Surround yourself

Surround yourself with people who inspire you

This blog is a highlight of the importance of support networks and who you are surrounded by. I don’t know about you but as a child my mum was under the impression that my friends were a reflection of me and would judge my public character by this. I was always under the impression that she was not right and I would make my own path, and I did. Saying this, now I have truly settled into life and as I have grown up I do truly see the value in the people around me. This spans from friends to acquaintances which I interact with on a daily basis, I have a deep appreciation for everyone around me and what they (unknowingly) provide! 

Due to working in the fitness industry online and in person I meet a lot of like minded people who inspire me week in and week out. You’ll often hear the phrase ‘Discipline over motivation’ or some form of this online, this is without a doubt true and something I will stick by. Saying this, it sure is alot more fun when you're not alone. My training is largely independent, especially when I am on prep for a show but I can look around me and see plenty of people all there with me. More recently my friends have inspired/forced;) me into running as a form of training where I can be less focused on numbers and really enjoy the social aspect. Training and the gym floor has absolutely changed my life, sure my health and physique have improved but my partner, my best friends, my training buddies and my whole support network has come from here. 

Reading this it's easy to think well your whole life is the gym and I won’t have this same experience. A fact about me is that I have not always loved training and for a large portion of my teens and early adulthood I was pursuing a career in Fine art, having graduated university with a fine art and art history degree I thought this was my path. I do believe I could’ve found happiness here but never really felt like I belonged in this world. You need to curate your life to align with what you value, for me this was training and having time back, I hated commuting and corporate life. Before I transitioned into working in the fitness industry I would train late at night when I got home from my commute after a 10 hour working day. I really do sympathize with people starting to go to the gym and training when they do not have people around them pursuing these same passions, it can be very lonely and can make you feel as though you are spending time doing something no one else sees value in. The best solution is to look up, train with your headphones in for sure but make friends, notice the people around you! Enjoy your time there and find people who are also on their own path to connect with, I promise you that you will find value.