Far more than a means to an end

Yesterday I returned to teaching classes after the minor surgery on my nose. When I woke up in the morning it felt like it was the first day of school - first grade, and I had this red jumper with white tights layed out on my bed and I knew that I was wearing this for the first day of school since the day my mom bought it in the middle of the summer! I refrained from wearing the red jumper, but I did know exactly what I was wearing when I went to bed the night before.

I absolutely love to train, however teaching is my passion. If teaching could pay the bills and my body would be resilient to 1000 squats and push ups, then I would teach 8 hours a day. I am the most confident when teaching, running around in short shorts and a sports bra, microphone on ear, with the music bumping from one end of the room to the other, and 30 people sweating and breathing deeply. What a rush!

Class was full and everyone was so happy to see me, compassionate towards my skin cancer adventure, and excited that I was their teacher for Pump. I could not help but to smile and get sentimental. It was a long journey searching for my purpose in life - waiting on tables, serving drinks, and biting my tongue for 12 years - and now that I have discovered exactly what makes me happy and peaceful inside, it's such a pleasure going to work every day.

I knew that physically the class would be a challenge for me. My nose is still sore and slightly swollen. I am unable to bend over without my head swiftly filling up with blood and feeling as if the whole world just fell right on top of my skull. I was afraid of the adrenaline rush persuading me to actually do the entire class, but I had some wonderful class participants (friends) reminding me to take it easy.

From the minute the warm up song began, I could not help to be blissfully ecstatic that I work at Pure Austin and that every Thursday the Group X room fills up with 30 of my friends pushing past their physical capabilities, going for that extra push up because they know that now they can do it! It's an absolute blast for me, a party, an amen that I do not waitress anymore and that I am living my dream and I am actually successful at it. I worked exceptionally hard to get here, and when standing in front of class yesterday watching 30 people do 24 push ups with a flat back and a neutral neck, I just could not be anything but impressed, honored, giggly, appreciative and elated.

There's something to say about loving your job. For many years of pounding the pavement for tips, and watching my mother do the same for 31 years, I did not know if one day I would actually enjoy waking up in the morning for work. I always dreamed of it and prayed for it, but was told that sometimes work is just work, it's a job that pays the bills. I rebelled against this mentally, struggled internally against it, and told myself daily that I will not just work my entire life.

Yesterday, right in the middle of the cardio song, I thought, "This is my job!" And it was then that I knew that anything is possible. You just might have to invest in sweat equity for many years to produce true profit.