Do you REALLY think you are CALLED to be a fitness trainer?

(watch this video by Brene Brown first)

I had a tea date with a friend yesterday afternoon.  My friend is working her way through Wellness Coaching, and I've agreed to be her guinea pig for a few months.  And quite honestly, it has been great for me.

Sometimes you don't realize how strong you are and have to be for everyone around you...until you try to tell someone else what your struggle is or what you've dealt with so far that day, or week...who isn't inside your "inner circle" and already knows.  And they become almost overwhelmed and need to take a break...mid-convo...

And after we got into the session and the initial conversation over with...she asked me bluntly, "do you REALLY think you are CALLED to be a fitness trainer?"

And I was almost taken aback. Umm, yes. It's what excites me, it's what I'm passionate about, it's who I am.  What I do.  What I'm known for.  It's in my soul.

And then she hits me with this: "you spend SO much more time investing in PEOPLE...as in, you go straight for the heart of the matter, from what I've observed.  You get to know people.  Like really know them, know them.  People have this attraction to you because of your vulnerability...and understanding.  When I hear you talk about people, it's NEVER related to their fitness ability or lately lift...it's about their struggle or frustration that you want guidance helping them with..."

She asked if that sounded accurate.  I said yes.

She said, "did you notice I didn't mention one thing about exercise or fitness in that entire statement? Has it occurred to you ever, that you use fitness as a platform...or maybe you don't even know you do...BUT that YOUR true calling might be, in fact, helping women find themselves again??!  As in, learning to value their own worth.  Seeing themselves as enough.  And realizing their struggle is OK. You have a gift of encouragement.  And a sensitivity to know what women are really dealing with before they even tell you.

I'm going to go so far as to say, "people aren't drawn to you for your fitness know-how (typically), or for your muscles, or strength...they are actually drawn to you for heart, your humility, and your courage....WHICH come only from your ability to be vulnerable..."

And THAT is not normal in today's society for women.

So she asked me point blank if I'm hiding behind my fitness as my calling? Or if I had ever really stepped back, removed fitness from the forefront of my assumptions, and REALLY spent time learning what I am on this planet for.  What my impact will be.  Or is, currently.

And it has my mind going 1000 different ways.  I don't know any of those answers.  But I also hadn't ever really stepped back and asked myself why I truly love fitness and coaching fitness, before.  

But one thing I have gotten clarity on...is it's NOT the fitness.  Otherwise I wouldn't be content coaching so many variations of fitness for people in so many ways. CrossFit. Powerlifting. Oly Lifting. Running. Beachbody. Adaptive folks...

The fitness isn't my passion. Nope.

It's the people.

...and she may be onto something.