Pretty much the day after New Year’s Eve, I had a lady contact me about my services. We as trainers always know that many people are keen on setting New Year’s Resolutions and that we will always have an influx of clients right around that time. For trainers, its the most wonderful time of the year, but for the prospective client it is often the straw that broke the camel’s back, the last kick at the can, and their final frontier that leads them to us.
Enter Cocktail Cara.
Cara (not her real name) and I sat down for coffee and I began my inquisition as to why she wanted my services. When I ask a prospective client what it is that brought them to this moment in time where they have decided they need outside help, its often a very emotional response.
Because what I am really asking them is, “What do you long for that you currently do not have?”
Often their eyes well up with tears as they express their longing for change and I know that what I say next can either assure them that change is possible, or it can send them back to their familiar patterns where their disbelief in themselves grows.
The words that tumbled out of Cara’s mouth that next moment told me more about her than she could have known. She said to me, “I’m the gal that ladies call when they want to go out for a drink. Everyday at wine o’clock there is someone who will join me for happy hour. All my friends know that I will be there anytime they call. The problem is…. I don’t want to be Cocktail Cara anymore.”
Identity. It is so huge.
So when I asked her what she did want to be, she said, “I want to be the person who calls a friend to go for a hike, or to exercise. I want to be fit and healthy and I want to feel alive. I want to be an example to my kids”.
She mustered up the guts and remembered who she wanted to become.
So we started working together. Everyday she had to track her exercise and send it to me. As a little test, on April 1st I encouraged her to join our Knox Mountain Challenge, where participants hiked the mountain in an effort to attain their fastest time, or most improved time. She said to me “Oooh, I don’t know about that, I’ll probably be last!” However, she mustered up the guts, remembered who she wanted to become and then convinced (after a few glasses of wine~ she’s a work in progress!) a few of her friends to join her.
These last two weeks she’s been hiking faithfully with her friends.
I trained her last Monday and during our circuit up and down the stairs, through labored breathing we chatted. She said to me, “Do you believe that what you put out there you will receive?” I said that I did and asked her what it meant for her. She said, “I wanted to be the person who’s friends asked her to exercise, and not just drink wine. I wanted to wake up on a sunny Saturday morning and go running or hiking first thing because that’s what Cara does now…that’s who I am! Even the husbands have jokingly pushed back a little and said, you’re going again?! But I said to him…do you know how long I have waited for this to be me?! And now here I am, getting up early, going for a hike and then for coffee with my fitness friends! I put it out there that this is what I wanted only 4 months ago, and now this is me.”
I am thrilled for her.
You go Cara.
Change is possible, for all of us. I’d love to hear your stories on what worked for you in the comments below. Don’t forget to sign to receive this blog right into your inbox so you don’t miss any!
