Pay It Forward

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, back in elementary school, I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. Then, I went to middle school, felt awkward and thought I would make a great counselor or therapist. Then I went to high school and all I wanted to do was play water polo. Then I went to college, played water polo and majored in Kinesiology. The end. Great story huh?

Well, the common denominator between each potential career choice? Being social and reaching out to others to help them improve their life, in one form or another.

My favorite philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson (umm, shut up, don't act like you don't have a favorite philosopher) once wrote, "In the order of nature we cannot render benefits to those from whom we receive them, or only seldom. But the benefit we receive must be rendered again, line for line, deed for deed, cent for cent, to somebody."

Ok, I guess I'll get to my point. One of the ladies I work with at my wellness job went from couch potato to deadlifting 250lbs. She was overweight, un-healthy and blah. Now. she's like YAY! and strong and happy and awesome. Good story right? Well, it gets better. After she spends 9 hours at work (1 hour with me though, yay!), she goes home, makes a healthy dinner for her family, and then has a group of 5-7 people (friends and extended family) over. To feed them? Drink beer? Party? Watch Jersey Shore?! No way. She trains them. She gives them workouts, and provides basic strength training equipment for them. These people either can't afford a gym pass, have a gym pass and don't know what to do, or have never been in a gym, ever. She (my client) takes all that she has learned at the wellness center about exercise and nutrition and passes that info on to this group of people. Isn't that fantastic?

This is the e-mail my client received yesterday from one of the people she trains at her home,
"I felt so good at the wedding yesterday! I was finally able to dance and move and not be tired. Thanks for all your help. I want to keep up with all of this because it makes me forget all that I'm going through. I know this [working out] will make it all better.
I was looking at pictures from the 4th of July and compared them to pictures now and check it out! Bri does good work with you and you pass it on to me..."

Priceless. Here's the thing. I don't teach these people how to count calories and grams. I don't teach them how to stay on a 90 day DVD program. Hellll no. I teach them about quality of food. I teach them how to do a proper squat, deadlift, kettlebell swing, push up, etc without hurting themselves. They learn how to be tough, how to be strong and how to push their bodies. I teach them how to be confident and healthy. However, THEY implement these actions and attitude. I guide them toward a healthy lifestyle, but ultimately, THEY choose what to do with what they learn.

Obviously I'm way proud of this client, and all of the people she is having an impact on. It makes me feel good to know that positive, healthy information and actions are being passed on to others. Isn't that the ultimate goal anyway?

GIVE. TEACH. EMPOWER. LOVE.
All you can do is hope that your effort and love will be passed on to others for them to benefit from. What have you been able to teach? What have you been able to pay forward?