I workout to make me a better person. I live with lupus, but I donβt let that stop me from doing what I want to do. Iβve actually been told by doctors that I canβt do certain things, but that is motivation for me to try to do it and prove that yes I can. I know a few others who have lupus, and there is no comparing who we are. I workout to combat my illness, but they let sickness take over. Sometimes they donβt understand or believe how I workout. Trust me, I have the symptoms, and I feel it. But hereβs my attitude: you can either cry about it or say Iβm not going to feel this right now, and I find ways to stretch, roll it out, and relax. Itβs hard to do what I do with lupus, but the alternative it harder and the difference is great. You can live with weight gain, swelling, water retention and many more painful symptoms ,or you can combat that with working out and proving that you can do it, no matter what someone might tell you.
I always feel better after I workout. Along with my illness, I get irritated quickly, but itβs not fair for people who donβt know what youβre living with. I become a better person when I workout, and I feel good about myself and what Iβm doing vs. allowing myself to feel bad. When I was younger, I worked out to have a good physique. Now, itβs a lifestyle. It becomes a lifestyle by choosing to incorporate it every single day.
Working out truly made me a better person, and now, I want to help others who are just starting. It took me so long to get to a certain level. I never knew what to do until La Toya reached out to get me into training. Now I see new members, and I want to help them and correct them because I was there once. I want to help them grow as my trainers helped me grow, and I truly think you can learn something from all of the trainers that guide you along the way and push you to do your best.
I embody a helping spirit. I am a natural helper, and thatβs even connected with work. I have my degree in political science and liberal arts. I started at Morton as a youth advisor then went into peer mediation and conflict resolution. I moved into the gang program for at-risk kids, and I have stayed there as a support staff. Iβve been with Morton District 201 for 23 years.
I incorporate exercise into everything I do on a daily basis and everything I talk about because it makes you a better person. For my kids who are angry, I tell them to come take a walk with me. Let it out. Do pushups, pullups, punch the bag. They think Iβm crazy sometimes, but I tell them βI promise you itβll put you in a different mood. It opens up your mindset and brings in so much positivity.β I donβt think about anything as I canβt do this. I donβt compete with anyone. I compete with myself.
Why do I work with kids? I want to be able to help them and to make a difference. Even if itβs just 1 kid, my reason for what I do is if I can give a different type of motivation or love or make a difference for 1 kid, I feel Iβve done my job. I know in 23 years, Iβve helped kids make better choices and become better people in life. Many have become close friends. I am motivated by the fact that even if Iβve made a difference in just 1 kidβs life, thatβs better than none.
I define happiness as anything that gives you more giggles and positive energy instead of any type of sadness or negativity. People always tell me that itβs too early in the morning to be so upbeat…. stopβ¦ Iβm blessed the minute I wake up, and when I wake up, Iβm happy and I want to give that off to everyone I come across. Some people think itβs annoying because itβs too much in the morning, but thatβs how I feel. Iβm grateful to live another day. Iβm truly blessed.
I literally live my life like itβs my last day because of things I went through when I was younger. But I live like itβs my last day because you just donβt know. I make sure that I live every day with no regrets.
What makes me happy is my family, my surroundings, and the fact that I put myself around people that just do that to me- that make me happy. For fun, I like to bowl, workout, and live life to the max!!
I love W3. Itβs a must no matter how many gym memberships I have. There is a sense of belonging here and a sense of family that make me really happy.