One of the best things about turning 35? Having just been named a FitFluential Ambassador, a great network of fellow fitness enthusiasts who are spreading health, exercise and overall encouragement worldwide. Here's my first guest blog for FitFluential, which ran yesterday:
Holy crapsticks, I am about to turn 35. How did that happen?!
Birthdays always tend to make me a bit reflective, but this year moreso than others. The big 3-5 feels more significant than other years not because it feels old, but because I finally feel comfortable and confident as me. And isn't that what fitness is really all about, learning to love and embrace ourselves for better and for worse?
Society makes 30 and beyond seem like the period when we start to shrivel up like prunes, yet turning 35 feels like a renewal. Finally, after the awkward teens and still-awkward 20s, I have figured out enough about my Badass Journey to enjoy where I am, the lessons that got me here, and where I am headed.
I know I am supposed to help others through fitness. I know I am fortunate to have supportive and inspiring mentors and examples, many of them fellow FitFluential Ambassadors. I know that fitness -- living it, breathing it, teaching it, writing about it -- feels more right than anything ever has.
"Shannon, Age 25" had a lot to learn and struggle through. I see some of my fitness clients that age dealing with it right now. No doubt, "Shannon at 45" will say the same thing in 10 years. But I believe in sharing knowledge and truths to help others, even when it means being brutally honest.
So here are 5 Badass Truths I Wish I'd Known When I was 25, published on the FitFluential blog.