Sharon Crook

We are all changing all the time, sometimes the change comes fast and sometimes gradually. While life has been full of lessons for me, I've experienced the most significant personal changes over the last 10 years or so. Two of the most important foundations of my change came from honesty and willingness. Regularly practicing those two things inside my own little head helped me be less afraid, stop comparing myself to others, reduce negative self-talk and love myself wholly. I became more and more willing to be vulnerable and courageous, to make mistakes and learn from them, to try new things and suck at them. I had some help along the way with friends that had experience with this and offered me suggestions and affirmations. Now I like to help pay that forward to others.

I don't know that I can pinpoint a single turning point. I've had a few pretty big ones that each served a specific purpose in the direction of my life. One constant battle that I fought ever since I can remember (as early as middle school) was fear. I didn't usually come across as fearful or timid, but inside the depths of my hampster wheel mind, I was afraid of everything: failure, dissapointing others, not being good enough, being laughed at, not meeting expectations, not being accepted, and on and on. As I grew in to adulthood, I passed up opportunities because I was crippled by fear. I had no boundaries at my jobs because I wanted to please my bosses and take on any and all the work they'd put in front of me. I was miserable inside. When I learned to be honest about this and then willing to start taking some actions to change what made me miserable, my life changed. Don't get me wrong, fear did not dissapear. I still loosen up boundaries when I shouldn't or question myself when I agree to try something new. But I do it way less and I usually recognize it and squash it before it's too late. I want others to live a freer, happier life whether it's from finding a community that supports their fitness no matter where they are starting or learning how to take care of the self through nutrition and well-being practices.

My absolute most favorite aspect of coaching is when I see a person realize what they are capable of and get excited about it. It doesn't matter if it's picking up 50 pounds for the first time or doing meal prep for the first time. It's so exciting to see someone light up!