedicated myself to this discipline and became an instructor (Sensei). Despite this achievement I continued to struggle with comparison, constantly striving for more and never feeling as if I were enough. So, I tried harder. Persistance paid off because I slowly moved up the ranks and began training for my second black belt degree. I grew a lot in that process and began to develop greater confidence and was seeing progress. But the comparisons continued. It seemed the more I learned the more I realized how much I didn't know. And then it was during this season that I also began to become more acutely aware of spiritual teachings that were out of alignment with my personal belief system. This was particularily distressing as I did not want to lose myself to a practice that did not reaffirm my faith. I began to realize that I had surrendered much of my spirit to a process that could not lead me to freedom but to more bondage and comparison. I knew that I would discontinue this form of training. Ultimately, Karate was not going to be able to lead me to where I really wanted to go. It lacked the power to transform my life. I was at a crossroads and knew I would have to find a new path for my personal growth and spiritual development to become the person I longed to be.

This was a dilemma. I still loved physical training and activity. God placed that in my body, of that I am sure. ​​So I began to participate in fitness regimes at home to remain physically fit. But now I felt compelled to approach fitness from a faith-based holistic viewpoint that addressed the needs of my whole person, body, mind, soul, and spirit. I could no longer embrace fitness without integrating it with my faith and that transformed my whole life. I found a freedom that I didn't think possible. I no longer felt unworhty and incompetnet. My confidence grew as I became more intune to who God created me to be. My identity became rooted in Him and He taught me that nothing is wasted and that He would use my years of martial arts training for something especially good. So I kept staying consistent with my personal fitness program and a desire was growing in my heart to pursue a certification program as a personal trainer. It took several years before the timing was right to indeed act upon that dream. But nothing is ever wasted. Everything I went through in the waiting was preparing me for the next step.

Then in 2020 after retiring from teaching, and through some pretty amazing circumstances. the timing was perfect and I completed three certification programs to become a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and a facilitator for the Revelation Wellness porgram. The passion to pursue this path was birthed in me by the fact that I saw how so many women, who like me. were disatisfied with the path they were walking in search of wellness, acceptance, confidence and worth. I am compelled to share my story because I want other women to find freedom from the constant chase of peace and satisfaction in places that leave them feeling disallusioned.

I have learned that life is not about perfection or performance, but progress and purpose. Wellness is not the absence of illness, nor is it measured by appearance, achievement, accolades, accomplishments, acceptance, or approval. It is simply living your best now to become the person God created you to be. It is a simple journey, but not always an easy one. Yet, it is worth making and I have learned that it is more enjoyable when you make it with others. I could have never reached personal milestones of wellness if it were not for good friends, mentors and family members who supported me along the way. For that I am forever grateful, and it has motivated me to encourage others on their journey as well. If you need a travelling companion, I am here every step along the way.

Well Now Fitness exists to serve you by delivering programs that educate, inspire, and guide you in assessing your personal wellness, setting new goals, embracing new challenges, and establishing healthy sustainable habits; so that you will be empowered to live with purpose, energy, focus, strength, joy, and freedom without losing yourself in the process.