CHANGE—It's a Good Thing!

Many of you know that I'm about halfway through a pretty intense 6-month personal trainer and nutrition consultant certification program. It's all a part of my life-career change. Although, I've never really liked change, I've always handled it usually with a laid-back attitude. Change is going to happen, so you might as well get on board. I guess it comes from growing up as a PK (preacher's kid). My dad is a retired Methodist minister. When I was growing up, we moved about every 4-5 years. New church, new home, new school, new friends—Change. As a little kid I looked at it as an adventure, but as I got older, the change became harder to deal with. Stronger friendships ended or changed. Starting at a new high school is very different from starting a new elementary school. As the peer-pressures of the teenage years set in, the change was harder to deal with. But as with each move, I acclimated and ended up with experiences and life-long friendships that would never have occurred staying in one place.

My career change from the world of publishing into the world of fitness brings back memories of that change I experienced as a child. But, oh how exhilarating this change has been. While I loved my work in the field of educational publishing, I really haven't looked back or longed for that previous life. Oh yes, the security of that 9-5 job and the security of that bi-weekly paycheck is greatly missed, but now I'm focused on this new journey.

My fellow students in the certification program I'm currently immersed in are such an inspiration. They're living proof that change at any age can be a wonderful thing. Sharon (about 50), a mom of a teenage son and taking care of her elderly mom, is one of the fittest and most inspirational people I've met. What a role model she's going to be for us older wannabe fitness buffs. Bill is 52 and the survivor of a multitude of health problems including a liver transplant. He worked me over in a killer core routine the other day. Go Bill! Then there's Steve, 56 (like me) was laid off from a long career. Knowing Steve has proven to me that aging doesn't mean you have to be a stagnant couch potato. He's one of the most active people I know regardless of his age. Then there's Jen who is 40. Jen's a mom of two young children, but man can she give a killer workout! Johnathan who is 18 was my third assigned workout partner. This cool youngun taught me a lot about technique and really proved to me how focused, dedicated, and genuine the younger end of the population can be.

Change—It's going to come. Sometimes it comes when you least expect it like my job layoff. Other times you have to initiate the change—deciding to run a marathon, begin a fitness program, lose 50lbs. In either case you have a choice. You can embrace it and welcome it or you can resist it. Embracing change may be hard at first, but it's a lot better in the long-run than rebuking it. If it's a health- or fitness-related change, embracing it can make your goal so much easier to achieve.

Negativity can be very draining. It's amazing how just a simple attitude change can lighten the load. The first few weeks after being laid off, I was depressed both physically and mentally. Once I decided to embark on this new life-change and embraced it wholeheartedly, that depression lifted. I became energized.

Am I scared? Hell yeah! But, you know there's nothing wrong with being scared. I know I'm going to make mistakes, but being proactive about my own future is very empowering. I'm not sure where life is going to take me with my new career, but I have a hunch it's going to be an exciting life-long adventure.

Are you ready for change? Are you ready to start that fitness or running program you've been thinking about for years? Are you ready to drop those 25, 50, 100lbs? Are you ready to try that yoga class? Are you ready for a healthier lifestyle? Make the decision, embrace it, tell your family and friends about your goals and that you'll need their support. Then jump in with both feet. No looking back!