I am honored to be this month’s 212 Member Spotlight!
I’ve been a physical therapist for 25 years, am board certified in orthopedics, and have spent most of my career helping people get stronger, move better, and recover from injuries. So, naturally, you would think I would have had my own fitness and health completely figured out, right? Well… not exactly.
2020 changed everything for me. COVID brought a lot of challenges, but that year was especially difficult. I lost my uncle and then my dad. My dad was my rock, my superhero. I am a total daddy's girl to the core and there is still a big hole in my heart without him around. At the same time, I was working hard to keep my business open and thriving while helping my family (in my spare time) with our local business, Schroder’s Deli and Catering. In the middle of trying to take care of everyone and everything else, I stopped taking care of myself. I found myself spending more and more time sitting at my desk and putting my own health at the bottom of the list.
I knew I needed to make a change, but somehow I managed to find several ways to avoid joining 212. I had watched our very own Julie Dyer rave about it on social media for years. Did I reach out to her? Nope. Instead, I tried kickboxing and other gyms. Two years later, I was still struggling to make myself a priority and realized I needed something different. I finally reached out to Julie, and she encouraged me to give 212 a try. And because Julie is Julie, she didn’t just encourage me to join — she followed up several times to make sure I actually did it!
Two and a half years later, I’m still showing up.
As a physical therapist, I’ll admit I didn’t always have the highest opinion of personal trainers. Over the years, I’ve treated plenty of patients who were injured by poorly designed workouts or trainers who didn’t understand how the body actually works. 212 completely changed that perspective for me. The knowledge of the trainers and their understanding of how strength, stability, power, and mobility all work together has far exceeded my expectations. I’m continually impressed by their ability to adapt an exercise on the fly based on what someone needs that day. In fact, I’ve stolen more than a few exercises from 212 and brought them back to my patients. 😉
What I’ve really come to appreciate, though, is that 212 is about so much more than getting stronger. It’s the people. It’s the friendships, the encouragement, the accountability, the laughs, and the feeling that you belong. I’ve learned something from so many of the members and trainers, and I genuinely look forward to seeing everyone each day.
I’m also a single mom to my amazing 8-year-old daughter, Julia, who many of you have probably seen hanging around the gym with me. Between being a mom, working, coaching, Girl Scout responsibilities, meetings, and everything else that seems to find its way onto my calendar, making time for myself can still be a challenge. But I’ve learned that making my health a priority isn’t selfish — it’s necessary. I want to be strong, healthy, and around for a very long time for that little girl who needs me. And, selfishly, I’d like to be able to keep up with her!
So I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep challenging myself, even when I’m tired, busy, or would rather be doing just about anything other than running. (For the record, running is absolutely not for me. I have made my feelings on this subject very clear to the 212 trainers.)
If you come to the 9:00am class, you’ll probably see me warming up the group because I have a hard stop and need to get out the door for a meeting. And if you see me at the gym, feel free to ask me about an ache or pain — I’m always happy to help.
I’m incredibly grateful to Julie for finally getting me through the doors, to all of the amazing trainers who continue to challenge and encourage me, and to the members who have become friends and make 212 such a special place. With the exception of the small appendix-related hiatus, I’ve been showing up week after week for the past two and a half years — and I honestly can’t imagine my life without 212 being a part of it.
Here’s to continuing to show up, getting stronger, laughing loudly, and occasionally complaining about running along the way!