My MOM... & Best Friend.

Happy Mother's day to all of you beautiful ladies who have the MOST important job in the entire world. I respect you all more than I could ever say in words. You live each day FOR your children. You're amazing examples of the most selfless people I know, and I admire that SO much.

 

In honor of Mother's Day... I wanted to take a minute to boast about my Mother.

We all think our Mother's are the best... BUT mine truly is! They say your Mother is your 1st friend, and the best friend you will ever have. I'm thankful to agree wholeheartedly.

 

My mom is the most GIVING person I've ever met in my entire life. She GAVE up her job at an advertising agency to do daycare from home so she could be present for my childhood. She GAVE up most of her daycare income to buy crafts, go on excursions with us, take us on field trips, and help us throw neighborhood carnivals.She GAVE up goals of a career to homeschool me. She GIVES up her days off work to help friends with everything from cleaning, yardwork, watching their kids, anything that they need. She GIVES up all her "me" time. She stops for almost all hitchhikers to GIVE them rides {this one can be scary}. She GIVES up things she needs to make sure she can buy someone else something they want {not need}. She GIVES back to her church. She once even GAVE someone our car... for free... to keep... because they needed one more than we did. She will literally GIVE you the shirt off her back, and then some.

 

My mom is the most HARDWORKING person I've ever met {besides my Dad}. She always has a million things going on. I used to make fun of her for this, and now I'm the exact same way. I admire that she likes to put 100% of her effort into everything she does. She has always done whatever it takes to make ends meet. Last summer she came over to help with yardwork at our new home, and she outworked me by a long shot. I had to BEG her to go home because I was exhausted, and she was still running on full battery. I've watched her work more hours in a pay period than most work in a month. She's a work horse. A few years ago she decided to go to nursing school after not having more than a high school education, at the age of 50. Most people wouldn't even fathom doing that, especially not while working full time like she did. She worked HARDER than anyone I've ever seen work. She studied HARDER than anyone I've ever seen. She failed, and did not give up, but worked HARDER. They had a house fire during her nursing program, but that did not stop her. She failed again, and still did not give up, just worked HARDER. I got the honor of pinning her at her graduation ceremony as she crossed that stage as an RN, one of the coolest moments I've ever experienced. I got to be with her on the phone as she read her results of her NCLEX that showed that precious word: PASSED, as we both screamed and cried tears of joy. I guarantee no one has ever worked HARDER for the RN after their name.

 

My mom is the most COMPASSIONATE person I've ever met. She loves everyone she meets like they are her family. I'll never forget a day I was with her downtown Anoka, and we passed this young girl sitting on the steps of a building. My mom approached her {originally because she had a dog... and she cannot pass an animal without stopping to pet them}. This girl turned out to be homeless, and was sitting on the steps of a shelter who had just kicked her out for reaching her max allotment of days. My mom was seconds away from forcing this young lady to come home with us. She had already found another place to stay, but the point is, my mom didn't hesitate to invite this stranger into our home. She's always bringing her co-workers treats on her day off. If someone has a problem she can't fix or help with, she will find someone that can. She makes everyone else's problems her own, because she doesn't like to see anyone in a bind. She was always a listening ear to my friends growing up {OH the drama!}, and still loves my friends & old daycare girls like they are her daughters. If there is someone in need, my mom will be there to help. Even when her plate is overflowing, she makes time for others.

 

I cannot thank you enough, Mom, for all of the things you have done for myself and others, and continue to do each and every day. Thank you for teaching me to have such good work ethic, to have a big heart, to enjoy life, to love the Lord, and what NOT to do while driving :) You're truly the most amazing woman I will ever meet. I don't know HOW you do it all.
I Love you more than words can say.

 

 

 

Why Fitness Coaching?

I grew up very active. I tried every sport {my poor parents}. Volleyball, basketball (EPIC FAIL), softball, cross country skiing, and then eventually stuck to dance. My dad went to the gym consistently as I was growing up, and I'd often go with him and he would stress the importance of lifting weights, spot me, and teach me everything he knew. Being a typical teenager, I didn't listen, but I enjoyed the dates with my dad. I loved to rollerblade, bike, and do anything outside. Although I was active, I had a HORRIBLE diet. I ate anything quick, easy, from a box, and drank about 6 Mt. Dew's a day... yes S I X.

 

Then college came... and I honestly cannot recall working out more than a handful of times my entire college career {other than dance parties with my roomates on late nights}. I was never overweight, but certainly did not have much muscle... if any. 

 

Around the same time I became a RN, I decided that if I was teaching people to be healthy at work, I had to take my own advice too. I could not give my patients orders, that I myself wasn't following. One night around this time I was working out at a local gym and this 80 year old woman followed me on the row machine, and SHE INCREASED THE WEIGHT! Yes, that's right, an 80 year old was not only lifting more than me, but she also busted out more reps than I did. I was horrified {and extremely impressed}! From that day on I did everything I could to learn about changing my diet, and getting stronger.

 

My husband was playing for the Chicago Cubs at the time, and had ENDLESS knowledge about fitness and nutrition. I watched him fuel his body with food, not satisfy cravings {which I did for my entire life}. I slowly made small changes towards a healthier lifestyle. I tried SO hard to listen to his advice in the gym, but that was a horrible idea. I'm not sure what it is, but I think I'm just far too competitive to let him see me in an area which I hadn't perfected yet.

 

After eating clean, lifting, and working out consistently, I became addicted to how amazing I felt. I was soda free for longer than I've ever been in my life, and now I got killer stomach aches when I ate like crap {when before my stomach could handle just about ANY amount of sugar I put into it}.

 

I've worked LONG and HARD to get that RN, BSN after my name. I have 2 nursing jobs that I love, and I truly enjoy going to work for. So why on earth would I pursue fitness coaching if I already have 2 jobs that I enjoy? Because... I was already doing coaching without even knowing it. I was making my friends meal plans, gym routines, sharing recipes all the time, texting some of them daily to keep them on track. Soon this expaned from friends and family to co-workers. I didn't even think twice about it because I loved fitness SO much I could talk about it all day!

 

There is NOTHING more rewarding than someone sending you a message thanking you so much for saving them from a dark time, helping them get out of a rut they were stuck in for years, inspiring them to do things they never thought they could do, or hearing weight loss stories and seeing unbelievable before and after pictures.

 

Nursing has very difficult hours to have a family life around. Days, nights, on-call, holidays, weekends, etc. I want more than anything to be a mother and have a family someday, and I know that this would be a difficult schedule to work around, and the LAST thing I want is to miss any part of my future children's precious childhood years.

 

Not only does fitness coaching allow me to help & serve others, just as nursing does, but I can BE MYSELF without any rules, regulations, orders, etc. I can "work" from home in my pajamas all day. I can push people to believe in themselves not only in regards to fitness, but in life as well. I can turn dreamers into believers. I can talk about failures, successes, my OPINIONS, my BELIEFS, keep myself accountable, and create a life of FREEDOM being my OWN BOSS. I can build that life that would allow me to be PRESENT for my future children.

 

what. a. blessing.