Oh, but darling, ‘What if you fly?’” –Erin Hanson
You could say my life changed on a bet. It happened on a Tuesday, but the night before I was up for more or less the entire night. I found myself lying wide awake, a million thoughts racing through my mind.
We’ve all been there. We worry about our husbands, wives, kids, parents, finances, work, and the new hair color that now, at 3am, seems like a colossal mistake. In my situation, I was thinking about how I was a 35 year-old mother with 2 amazing kids, an incredible husband, and pursuing a new career path. But at the same time there was an element from my life which wasn’t there and it bothered me. A lot. Mainly because I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was missing, feeling guilty for wanting, needing something more. And for those of us who thrive on control and self- awareness, this feeling can be maddening.
The following morning I headed to the gym as I always did, and was ready to take the class I always take but then noticed a class on the schedule I hadn’t seen before.
Choreo.
That sounds fun, I thought. I needed a change and the name alone was enough to start. As I headed up the stairs to the class I ran into a close friend of mine. When I told her where I was headed, she started laughing and said “All of (Sarah) Addeo’s classes are crazy hard. I bet you’re going to feel it the next day.”
Her words alone confirmed that I had made the right decision to try this class.
As I entered the room I was instantly overwhelmed by the energy of the crowd so much so that the vibe of the room was practically audible. There must have been 40 people in the class. They all seemed to know each other which gave me the perfect opportunity to hide in the back right-hand corner of the room. No one would see me there. I was clueless, but comfortable.
The feeling was short-lived. Moments before class started a stranger approached me and demonstrated how to set up my weights. She smiled and wished me luck. About a minute into the class I understood what she meant and so did Sarah. She stopped dead in her tracks from full-blown instructor mode to introduce herself to the “new girl” How did she know I was here? So much for anonymity. It only took me one class to realize that wasn’t really the point of her classes.
The following Tuesday, I was still feeling it. I felt muscles I never even knew I had. But I went back again, and then again. And I found my reason for returning to class transformed from a physical goal to a mental one. The energy of the group and the mood of the class allowed me to develop a cathartic relationship between my body and my mind; a give and take between physical and emotional energy. And it became less and less about being in shape and more about embracing a very human and authentic side to myself that only comes with time, honesty and a bit of courage to trust.
Fast forward 2 years. And we have AddeoFit.
This is the element that was missing from my life. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I’m telling you this because it’s the truth and it’s important to hear if you are searching for an experience that will challenge you and push comfort zones. AddeoFit is a place of refuge as well as a place to test your limits, physically, mentally and at times emotionally. This place doesn’t just welcome you on a good day when the sun is shining and your shoes are sparkly new and still smell like cardboard and rubber. But also, it embraces you on days when you walk through the doors holding back tears because you got some tough news. I’ve experienced both of these days at the studio and I am in constant awe of how this tribe of people work together to inspire one another to become their best self.
Two years ago, I won a bet with a friend. But more importantly, I bet on myself that day and life hasn’t been the same since.
When was the last time you bet on yourself?
