“Will You Accept The Challenge?”

What if we went through life never doubting ourselves?

I turned 31 five days ago on May 22nd 😊 At the oldest I have ever been in my life, I feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life. (Or maybe I am just at a wiser time in my life where I am actually doing internal reflections to know how I really feel lol.) I feel more free mentally and spiritually. Not caring as much what others think of me or how others may view me if I speak openly about God. I say as much because life is a journey and we are always faced with challenges and lessons to be learned. Most of us don’t like conflict, so we don’t necessarily set out to do things that will upset people. I know that’s not my jam.

My jam is to try to get along with people. Another reason why I feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life is that I have learned and accepted that not everyone you meet in life is meant to be in your life for forever. Some people are only meant to be a part of your life for a season. Sometimes for a specific reason, sometimes no real reason at all. Or no reason that we can put our finger on. I also feel the best I’ve ever felt in my life because I am open to accepting mental and intellectual challenges. I know that there is almost always knowledge to be gained in just about every encounter. Sometimes it’s a moment to learn something new, or sometimes it’s a moment for us to be reminded of something that we’re already well acquainted with but we stashed in the back of our minds for whatever reason.

For whatever reason, I have been riding on a high wave lately. And I feel extremely blessed. I feel extremely loved. I feel extremely present. Sometimes the things and ideas I have blow my own mind. I can be sitting on the couch watching Netflix and get an idea for a blog post or an idea for a social media post. Or even an idea for a whole fitness program that would be offered for FREE for an entire MONTH. I never taken any classes to become a personal trainer or a nutritionist, and I do not put myself out there as if I had. But I do know that I am an expert in my own body. I am an expert in making myself feel good.

I made myself feel good by sharing some insight into the way that I have been working out for the past 10 months. If you read my first Crushing Fitness post back in October last year, you’ll know that I started out with at-home workouts. I then transitioned to getting a gym membership at Crunch and taking spin classes faithfully. While doing this I was also changing the way I ate and what I consumed. It trickled into me creating my own workout routine and regimen. I began to write workouts in my Notes in my phone Sunday evenings for the upcoming week. Fitness is a journey. I am an ambitious person, but also know I have limits.

I have limits so I started with 3 morning workouts a week. I kept track of those workouts, the dates, the times, how long they took, and how I felt during and after them. It became a habit. It became a part of my routine. And the best part of it was it was FUN!

It was fun to try search my reprotoire of workouts and movements I’ve had stored in my head from my days with CrossFit, from my times browsing workouts on YouTube, from scrolling through various fitness pages on Instagram. It was fun to put the movements and weights together in some form of rep scheme to create 3 very different workouts that challenged me, challenged my body, and most importantly challenged my mind. I knew the goal was to still burn fat and build lean muscle, so I had to accept that heavier weights weren’t necessary to achieve these goals. What was necessary was consistency and a positive mindset.

A positive mindset that I then chose to share with anyone who was interested. So for the month of May I decided to launch a free fitness program. And you know once you announce something publicly on social media, it becomes law and you can’t back out of it lol. Put it on social media so I know that it’s real! Haha. And I had this idea, but not yet the details and logistics of it. I knew that my time is already heavily occupied so I didn’t want to commit to a virtual workout session with the group at a specified time. My wheels began to turn and I came up with this:

• This will be a free, 4-week program open to all fitness levels.
• It will be inclusive of everyone so very little equipment will be needed and weights can always be added for those who need more of a challenge.
• I will create 3 different workouts that will target the lower body, core, and upper body.
• The workouts will be done on whatever day(s) you choose and at your own pace.
• There will be a 4th day programmed for the week as a lengthy cardio or active recovery day.
• I will have the workouts written and released the Saturday before the upcoming week.
• I will pre-record demo videos of me doing a round of the workout, including options for alternatives for those with physical limitations or with no equipment.
• I will keep it positive and fun and not make the participants feel as if they’re obligated to do the workouts once they signed up.

I didn’t make anyone feel obligated to complete the workouts. I wanted to share 12 workouts that I created with anyone who wanted to see them. I only required that they subscribed to my YouTube channel (go subscribe if you haven’t already!) and followed me on Instagram if they had one. But then as people were messaging me to sign up, I just ended up requiring them to fill out the registration form. I WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAD TO OFFER!!

What I had to offer was something that isn’t necessarily on my resume. It was something I did on my own as a hobby. As a way to achieve my health and wellness goals. But 35 people signed up saying they wanted to be included in what I had to offer! 35 people signed up to support me and to allow me to share what I had to offer. 35 people signed up for my free fitness program, and I am oh so grateful for them!!

I am oh so grateful for the courage to do this for them! I am writing this post not to just share the outcome of my May Fitness Program. But I am writing this post to encourage everyone who is reading this that even when you don’t think people will be interested in what you have to offer, if it brings you joy and a sense of fulfillment, DO IT. OFFER IT. SERVE IT. Don’t doubt yourself. Some people may say “oh 35 people isn’t that much, I know someone who has 300 people doing their fitness program.” But to me, someone who rolls out of bed at 6am and gets her sweat on with workouts she created herself and is proud of herself after, has no degree or education in the subject, doesn’t make a living off of fitness, is still new to this influencer thing, 35 people is more than I expected! Even if it was just 1 person, that means I did what I was set out to do – inspire, motivate, and encourage others. I had an idea and I ran with it.

I ran with it and it grew. It came to fruition. Hesitation can lead to letting a good idea pass you by. And if it’s a bad idea, at least you know you tried. What do they say, “in the end, what we regret most are the chances we never took.” Be patient with yourself, but push yourself. You got this!

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” — Hebrews 10:23-25, NIV.

Moni Jay, Off the Record