Making the Most of Our Time

It has been a busy but satisfying week for me. When I began thinking about starting a fitness business, I knew I had to make some sacrifices to get myself where I needed to be. I understood that, though I had a dream, I needed to move in a specialized direction. It was not enough to just think about starting a business. I needed to show a commitment to professionalism to my potential clients.

As many of you know, several years ago I completed my ISSA, (International Sports Sciences Association) training as a professional fitness trainer. As fate would have it, I did not have an opportunity to use my fitness education to help others. However, over the years, I have found it to be an invaluable resource for my own development. Even though I did not get to use my knowledge to help others, I knew the education I received from ISSA was beneficial.

Before the Covid-19 lockdown, I was thinking about this project and knew it would be summer before I could focus on my goals. Then, like everyone else, I watched as Covid-19 become a pandemic and affected the U.S. in ways no one could have imagined.

I teach high school and, suddenly, the entire school year was upended. After that, my gym was shut down and I could see the world getting a little smaller. It was at that time that I knew I needed to launch 40 Plus and Fit. With the help of Latitude 504, the website design agency that I have worked with in the past, I was able to focus on getting my website up and running. I began to make videos for my YouTube channel and, most importantly, I started the process of getting recertified by the ISSA.

Because I let my certification lapse for such a long time, I had to start the training process over from scratch. Fortunately, I saved 183 pages of notes from my first experience. A lot has changed, but that was a great source of information. It helped in my studies tremendously. I needed all the help I could get. It is a very detail-rich program.

Without any exaggeration, I can say that the final exam was as tough as any test that I have ever taken. This was not a memory test. You have to research and know the information. This is not about memorizing the definitions of 50 terms. This is about understanding the material. It was tough, but it makes me proud that I finished it. I am proud to once again be an ISSA-certified trainer.

I am excited that I can now offer my clients the most up-to-date information on fitness and nutrition. I am excited to have the opportunity to helping others with their goals. This is an exciting time and I am looking to forward to working with as many people as I can in the near future. These are stimulating times.

In addition, a very good friend offered me a deal on a quality workout set. I am forever grateful to my good friend, David, for this. I have worked on setting up a dedicated space to be my home gym. I cannot begin to express how happy that has made me. Without sounding corny or overinflated, I need to workout. I have to workout for my mind, body and soul. It is that important to me.

So, now ask yourself, what are you doing during these stressful times? Are you taking care of yourself? Have you set goals? What are you doing to be the person you want to be? Many of you may be stuck in the house. You might not feel that you have any time for yourself, but you have to take care of you.

Without your health, you cannot work, care for others or accomplish the things you want to do in life. You have to make your health a priority. It should be Job #1.

Take the time to read the Eight Habits of Mind:

Curiosity – the desire to know more about the world.
Openness – the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking about the world.
Engagement – a sense of investment and involvement in learning.
Creativity – the ability to use novel approaches for generating, investigating, and representing ideas.
Persistence – the ability to sustain interest in and attention to short- and long-term projects.
Responsibility – the ability to take ownership of one’s actions and understand the consequences of those actions for oneself and others.
Flexibility – the ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands.
Metacognition – the ability to reflect on one’s own thinking as well as on the individual and cultural processes used to structure knowledge.

From Cultivating the Habits of Mind

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Focus on one skill a day, until you understand how to open your mind. Plan, implement, and push toward success. You should do it for you. You should do it for your own state of happiness.

JBS