About seven years ago, I was at a party where the hostess was telling what she thought was a funny story about me in front of many people. Her story was the day she witnessed me in my car, screaming and carrying on while stuck in a line of traffic. Time stood still for me as she repeated the story numerous times, giving more details each time as she laughed louder and louder. As I stood there, uncomfortable and embarrassed, many thoughts went through my head: should I defend myself and explain to her how difficult my life was? Should I tell her that I didn’t want to be late for my client and be unprofessional because of my excellent work ethic? Should I just laugh along with her and take it in stride? Maybe, I should deny that it was even me! I did none of the above, but instead, I stood there feeling self-conscious and vulnerable.
She did not know that I was a sleep-deprived and depressed single mother trying to make ends meat. Although I was divorced for a few years, my ex-husband had recently become a jobless, non-functioning alcoholic that was nowhere to be found. The life that I was living was not the one I had planned. A life where the smell of the chocolate chip cookies filled the air as the children arrived home from school, the one where we entertained business associates in our home with fancy dinner parties, and the one where we traveled around the world together.
Instead, my reality was waking up every morning at 4:30 to get to my job as a personal trainer by 6:00 am. Each morning, as I left the house, I would pray on my way to work that the children would be okay as they lay sleeping in their beds. Sometimes, I would even cry on my way in at the thought of someone breaking in and kidnapping them. What if there was a fire and I wasn’t there to save them? My oldest son, Alex, became the father figure and made sure his younger brother and sister woke up on time, ate breakfast, and got their backpacks together. After an hour and a half of training clients, I would leave work to pick them up to drive them to school. After that, I rushed back to the gym for an appointment at 9:00 am. The schedule was grueling, and that was only the morning shift! But it was during one of those stressful drives back to work that she observed my behavior.
I was in survival mode, but I was not about to explain that to her or anyone else in the room. People used to say to me, “Kim, I don’t know how you do it” and “I would never be able to do what you do.” I would tell them when you are in survival mode, you don’t think. You just do. I was a “mama bear,” doing whatever it took to provide for and protect her young. Anyone who loves their children as much as I do would do the same.
I was caught behaving badly and was ashamed. Maybe I didn’t realize my car had windows! Who needed that party anyway? I certainly did not because I had parties every day; they were called pity-parties, and I was the master of ceremonies.
While it was a shameful and embarrassing experience to have her tell that story over and over again as I stood there frozen, it was just the kick in the pants I needed to make myself better. I didn’t want to be that angry, stressed-out personal anymore. I wanted to take charge of my life, but I knew I could not do it alone. That is when I decided to follow what God wanted for my life. I also decided to change my attitude and be grateful for the things I did have – three beautiful and healthy children and wonderful family and friends. I started studying the behaviors of successful minded people. I was on a mission to make myself better through education, personal development, and goal-setting. I learned that to change, there had to be a shift in my mindset from bitter to better.
I held onto that experience for a long time. I let other people and my past define who I was. But that was then, and this is now.
Active Life Fitness Personal Trainers & Gym
94 North Ave Garwood, NJ 07027
(908) 389-8009
