Let me begin at the top. I stumbled into my current career unintentionally. Being a personal trainer was never in my "what do you want to be when you grow up?" List. I started pursuing fitness because I was overly stressed. When I realized I needed to make a change I was 24 years old. At such a young age I was completely out of shape, couldn't fit into my clothes and it all happened suddenly. It's like I was in my body but felt like it wasn't my body. I was so unhappy with my bachelors in business, stressed at my job as an administrator and with so many changes happening in my life during that year I began suffering from anxiety. The weight room became my therapy. My dedication began producing the physical results that I wanted and before I knew it I was guiding my friends into getting fit, got my certification and fast forward, I am about to make my debut as a Fitness Diva with the WBFF.
When I decided that I wanted to be a trainer, It didn't cross my mind to compete I just had the heart to help people learn to be healthy and fit and to do it because they loved their bodies, not because they hated them.
My cousin Suehade, who is a PRO for the same federation was who inspired me and believed in me enough for me to muster the courage and take on this challenge.
The reason why I decided to compete is because after working out and after my experience in the gym for 3 years now, I wanted a new challenge. Sometimes personal trainers have this idea that they can figure it all out on their own and contrary to that I wanted to learn something new and to be guided professionally with accountability. I wanted to undergo this process for beyond physical reasons. Only people who have suffered from anxiety understand the intensity of the feeling and know that it takes a LOT of mental strength to be able to control and overcome an anxiety attack. I got into fitness not only to build my body but also to build my mind and so that's why I felt it was the right time for me to undergo the process of preparing for a competition. I understood that if I wanted to grow as a person I needed to continuously learn and to continuously be challenged and I am so satisfied with this prep because that is exactly what it has done for me!
I have been able to discover a strength in me both mentally and physically that I never thought I had within. No other process would have been able to teach me what I have learned about myself like this one.
This has been the most rigorous, yet most rewarding period of time in my life. I have not stepped on stage yet but I am content because no matter what happens I know I am stronger, and I am better than when I first began. I have learned to channel a new level of focus towards a goal regardless of my circumstance and all the havoc going on in my surrounding. My faith, passion and consistency has reached new levels and although these things are intangible, they are the greatest possessions!
