Recently, I had the chance to hang with Tamatha Crowson while she worked her magic rubber-band out at Pink Rock. I'm so glad I was just the cameraman. Yikes!
“I’m so glad you’re here! Here are just a few things about me.
I am the Fitness Director for 180 Fitness in Cape Girardeau https://getfitwith180.com and run the popular Boot Challenge Program in Cape and Jackson Boot Camp Challenge. I've been in the fitness industry for a very long time but I'll let you in on a little secret: helping people get fit is just a cover for what I really do, and that is to awaken the courageous and confident side of people. I am passionate about helping others' realize their potential and I just happen to do it through the platform of fitness! I love it when you finally lose that extra weight, but I love it even more when you realize that you have the power to do way more than you ever imagined, when you discover that you are just fine all on your own or when you finally learn to love and accept what you used to think were flaws and defects.
Now, I’ll give you some insight on what makes me ME.
I believe my greatest strength is the ability to connect with people on a deep personal level and that relationships are at the heart of the human experience. I used to be very afraid of rejection. As a kid I didn't have any friends and was shy, awkward and was terrified of people. I thought that in order for people to like me I had to be perfect, so I ended up hating my body and developed an eating disorder, along with embarking on a string of abusive relationships and failed marriages.
And then one day I just decided I was tired. I was tired of faking and tired of pretending and so I started getting real with people. I said, "this is who I am and this is what I struggle with and this is what I like, and what I want" and all of the sudden, my relationships got real. I found out that vulnerability was what made it possible to form connections and that's when the light really went off for me.
Edited by Lainey Sanders
I've had some really great things happen to me and I've experienced some bad things, too, but I recently had to face what could possibly be the worst thing a human could face, and that is the death of a child. On April 29th my 18-year old son, Blake, passed away in a tragic car crash. He and I were extremely close and he not only looked just like me but shared many of my personality traits and characteristics. There were moments (and still are sometimes) that I was certain that the pain would kill me and I just could not see how it would be possible to survive. Sometimes I look around and I am amazed that here I am, two months afterwards and my heart is still beating and I'm still breathing.
What has gotten me through this is my other son, Evan, who is 17, my incredible, rock-solid partner, Scott, and the people in this community, many of whom I have close relationships with. These people are my clients, they are my campers, they are members of 180 Fitness, fellow trainers and people I know professionally and casually. Some of them I have never met before. But they have absolutely gone above and beyond to support me and I am so grateful. Click here for pics.
My motto is: Fun Matters. I believe that almost anything can be made fun and that having fun is and SHOULD be a priority in most everything we do and most interactions we have. I try to inject fun into mine and others' lives by maintaining a good sense of humor, not taking things personally (because it's hard to have fun if you're always butt hurt about one thing or another), laughing, trying new things and being creative.
I like thrift shops and don't like TV. I love to cook and don't like to run. My biggest weakness is procrastination (working on that!). I am philosophically very open-minded. I like to encourage people to do the “scary thing” and I try to do the same! (“scary thing” being something you’ve always wanted to do but have let fear get in the way). And the rule I try to live by? Leave everyone and everything better than you found it.
Oh, and come see me at 180 Fitness ! :-)