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The irony of that title isn’t lost on me, especially coming from the person writing it. If you know me, you probably think I’m a positive thinker, a “glass half full” kind of person. But in reality, I’m pretty cynical, and my thoughts often lean negative. I haven’t always been this way, but past hurts and bitterness I haven’t fully released have made it easy to let the lemons life’s handed me sour my heart and mind. Funny enough, I’m still great at encouraging others and seeing their potential—it’s just harder to do that for myself.
If I had to describe my enthusiasm for exercise over my lifetime, I’d call it a rollercoaster. Sometimes I’m at the top of the loop, soaking in the endorphin rush, smiling through the sweat, and ready for more. Other times, I’m at the bottom, trudging slowly upward, every inch of effort feeling heavy. Maybe you can relate. Wouldn’t it be nice if we loved exercise 100% of the time? While that might be wishful thinking, I have found a real joy in moving my body, even on the days when I think the workout of the day might crush me, body and soul. I love finding small moments of joy every time I move.
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My dad was the one who first sparked my love of fitness. He grew up playing baseball through high school and then ran track in college on a scholarship. Exercise became a lifelong habit for him, and when he and my mom had me and my brother, it was only natural that he shared that habit with us. He coached my softball teams for years and even coached my brother’s soccer team for a bit. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of being at the local baseball diamond, probably helped by the snow cones and Blow Pops.
We even had a weightlifting room behind our house, and I loved hanging out there while my dad lifted. Our family took evening walks after dinner, a tradition I still cherish when I visit home.
Somewhere around junior high, I quit sports. I started gaining weight, which made exercise harder and less enjoyable. I can still remember the first time I didn’t like moving my body—high school PE, running laps around the track, my shins screaming, and the pressure to hit an eight-minute mile making me feel like a failure when I didn’t. From there, my relationship with exercise became tangled up with body shame, and movement turned into something I did begrudgingly.
In college, a friend convinced me to take some aerobics classes, and I started going to the gym in my free time. Little by little, I began to not just tolerate exercise again but actually enjoy it. I discovered I liked pushing myself. I knew that if I wanted to feel strong, healthy, and confident, movement had to be part of my life.
I don’t remember much about my workouts after college, but I do remember when a kind coworker invited me to try a CrossFit class. She was so encouraging, and the entire gym community made me feel welcome. I kept showing up, and for the first time in my life, I loved working out. I found joy in doing hard things—and in doing them alongside people who were right there grinding with me.
Joyful movement releases endorphins, and endorphins make us feel unstoppable. The dread turns into “Yalla, let’s do this!” and when you finish, you’re left proud and energized. Now, 13 years into my CrossFit journey and five years into coaching, I can say this confidently: I love helping others find that same joy in movement. If I can do it, so can you.
Prioritizing movement in our busy lives can be as much a mental challenge as a physical one. CrossFit is tough. Heavy barbells, high-intensity workouts, and complex skills test even the most dedicated athletes. But beneath all the sweat and chalk, there’s an often-overlooked performance enhancer: your mindset.
When you start choosing joy—finding small wins, celebrating effort over perfection, and focusing on what your body can do—you transform not just your workouts, but your entire relationship with fitness. Joy doesn’t mean every day is easy, but it reminds you why it’s worth it.
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