Making Tough decisions

This week I made a tough decision that put an end to a very cherished chapter in my life. After a lot of thought, I decided to end my time at the gym where I worked as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer for over ten years. This was a very difficult decision because I created a family within the community of this gym. This community is a large part of the reason why I truly enjoy my job as a fitness instructor. The friends I made in my cycling and strength training group classes have supported and trusted me inside and outside of the gym. I have created strong bonds with these people, and the thought of leaving the place that initiated these bonds was unthinkable for a long time.

However, I had been ruminating on this decision for a while. Because I worked at Gold’s since I moved here ten years ago, it became a huge piece of my identity. However, due to starting my own business two years ago and of course COVID-19, the costs began to outweigh the benefits. The amount of work I put into training, memorizing, and teaching the classes ended up costing me more time and money than I was earning. 
 
My reason for working at Gold’s was never about the money. The community and the love of teaching for the cycling company, Les Mills, was always what kept me there. However, after much thought, I realized that I had sadly outgrown a place that held so many precious memories in my heart. 
 
I was terrified that my gym family would think that leaving was betraying them. However, after speaking personally with many of them about my decision, I was comforted by the fact that this one decision wasn’t going to erase all of the memories and love that my community and I created together. They were going to support me in whatever decision was best for me and my boys. This is what a true community and family are. This is what made me realize I had made the right decision.
 
It is stressful to sit down with yourself and make these tough decisions—especially if you feel you have others depending on you. Most of the time, there are many reasons we do things in life to help others. That is great! But we need to really evaluate if our actions are benefiting us as well and aren’t blocking us from any potential progress or happiness. 
 
Odds are we can all let go of something that isn’t serving us in our lives anymore, even if it used to serve us in the past. Letting go of something in our lives can be extremely healthy for growth. Making these tough decisions is, in a sense, setting healthy boundaries. It is great to do good in the world and help others, but we must first make sure we are helping ourselves and those closest to us. We must understand what actions in our life are benefiting us and what actions are keeping us from growing and changing in a positive way. Most of all, we must listen to what our intuition and heart are telling us.
 
I like to compare this to old clothes you no longer wear. Yes, they may have great memories attached to them. You could have worn them to your kid’s birthday party or on a first date. However, you no longer wear them anymore, and they are taking up room in your closet where you could be putting new clothes that fit your current style! 
I suggest everyone sit with themselves this week and write down the things you do in your day-to-day routine—e.g., taking your dog for a walk, exercising, calling a friend. For each action, write a couple of pros and cons associated with it. Then determine if this action is either healthy or no longer serving you. This can be hard. For example, you could have a friend that you call once a week who only talks about her/himself during each call. When you hang up, you may feel exhausted and stressed because you now feel the burden of being responsible for their problems as well as yours. If this is happening, maybe it is time to limit or even end these calls and make more space for positive actions in your life. 
 
It is important to make these decisions, especially during the current climate. We need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves and opening up the opportunity to progress and be happy. I was devastated to make the decision to leave Gold’s Gym. However, I know it was a healthy choice. I will always have the support and love of my gym family as well as more time to take better care of myself, my advancing career, and my family.​