Why are you still here?

During our staff meeting before the new year, Jonathan wanted the coaches to reflect on this question:
"Why are you still here?"

There are a myriad of thoughts running through my mind each day, I wish I'm able to pen all of them down.
Today, this question simply popped into my head while I was busy reading up on topics to present for tomorrow's discussion.

Why am I still here, doing what I do?

I love and have passion for this job. I do admit that there are times when fatigue takes over me, and when I meet the occasional diffcult client, I find myself being unhappy and my temper flaring. However, in this short span of a month or so working at Genesis, the doubts I had over the past year seem to diminish bit by bit..
2011 was a love/hate wild ride of a year for me. I started out well, but somehow somewhere along the way I seem to have lost myself. I knew that I'm doing something that I love, but couldn't seem to find the job satisfaction that I was looking for.

Now I've come to realize that in the past, I placed too much of my expectations on my clients. It has got to be a 2-way thing. My desire to help will not work if they refuse to help themselves. Perhaps, having my fair share of non-compliant clients drained me out, or I simply wasn't good enough as a coach to empower them to see that there is indeed something greater within themselves.
Aha, and you see, I've always seen myself as a trainer the past year, yet in Genesis we're called coaches. There's a huge difference. As I start encountering clients who seek me in a deeper manner with issues related to their fitness, nutrition and whatever goals they have, it dawned upon me that the satisfaction that comes with my job, is in empowering people to change their lives; and they look to us not just for guidance in training/nutrition but also as a mentor, a support for walking through this journey to change for the better. It isn't all about which training program is the best or which diet to follow (still important of course), but rather, the emotional issues that most people have that are holding them back from achieving what they are capable of.

Of course, I still can't avoid those irksome people who wants quick fixes and wants to look hot in a bathing suit in a month but gives up when the rigors of hard training hit them. Patience is a virtue. Work hard, eat right, rest well and be patient. The magic will unfold when the time is right.

Learning how to align my clients' goals with my own expectations is what I will try to work towards this year. It used to bother me a lot when a person refuses to increase the load of the weights upon my instruction - i don't understand, why must you wait till the NEXT workout to progress if there is a potential for you to progress in the next set? On the other end of the spectrum, I have people feeling extremely disappointed with themselves when they fail to hit the targeted reps for their workout. (Seeing them somehow reminded me of me! Haha..)

Each day at work is a different experience altogether. From coaching whiny people who groans and complains throughout the entire training session to the student who yells in joy, jumping and punching his fist in the air when he hits his reps - well, all in a day's work. ;)

My question to you now is:

Why are you still here? -

1. Doing what you are doing
2. Being where you are

I am very privileged to be doing what I love and I will never take that for granted. But you know, we may make wrong choices along the way, yet the power always lies in us to control the only thing we have control of - ourselves. If you aren't doing what you love now because you really don't have a choice (actually, somehow, you do), remember that you still have the power to make the best out of every situation.
Cherish each moment of your life, for in each moment lies an opportunity that is given to us to grow, to learn, and to love. Like a young child, only being able to see the mother's embroidery from below - messy, cluttered and in disarray - in time to come, when the child is finally tall enough to see from his mother's perspective, what he'll see is a beautiful piece of work. So it is the same for us, we are all part of God's plan, and though we may not understand why we are put in certain situations in our lives, keep the faith and know that opportunities are always given to us, and when the time is right, we will see that the mess in our lives were all part of His beautiful plan for us. A life worth living.

"Live doing what you love, knowing where you want to go and believe that you will have what you want - anything you truly want - when the timing is right." - JT

Once again, patience. :) Good things will come in His time.
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Finally, my 2 years of service as the Treasurer for my dragonboat team has ended. Now that I've handed over my duties to Mabel, I can better focus on my work, my passion for rowing and also for my contest preparation for this year. I want to compete in the Bodybuilding Nationals (Ms. Model Physique category) again, which will probably be held in May.

Perhaps, I will do a progress log thingy of my contest preparation. :)
Tomorrow marks the 1st week of my prep., I have approx. 16-18weeks to go..

Whatever is in store for me this year, I will do my best, keep the faith and take it one step at a time.

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"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.." - Phil 4:13