Last week was an interesting week- I worked my normal 40+ hour work week at my day job and taught 4 classes in 3 days (3 of those classes in 1 day). But, I was also able to get to the gym after work to take a class one day and then on another, I was able to come right home after work, which never happens. RM and I were even able to go out for a mid-week drink, which also never happens! It was a good mix of work and play, and even though it was tiring because of long days, there were were so many times when I felt really thankful for what I am able to do on a daily basis.

Blogging, teaching, sharing workouts, organizing workouts, etc., while so rewarding, can also be time consuming and hard “jobs”. It takes a lot of behind the scenes prep work and execution in order to make things go smoothly or to have content to share, and while I get to see people benefit from the work I put into making playlists, planning workouts, trying out new moves, etc., blogging doesn’t always provide me with such clear “rewards”. Often times- especially lately- I wonder if anyone is even reading, enjoying or relating to the posts that I write.

Do people even do the workouts I share? Do people relate to any of the more personal topics I share and talk about? Are the time saving, meal prepping, organization tips valuable or useful to anyone who might be reading this little blog?

I’ll be honest when I say that I probably question these things too much, which is a big reason behind why I haven’t been blogging as much over the past few months (although I am trying to make it more of a priority!)- why bother if no one is reading?

But last week, I had validation from three different people telling me that you guys actually DO read this little blog. You DO try the workouts. You DO relate to stories or situations I share. You DO appreciate the tips I share to make healthy living a little easier.

And while this may not seem like a big deal, it means the world to me to hear these things. To know that I am helping you in one way or another validates all of the time I spend on thinking of topics to write about and then actually writing them.

In the world of fitness, I also had validation that I am motivating and inspiring people, which is both amazing, but also humbling. I put so much time and energy into making myself the best instructor that I can be, to create challenging yet doable workouts, to connect with the members, to lead by example in my own workouts, etc., so to have people tell me that I inspired them to try something new or to get a workout in even when they didn’t want to or that they pushed themselves harder in class because they saw me pushing hard, is crazy, but crazy awesome.

And it just goes to show you that you never know who you might be inspiring by your daily actions. A simple smile, holding the door, offering your help, nailing a presentation, lifting heavy weights, doing burpees, cooking a nice meal, etc. All of those things can impact others around you without you even realizing it.

I want to challenge you this week to tell someone if they inspire or motivate you- whether it’s at work, at the gym, at home or somewhere else. Because, although simple, it could help make someone’s day (or week), and maybe even inspire or motivate them to share the love.

So, I want to thank all of you for your support and for letting me be a bit of inspiration or motivation – you guys are what make it all worth it.

If you want to hear more about why I teach and why I love it so much, check out this video. I’m really proud of how it came out 🙂