But recently my client Ashley, who is a very hard working enthusiastic person herself, asked me "How do YOU motivate yourself, if no one is there to tell YOU to keep going?" I gave here a very honest and quick answer. "Well, I am pretty competitive, I design my workouts before I do them with a trainer mindset and preform them with as little changes as possible" I also told her "I try to hire my own trainer at least once a year to make sure I am still pushing myself"

After she left her session, I found myself still thinking about that question.
Then again on "my warm" up run this morning in the snow before my workout.

Then still turning the question during my workout. 

You see, just like a "warm up" in the snow. Or a speed workout with no one there to hold you accountable. Training can be a long, cold, and not always fun journey. It also gives you A LOT of time to think about things. This can be one of the toughest parts.

So as I completed 5 speed intervals alone, with my music, and my mind conversations..... and gasping for air. I thought of all the reasons I do what I do!

one quick answer I have also given to that same question before is "its my job".

But then as my mind tends to do on these long training days I get philosophical, "why is this my job?" 

But here is why and how I do it:

Its not for the haters..... but for the believers
The people that have believed in me and will believe in me because of what I am doing.

The believers and the people I wan't to believe in themselves too.

When I am lifting and don't want to finish a rep, I think to myself:
"I can't quit, I have to show those who want to change, those who want better, that they can!"
"If I can do it, I am telling the truth when I say they can too"
I truly believe that if I can do it so can they!
I believe that if I show them its not about genetics or who has the most fitness knowledge, then they too will not give up on their last rep, or push a little harder,  or go a little faster.

You might be thinking "How can I believe because I can do something others can too? 
Because I believe we create our own worlds. I believe we can do what we put our mind to. I believe we are who we think we are and our limits are what we set for ourselves.

Believe me when I say strength and smarts were not things that came easy for me. Shoot ask my own parents.

As a child I was not "the athletic one" nor was I "the brightest"
I believe I weighed over 100 lbs before 5th grade, not that I was "fat" but being active just wasn't my forte.
I also had a seeing disability, where at the age of 9 my eyes had the strength of a 3 year olds. For years I just thought I was "stupid" others thought I was "lazy" but mostly no one cared. I was just there being me. I never was bullied, or really treated differently. I was going through life, pretty averagely. 

eventually I would "over come" both of these things.

By high school my eyes were better, I was of pretty normal weight, definitely not skinny, average popularity. 
I was, like a teenager would say,...Meh 

Then somewhere between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college, two people, (other than my parents who have always been in general very supportive of me being me) believed in me. Not only did they believe in me they wanted more from me. Actually, they kinda demanded more from me.

My two running coaches, Allen Banks R.I.P., and Mike Barbee. 
OH...How I love and hated those two men.

I learned to work hard for what you want.

These two taught me so many things, but for the sake of this blog not being a novel I will keep it to the two reasons I know keep training.

They expected me to not only give my best for myself but they saw me as a leader. They installed in me the idea that if I show others it can be done then they will try harder too.

You see, I went from being a slightly overweight, quiet, insecure girl to a strong, confident woman, with a passion to see everyone succeed. 

Now here is where my beliefs that being a trainer that is constantly training comes into play:

Right out of school, as many young people do, I thought that once I had that strength it would last forever. Little did I know, that just like real strength, mental strength has to be exercised too.

Shortly out of college and personal training school I found myself working in a smoothie shop with nothing to show of any of my hard work. 
I had stopped trying.
I just expected things to happen.
I was no longer doing what made me feel good. Luckily I eventually realized something had to change. I wanted to do something meaningful and it had to start with myself. I quit 2 of the 3 jobs and focused on being a trainer.  I needed to stop focusing on money and take care of myself so that I would be able to show others they could too.

So Ashley, to answer your question "I keep going, I finish my reps, and I eat healthy not only because it keeps me strong, but because it shows others they can be strong too! I need them to believe that just as much as they need to hear me say they can do it too. It is rarely easy, but I have too many people who believe in me and what I say to not believe in myself".

As years come and go it is easy to think of what we want, because the abstract is more easily changed, but the great thing about New Years tradition is we are also told to reflect. This is a great opportunity to look at what you have and appreciate it.

So whether you are the type to plan many big great new things or let the year to come fall into place that this opportunity to reflect and appreciate the things you do have and even how you may want to change them.

In a society full of consumerism and a don't miss out mentality it is easy to get swept away and believing happiness can be bought or found.

So here is my challenge to any and all, myself included:

Let 2015 be a year where happiness is made....not bought or sought after, but created by you and for you. Let this year be about you, be selfish in the most positive way. Selfish in your love for yourself, protect yourself by letting those who project negativity not phase you. Be selfish in the fact that you don't care if your joy makes those who enjoy misery uncomfortable. And be selfish in your desire to share that happiness with everyone you can.

Let the change you make this year not be something new or external. Take what you have and change any negativity into motivation. If a light goes out in your house you don't by a new house you fix the light.

Take what you have in life, body, and mind, and if it is not making you happy figure out a way to make yourself feel better about it!

You have all that you need in you! 2015 is a great year to find it!

Have a happy Happy New Year!