Fitness and Friendship

For over a year now, I’ve had the privilege of teaching at our local YMCA. While it’s not my full-time job—clocking in at just about nine hours a week—it’s without question the place where I feel most alive, inspired, and fulfilled.

There’s something incredibly powerful about the energy in a group fitness setting. Sure, it’s about movement and exercise, but it’s also about so much more. It's about the impact—not just the one I get to make on others, but the one they make on me. It's about the friendships that form, the shared goals, and the mutual support that happens when a group of people decide to show up for themselves and each other.

Every class, I see people striving to be better, pushing through challenges, and cheering on their neighbors. It’s not just about sweating; it’s about sweating on purpose, together. That sense of community, of accountability, and of collective encouragement is what sets this time apart from anything else in my week.

Recently, I’ve gone through a rough patch in my personal life. There were days I walked into that gym feeling like I wasn’t at my best, questioning whether I was showing up the way I wanted to for my clients. But something shifts the moment I step into that fitness room or wrap up a personal training session. The simple fact that each person showed up—despite whatever struggles they may be facing in their own lives—reminds me that they’re counting on me. Counting on me to guide them through a session that leaves them feeling stronger, lighter, better than when they arrived. And sometimes, I can’t even tell if they’re wiping away sweat or tears… but the beauty is, they keep coming back. Class after class. Week after week.

That consistency, that trust, means everything to me. What my clients may not realize is how much they give back to me. Their dedication, their energy, their smiles, and their growth fill my heart in ways I can’t quite put into words. They’ve not only committed to their own journeys, but they’ve also become my friends—each one of them a reminder of why I love what I do.

Fitness brought us together, but friendship keeps us going. And that, to me, is the real strength we’re building.