Do you guys remember Chalene Johnson? She answered a question for me once that changed my life, and that was before I had kids. Thinking about her answer now has even more impact 💯
I do realize she's still around, she's just not so much in my world anymore. I'm sure many of you still follow her.
I earned the opportunity to interview her, in front of all of my clients and customers. I had five questions for her. I could not tell you now with the other four were, but this one is with me forever.
🌟 My question was: "Did you grow up in a healthy household? Have you always been healthy?" 🌟
Mind you she was the creator of an entire fitness genre, a huge (in my perception) influence in the fitness world, and an incredibly healthy person herself.
Her answer was no 😲 😲😲
Was she shared with me next was fascinating.
She told me that she was probably about 12 years old when her mother just decided to start going to jazzercise. She didn't say anything, she didn't make a big deal or force changes on the family, she just started going.
Chalene told me that they used to take Wonder bread and wrap it around a scoop of ice cream after dinner. That was a normal thing for them to do, until her mom quietly just decided to change.
There were no big declarations, no guilt, shame, etc. Just a mother making changes for herself, and in turn leading the household.
As someone, who at the time was learning to cook for the first time in my late twenties, this was inspiring to me.
It showed me that it's never too late, you can always make changes, and it doesn't really matter where you came from, it matters where you go.
As a mother, it has a million more layers.
To know that I am the example. I am leading.
I don't have to make big declarations, nobody has to have a complete overhaul and force the family to get on board. What I can do is potentially change the trajectory of my child's life, simply by showing up for myself consistently over time.
My daughter knowing that I work out before she gets up, or that I choose to work for myself, or that I care about healthy relationships, may not make any difference in her life today.
Who knows what difference it will make in her life 20 years from now though? Who knows what difference it would make if I didn't? 👀
I will never forget this story. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have that conversation with her. I hope it touches somebody else today 🥰
