“Being in the same room with people and creating something together is a good thing.”

Does anyone else every click on those “Blank years ago” tabs on Facebook? Honestly I never really use to until just recently. It’s kinda funny looking back at it all sometimes.

I’ll admit it, I’m horrible with remembering dates. I have my birthday memorized since that ones a given. But I usually mess up the number of years I’ve been coaching when giving my intro at seminars. And don’t ask me to remember anniversaries and other peoples birthdays… I’m the worst. And thats what calendar and post it notes are for. If you’ve ever been in my office its like a scene from Memento, remember this, don’t forget that.

And this is all funny cause I can recall some things at the drop of a hat. Examples being all my athletes pr lifts, I can also tell you exactly how to structure training cycles to a science and know more teaching progressions dealing with physical culture then I care to write down. It’s not that the other stuff doesn’t matter too me, it is, they just seem to be the things that slip my mind.

So yesterday I happen to click on one of those “Blank years ago” tabs and I was surprised what I saw. It had been 4 years since I struck out from the first gym I helped build on my own to start what would eventually be NorthWest Strength and Performance. There was an article that was being reshared that day that I had written on this blog. I reread it as I hadn’t personally revisited that piece in some time. It was a good refresher for me that things were going in the right direction.

When I left that first gym I had no idea what to expect. I just knew I was going to give everything I had to the idea I had written about in that article and give something back to my community. I mean after all one of the biggest reasons I love my job is the connection you get with people.

Well something awesome happened when I made that jump, things took off. The gym grew, I started traveling all over the world teaching courses and it became so very easy to focus on work. I mean work was always my main focus but much like this blog use to be it was something I enjoyed. And no I’m not saying I lost sight of my joy of coaching. But I did become very focused on the business. The goal became the dream and the dream was never just the goal of building my gym. It was about giving something back.

So when I say things came full circle it has nothing to do with the fact that I was able to provide a new facility for the people I train. It didn’t involve being able to outfit that facility with coaches I respect and trust. Those things are great but they aren’t what I’m talking about. No it has to do with something thats very important to me and has been a constant as of late in conversations and posts of mine.

LiveForward

As much as I live my life out in the open I am still very much a private person like many of us are. Being “open” can be vulnerable and thats just uncomfortable for a lot of people. I’ve never been one to shy away from being uncomfortable. I have hard conversations, asks questions when I maybe shouldn’t and have made choices that I wish I hadn’t. Life itself by nature is uncomfortable. But so is training and that is why I identify with my job so much. The struggle to get better, healthier or just plain fitter is a journey for everyone. I love being able to give what guidance I can for folks on that journey. And thats the thing about all this. The journey is yours, it’s yours and no one else can live it for you.

But to think your alone is just the opposite of being strong.

A “lone wolf” is a term people like to toss around. Sometimes someone getting that description is thought of as strong. And yes, yes they are. But to quote the jungle book, (yeah I watched it with my niece and nephew) “The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”

A lot of times in life there are things outside of our control. This can be work, family or any other number of things that fall into what some people misleading say are “just life.”

Well I’m here to tell you that just doesn’t have to be true.

LiveForward is a project I have undertaken with a number of people I really admire. They aren’t afraid to be uncomfortable either. And they do it through their honesty. And I guess thats something I need to work on myself. Being strong isn’t being alone or internalizing all the time. It not always tackling issues on your own. It’s not turning a blind eye to something wrong. It’s being able to be unashamed that there are problem that may not be fixed with hard headedness, being stubborn or just buckling down as a workhorse to distract yourself.

No, sometimes being really strong is allowing yourself to actually lean on other people. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life building my gym and my business. I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. But when I say four years has past and things are coming full circle its because I have finally been able to find another way to give back. And even though it’s uncomfortable for myself to tackle these issues there is just to many people out there with out a support group to lean on.

These people may not be lone wolves. They may just be going through hard times with loved ones, lost them or just have their own personal issue and need support.

And thats the root of LiveForward. I have been lucky enough to find myself connected in a network of people who not only care but want to help. So to put a basic label of LiveForward its a peer support group. But if you find yourself alone or needing someone to to talk to its not that basic.

Your not alone.

We will be holding monthly support groups at our gyms in SODO. If you’ve lost a love one to suicide or a lost someone at all and find yourself weighted by it we’re here. If your feeling alone, we’re here. If you feel that you may be alone in dealing with your own personal mental health or being the support for someone else we’re here.

If this article makes you uncomfortable maybe stop and think if your like me and thought strength was the only answer. Training is an outlet, a healthy one. I tell folks all the time “Build strong habits.” These habits can come from training but don’t be to proud to be the one to see that it may not only end at a barbell or lifting a pair of bells.

Four years ago I set out to build my dream. Along the way I created a gym that I am very proud of. A community I’m proud of and friends that I am proud to stand by. Now four years after closing the door of the first gym I helped build I feel that circle closing and I am able to offer something to anyone who needs it.

There is no shame in needing help. Be Unashamed if your in need of support, your not alone, and LiveFoward will continue to offer it’s support to anyone who needs it.

I’m proud to be a LiveForward supporter. You don’t have to be alone in this, there is support, the first steps the hardest but there are people to take it with you.

Posted by: Z