At the time I wrote this, pen to paper, sitting next to my daughter who is sitting on the potty, I don’t know yet if I am 305 certified. I’m feeling hopeful that i am, but that’s not what I want to focus on. I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey.
What better place to start, than the beginning?
I will be 100% transparent with you, as I always aim to be.
I received an email for a new influencer collaboration opportunity. The collaboration involved going through the certification process for something called 305 Fitness. Since it’s always been a goal of mine to add more certifications to my tool belt, I thought, why not?
After being accepted for the collaboration, the next step was to hop an a Zoom call with Sadie, the founder. Before the call, it was recommended to try a class on YouTube, if we hadn’t attended a class before. So, I got on the YouTube and picked a recent class to try. Immediately, I was feeling lost and maybe even a little foolish. To say the dace structure of the class was out of my comfort zone would be an understatement. I turned off the Roku TV and went back to my regularly scheduled workout routine.
I never went on that Zoom call either.
But wait? If I never finished the workout, if I never went on the call, how did I end up still going through with the certification process?
I didn’t think 305 was going to be for me. Email after email came in with new Zoom times, but I kept thinking back to that video and how lost I felt.
Finally, an email came in, a “last chance” type. I thought, what’s the harm in getting on a call? What’s the harm in asking a few questions to determine definitively if this was going to be a good opportunity for me? So, I scheduled a call with Jenn.
Getting on the phone with Jenn, she was so warm and inviting that talking to her made you want to smile. She answered every question I had. Her enthusiasm and faith in 305 put my mind at ease. When at the end of the call she asked what I thought, I said, “Sign me up!”
The online training was Mon-Sat 6-8pm EST. I scheduled mine the week after we got back from vacation, leaving little time to go through the material due before day one. That Monday before class, I spent the day trying to find nuggets of time to get it all done. I was already feeling discouraged. My feet didn’t want to move the same way as the instructor. I couldn’t count to the beat of the music. But there was something about 305 that had me ignoring the loud voice in my head telling me to give up. That was the foundation of 305; it’s core values.
The goal of 305 is to make everyone from every walk of life feel welcomed. Their purpose is to show people that exercise isn’t a punishment. It’s not about looking a certain way or being a certain weight. It’s about having fun and feeling good. This really resonated with me. Since having Kieran, I haven’t stepped on a scale. I barely take progress pictures. I don’t do measurements. I stopped using creams that promised to sculpt or get rid of scars or stretch marks. I don’t care about all that.
If my husband and my kids can look at me, stretch marks, scars, bloated belly, or saggy belly skin, and love me for me, than why couldn’t I? And while so many companies and fitness professionals were preaching body positivity but then pushing products to lose weight or be bikini ready (Hey- myself included!), here was 305, arms open, saying come as you are. We love you the way you are.
That’s why I showed up to that first Zoom call training. Even though I didn’t want to. Even though it would have been easier to have spent the night with my family or doing just about anything else, I showed up.
And I am so glad I did.
We hopped on that call and the founder, Sadie, did a little introdcution before leading us all in meditation. Then she handed the reigns over to Maria. One of th things they both said was, “You did it. You showed up. That’s the hard part.” That stuck with me because it was hard. They also said, “You are where you’re meant to be.” I wasn’t sure I believed that at first. In what way was it written that I was meant for this?
But as the week went on, I began to believe it more and more.
The power of attraction certainly seemed to be at work as more doors opened up during this week of growth. Suddenly, I could truly see how I could fit into the 305 culture, and how 305 could fit into my life. How I could reach more people and inspire them. How this business could benefit my family. How I could do more to support the causes important to me and pour back into my community.
It all became clear.
I’ve always been the person who if I’m not good at something I give up. I don’t offer my voice. I never volunteer. I don’t like messing up. I don’t learn people’s names and just say I’m bad at them.
But now? Well, during that week, I participated. Even when I didn’t want to feel volnerable. I tried and tried so I could improve, even if I wasn’t good at it at first. I took my feedback and instead of seeing it as critism, I looked at it constructively. Soaked it all in and applied it so I could shou that I was willing to learn and grow.
And I grew.
Along my way through this journey I had a wonderful mentor I see as a friend, Cookie. I became friends with a lovely woman in my group, Hana, and I got to watch others continue to learn and improve all while cheering them on.
So, on my last day, at the cresando of this week long journey of self-discovery, growths, and oh yeah, loads of fun (!), I went all out. I volunteered to be the first to do my practical (test). I let go and had fun. Even when I messed up, I stayed strong and wrong. I tapped into a fountain of confidence I didn’t know I possessed.
While I waited to find out if I’m official, I reflected on this journey with gratitude. It may have only been a week, but the evolution that took place within myself will last a lifetime.
Stay tooned…
Mercedes Moore 