Several people ask me how I got to where I am today in my career. This is an account of my journey to where I'm at now.
Where it started...
As a shock to my parents and family, instead of taking the theater and music route, I chose the athletic route in high school. There would be no school plays for me anymore, no singing on stage, and definitely no playing any instrument. The idea of standing in front of so many people with all eyes on me scared the daylights out of me, more than anything. Instead, my four years in highschool consisted of swim meets, swim practices, and working part time at a physical therapy clinic after school.
Tragically, when I was fifteen years old, my only living grandfather passed away due to heart and other health complications. After a couple of surgeries including an insertion of a pacemaker, and amputating both of his legs from the knee down due to his diabetes, obesity, and poor circulation, he still seemed to be able to bring the party wherever he went. His constant smiles and giggles were always something I longed to see and hear when I was a little girl. During his Irish burial ceremony, as we listened to the music coming from the bagpipes, I remember thinking to myself, "I want to be a hope to somebody who was in the situation that Grandpa was in. I want to help people get their lives back and actually start living, and not to let weight or other health issues be as big of a problem anymore. I want to help them before they start to really go downhill". And I haven't looked back since.
Since my grandfather's death and those trying years in high school, I finally found my way to college where I decided to major in Physical Therapy at UTC in Chattanooga. The first year of college was hard, especially because I was living alone far away from everybody else. And since I was 17, I had struggled with body image issues on and off due to depression and being the only child left in the house. However, even though I had left the house for college and found new friends and a new start, my issues with my weight never fully went away. I wasn't exercising and conditioning as much as I was in highschool due to swimming, and finding time around classes and homework to work out was beginning to dwindle. But God showed me a silver lining when, at the end of freshman year, a girl named Mary who I barely knew through mutual friends, asked me what my living options were for sophomore year and if I wanted a roommate. I figured sure, why not? What I thought would start out and stay as a casual acquaintance (Mary was from Memphis and wore pearls; I had just dyed my hair red and got my nose pierced), turned into a deep, challenging, scary, and yet awesome best friendship in the world.
Throughout the four years that Mary and I lived together, I grew up a lot emotionally, mentally, and spritually. Growing up, I learned from middle school and highschool girls that to be liked and accepted, you had to be a size 4 or smaller. But I was around a size 6, and I was only 15. My mom always told me, "You got my hips girl, and you're still beautiful, just the way God made you". But taking those hips to school made me feel so out of place and heavy. Nowadays, I would say, "Rock that size 6!", but unfortunately time travel has yet to be accomplished.
So when I moved in with Mary, I figured she wouldn't like me because of how different we were and how she's so much thinner than I was. That she'll see right through me and spot all of my insecurities and hold them against me.
I couldn't have been more WRONG.
We had many disagreements, arguments, and discussions that turned into me flipping out. And every time we talked and got down to the root of it all, my answer was "I'm just afraid you won't like me or love me anymore because I'm too fat and too emotional and too sensitive". Whenever Mary heard this (which was always quite often), she would look me in the eyes, shake her head, and tell me "Oh Abby, I think you're beautiful, and I love you no matter what you look like, do, or say". And not once did she ever laugh at me, make jokes, or get sick of reminding me that her friendship was real.
As time went on, I began to become more confident in myself. My friendship with Mary and our other friends, Natalie, Beky, and Leanne, and about 5 other girls in our circle were blooming. I started to realize how awesome these young women were and that they were going through hard, challenging, and ridiculous stuff just as much as I was. Natalie and I grew to be dearest friends and invested in each other's lives and families. I realized that these women were becoming and always would be my family. Beky and I walked through several ups and downs together that many people would run away from. And Leanne was always my reality check friend...giving me insight whenever I did or didn't ask for it, and I am always thankful for that. I was becoming more spiritually aware and started to really rely on Christ for my direction in life, school and ministry.
Somewhere during junior year I switched from Physical Therapy to Athletic Training. That idea soon fizzled and I decided to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and start to look at exercise as a form of preventative healthcare. This brought me to majoring in Exercise Science. In a short period of time, my classmates and I grew very fond of each other and stay in touch to this day. I formed professional relationships and mentorships with my professors, and started learning more about the physiology and benefits of exercise in daily life. I also learned how to do kettlebells and became quite passionate about the workouts and benefits.
In my fifth and final year of college (yeah, I took a victory lap), I did an internship at the UTC rec center on campus as a Fitness Intern. Boy did I learn a lot of what to do and what not to do in a gym. This was also where I started to teach my very first group class, Kettlebells. Before I graduated, I felt myself still needing to learn more and not feeling very confident in my knowledge of wellness. So I applied for another internship at a women's weight loss retreat and spa called Green Mountain at Fox Run in Ludlow, Vermont for the summer of 2010. This internship is what God used to save my career and myself from a toxic environment and relationship.
When my internship ended, I decided to move back to Chattanooga because I thought I would easily find a great job in health and fitness and I thought I would still have a boyfriend. As downtrodden as I was when I realized I would have neither of those things by the time I got back (and I am so thankful now to not be in either of those situations), I stuck it out for about 4 months working part time at a flower shop and part time back at the UTC rec center working as a desk attendant.
Around November, my older sister Bethany suggested that since the only thing that was keeping me in Chattanooga was my lease, that I should move up to St. Louis, where she was living with her husband and two boys. I prayed and pondered the idea, and finally got on board. January 1st I moved to St. Louis in search of some kind of fitness job, only to yet again get stuck in a "Nobody in the fitness industry is hiring!" rut. I ended up finding a part time personal training job at this wonderful and amazing locally owned Personal Training studio, and thoroughly enjoyed my short-lived time there. I learned many things from my sweet boss and hard-working clients.
Where I am today...
Every day I come to work, I find myself being so thankful for all that Christ has blessed me with. Not only do I get to spread the good word about eating healthy and being active, but He also finds ways and situations for me to talk about Him as well to believers and non-believers.
My goal these days is to just listen to what people have to say, and to show them that there is a silver lining, they just got to do a little sweating to see it!
Jesus knew what He was doing when He moved me to Atlanta, found me a job, a place to live, a wonderful church, great and blossoming friendships, and a place to help others in more ways than one. And as scary as it is that my life is constantly changing and in motion, I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in the coming years.
Tragically, when I was fifteen years old, my only living grandfather passed away due to heart and other health complications. After a couple of surgeries including an insertion of a pacemaker, and amputating both of his legs from the knee down due to his diabetes, obesity, and poor circulation, he still seemed to be able to bring the party wherever he went. His constant smiles and giggles were always something I longed to see and hear when I was a little girl. During his Irish burial ceremony, as we listened to the music coming from the bagpipes, I remember thinking to myself, "I want to be a hope to somebody who was in the situation that Grandpa was in. I want to help people get their lives back and actually start living, and not to let weight or other health issues be as big of a problem anymore. I want to help them before they start to really go downhill". And I haven't looked back since.
Since my grandfather's death and those trying years in high school, I finally found my way to college where I decided to major in Physical Therapy at UTC in Chattanooga. The first year of college was hard, especially because I was living alone far away from everybody else. And since I was 17, I had struggled with body image issues on and off due to depression and being the only child left in the house. However, even though I had left the house for college and found new friends and a new start, my issues with my weight never fully went away. I wasn't exercising and conditioning as much as I was in highschool due to swimming, and finding time around classes and homework to work out was beginning to dwindle. But God showed me a silver lining when, at the end of freshman year, a girl named Mary who I barely knew through mutual friends, asked me what my living options were for sophomore year and if I wanted a roommate. I figured sure, why not? What I thought would start out and stay as a casual acquaintance (Mary was from Memphis and wore pearls; I had just dyed my hair red and got my nose pierced), turned into a deep, challenging, scary, and yet awesome best friendship in the world.
Throughout the four years that Mary and I lived together, I grew up a lot emotionally, mentally, and spritually. Growing up, I learned from middle school and highschool girls that to be liked and accepted, you had to be a size 4 or smaller. But I was around a size 6, and I was only 15. My mom always told me, "You got my hips girl, and you're still beautiful, just the way God made you". But taking those hips to school made me feel so out of place and heavy. Nowadays, I would say, "Rock that size 6!", but unfortunately time travel has yet to be accomplished.
So when I moved in with Mary, I figured she wouldn't like me because of how different we were and how she's so much thinner than I was. That she'll see right through me and spot all of my insecurities and hold them against me.
I couldn't have been more WRONG.
We had many disagreements, arguments, and discussions that turned into me flipping out. And every time we talked and got down to the root of it all, my answer was "I'm just afraid you won't like me or love me anymore because I'm too fat and too emotional and too sensitive". Whenever Mary heard this (which was always quite often), she would look me in the eyes, shake her head, and tell me "Oh Abby, I think you're beautiful, and I love you no matter what you look like, do, or say". And not once did she ever laugh at me, make jokes, or get sick of reminding me that her friendship was real.
As time went on, I began to become more confident in myself. My friendship with Mary and our other friends, Natalie, Beky, and Leanne, and about 5 other girls in our circle were blooming. I started to realize how awesome these young women were and that they were going through hard, challenging, and ridiculous stuff just as much as I was. Natalie and I grew to be dearest friends and invested in each other's lives and families. I realized that these women were becoming and always would be my family. Beky and I walked through several ups and downs together that many people would run away from. And Leanne was always my reality check friend...giving me insight whenever I did or didn't ask for it, and I am always thankful for that. I was becoming more spiritually aware and started to really rely on Christ for my direction in life, school and ministry.
Somewhere during junior year I switched from Physical Therapy to Athletic Training. That idea soon fizzled and I decided to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and start to look at exercise as a form of preventative healthcare. This brought me to majoring in Exercise Science. In a short period of time, my classmates and I grew very fond of each other and stay in touch to this day. I formed professional relationships and mentorships with my professors, and started learning more about the physiology and benefits of exercise in daily life. I also learned how to do kettlebells and became quite passionate about the workouts and benefits.
In my fifth and final year of college (yeah, I took a victory lap), I did an internship at the UTC rec center on campus as a Fitness Intern. Boy did I learn a lot of what to do and what not to do in a gym. This was also where I started to teach my very first group class, Kettlebells. Before I graduated, I felt myself still needing to learn more and not feeling very confident in my knowledge of wellness. So I applied for another internship at a women's weight loss retreat and spa called Green Mountain at Fox Run in Ludlow, Vermont for the summer of 2010. This internship is what God used to save my career and myself from a toxic environment and relationship.
Living in the Appalachian Mountains and helping women regain their lives again by taking walks, hikes, swimming, and doing basic strength training was probably one of the most rewarding feelings I've ever experienced. I also studied for about 8 weeks in hopes of taking, passing, and becoming an ACSM Health Fitness Specialist by the end of my internship. God was good, and blessed me with that certification. Being in a one-stop light town with not many people to hang out with forced me to look to my coworker Mallory and my boss Jen for friendship and adventures, and I eagerly did so. My times in Vermont were challenging, hard, rewarding, and AWESOME because of these two wonderful women that God gave me. They both taught me how to own my personality and implement it into my career, and I am forever grateful for their help and support in me and my talents.
When my internship ended, I decided to move back to Chattanooga because I thought I would easily find a great job in health and fitness and I thought I would still have a boyfriend. As downtrodden as I was when I realized I would have neither of those things by the time I got back (and I am so thankful now to not be in either of those situations), I stuck it out for about 4 months working part time at a flower shop and part time back at the UTC rec center working as a desk attendant.
Around November, my older sister Bethany suggested that since the only thing that was keeping me in Chattanooga was my lease, that I should move up to St. Louis, where she was living with her husband and two boys. I prayed and pondered the idea, and finally got on board. January 1st I moved to St. Louis in search of some kind of fitness job, only to yet again get stuck in a "Nobody in the fitness industry is hiring!" rut. I ended up finding a part time personal training job at this wonderful and amazing locally owned Personal Training studio, and thoroughly enjoyed my short-lived time there. I learned many things from my sweet boss and hard-working clients.
However, I was still unable to find work and I was sleeping on my sister's couch hoping to save some money for my own place. But as my mother so sweetly pointed out, I needed another part time job soon, or I may be moving home for a while. That definitely put a burr in my saddle and I ended up searching for and applying for various Fitness Specialist jobs in several different cities that I knew I had been to and where I knew I had friends. Atlanta was one of them, Atlanta was who responded, and Atlanta was where God opened a door for me.
As crazy as it was to think that I had to move all the way up to St. Louis just to see that God wanted me in Atlanta, it still made sense, and here I am today working at the Center for Disease Control as a Fitness Specialist. And how convenient is it that, out of all of my friends, Mary is the one that lives in Atlanta? She and I now live in the same neighborhood (Mary lives with her husband Jacob, and I live with two very sweet roommates in a cozy old house) and see each other daily. Not too shabby.
Where I am today...
Every day I come to work, I find myself being so thankful for all that Christ has blessed me with. Not only do I get to spread the good word about eating healthy and being active, but He also finds ways and situations for me to talk about Him as well to believers and non-believers.
My goal these days is to just listen to what people have to say, and to show them that there is a silver lining, they just got to do a little sweating to see it!
Jesus knew what He was doing when He moved me to Atlanta, found me a job, a place to live, a wonderful church, great and blossoming friendships, and a place to help others in more ways than one. And as scary as it is that my life is constantly changing and in motion, I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in the coming years.
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