Personal Essay #12

C/O Hello Healthy

It has been about five solid years since I embarked on a journey to take care of my body. Unfortunately, the learning process, as it is with many things, was quite a love- hate relationship. It is a shame that even though I’ve been in this journey for a long time it was only recently that I actually considered myself to be on track. I was, finally, looking for results not just an easy way into what I wanted. I set out the goals I wanted to achieve; results that would not only help me reach these goals but maintain me in a healthy mindset and would stick with me as a lifestyle.

When I first started laying out what I wanted to achieve and how I wanted to pursue new challenges for me to attain it, I had heard a lot about several local classes, so I thought I’d give them a try. My first 75 minute spin class was a heavy, hard-on challenge that I thought I wouldn’t be able to overcome even past the first 20 minutes. I could’ve easily walked out but, I’m very proud to say that I powered through. Just like all the 27 people in that class with me. I was very inspired by the instructor, she kept making us do our maximum effort, telling us that we don’t give ourselves the recognition we should because we are truly more powerful than we think we are. Also, I was inspired by all the people around me who kept going, and in those intervals it didn’t really matter what everyone was fighting for, but that we were doing it, we were powering through.

And that was the moment when I understood what empowerment should be and what it felt like for me. It was understanding that it is not easy, so you must gather all the power within yourself so you can get through.

I started understanding the real meaning of women empowerment, being among these amazing people. Most of them were girls and a one or two guys. The uplifting of our gender doesn't need to be considered a discrimination to any other gender, it should be something done with respect for everyone and knowledge of women’s rights and social history. This is something that needs to be heard and promoted, it should be implanted like a small seed in everyone’s brain. Our differences - in our genders - should be acknowledged and celebrated because we can do what we set our minds to, it shouldn’t limit ourselves. And learning this realization, made me happy. I could finally say that within everything that I was doing to reach my goals I was - and am - truly happy. 

Throughout many, various workouts, I began to comprehend that I shouldn’t be doing things for other people, that I cannot keep comparing myself because I am in my own journey. That the most important things need to be done when nobody else is watching, because that is what you should focus on, building rapport for yourself, understanding your body and guiding it towards the results you are looking for. Not believing that you can probably do it, but that you can. I am strong and you are too, we are in a constant uplifting battle where we can get to the top, only if we power through.