I`ve tried to write a new post so many times over the last few....my goodness, has it been that long?! At the time I was blogging regularly I was also training a lot and working a lot and it was all...well...a lot.
I think the last time I posted was during my attempt to complete 12 marathons in 12 months. Everything was going great and I was due to complete it in March 2020. With just 2 weeks to go and 11 marathons under my belt for the year everything ground to a halt and the world changed.
Obviously I don't need to tell you that 2020 was a rollercoaster.
On a personal level it was pretty crazy. We lost some people, gained some people, seen marriages, new homes, new jobs, lost some more people, redundancies, lockdowns, health scares....its a lot to summarise, its a lot to just put into words. So I ended up, well...not putting it into words. This little blog scurried under a rock and patiently hibernated, waiting for my brain to remember it again.
I have waaaaaay to much to catch up on that its actually pretty overwhelming so instead I'm going to just jump forward a bit and maybe in some later posts we can back track, ok hang on.....
*insert your very best warp noise here*
Like a lot of people I was on furlough for the longest time. It was a very odd time but I slowly felt a mental shift towards really liking my own space and time. Like a lot of people I was also made redundant shortly after as the financial implications were too much for the company I worked for to sustain. So now what?! This was my life for the last 12 years! I searched around for a new job but it all felt kind of pointless. Everything was still locked down or partly so finding a job somehow felt secondary to just living.
I also noticed very quickly that I was just massively depressed after doing my, now daily, job search. Do I actually want to go back into the same career? I have my redundancy pay-out, do I need to go back?! What now?! I felt very lost for quite some time.
During one of my searches for inspiration looking at random jobs, I came across an advert to become a personal trainer and my brain lit up like a Christmas tree! All of my friends and families voices came pouring into my head. "You would make a great PT!" or "You would make a great teacher!" that I had previously laughed off as flattery or just jokes now didn't seem so funny. It now seemed like a viable option. Could I? Should I?! Is it a stupid idea?! All these questions seemed to equate to "If not now, when!? You currently have 2 of the biggest luxuries I can think of, money and the most important, TIME!"
So at 41 I took the plunge and started my journey towards becoming a personal trainer. It was exhilarating and absolutely terrifying!! The course was all online as everything was still in lockdown. This at times was extremely frustrating because I couldn't just simply ask a question like you could in a classroom, I had to email it and wait for a reply. It was slow going. It took me a year overall to pass as I had the level 2 and level 3 to complete as my goal was to work for myself and hopefully not a gym. Looking back I totally could have done it faster but at the time my brain was a basket of cats.
Starting a brand new career, especially one that is largely regarded as a "young persons game" plays a lot on the mind. It makes you second guess everything when you have the quiet moments. It makes you really think about why someone would pick you. Why would someone pick "the old guy"!? This obviously gives you lots of time to freak out and wonder what you are doing with your life. It also gives you a fantastic opportunity to actually come up with an answer. Exploring this question has given me a great sense of focus, confidence and happiness. Realising the things I am good at, the things I need to tweak and actually how much fun I'm having! Fast forward a year...
*insert your very best warp noise here...again*
I am now coming up on my first full year as a personal trainer at 43. Seems very odd to write, both the year of business and the 43. I have learnt so much over this year but mainly about myself. Actively trying to embrace happiness and fun have been my primary goals. Realising that I absolutely thrive on other peoples fitness achievements has been such and amazing revelation and a huge driving force.
I guess this is also why I`m back blogging again! Trying to embrace that happiness and fun and if I can pass a little on along the way then I feel like my work is done!
Whether you are returning to this blog again after all this time or are a new reader, I thank you for from the bottom of my heart for your time!
Now go outside, point your face at the sun (if you have any) and just take a moment to breathe. Go for a walk, touch some grass, smell the flower, go find your happy place.
Much love as always,
Cardiosaurus
