I didn’t grow up wanting to own a gym. It was never even a thought in my mind. 

In fact, I wanted to be a criminal investigator. I was insanely laser focused on getting that job within the federal government. 

I mean, I rushed my way through high school. And then I rushed my way through college, even graduating early because I wanted to start my “real” job and adult life. 

Note: for those of you still in high school or college, don’t be in such a rush. I wish I could go back and slow things down. 

Six months after graduating from college, I started what I thought was my dream job with the government. It was fun at first. I was learning so much and it felt like a whirlwind of things. 

But as time went on, I got bored. And I noticed the only time I was really happy was when I was doing my fitness duties – we had to do semi-annual fitness tests and I was the coordinator for our local office and the whole field office. It was legit the only time I enjoyed my job. 

So almost 12 years later, I walked away. It was one of the scariest decisions of my life, but it was also one of the easiest. Because I was happiest when I wasn’t at work. And I knew that wasn’t going to change over the next 13 years until retirement. 

When I first left, I started my own business as a health coach. I was using and selling essential oils. But I very quickly realized I needed something more. So a few short months later is when I found CrossFit coaching and working with Rodan+Fields as a skincare consultant. 

I had been doing CrossFit for a couple years at that point and had my L1 certificate for a year when I started coaching. I fell very much in love with it, but still hadn’t given any thought to owning my own gym. I didn’t think it was in the cards for me.  

In 2017, my life flipped upside down and I really had no idea where life was going to take me. I threw myself into coaching, working out, and surviving. 

But then I met Nick in 2018. And from the beginning, he told me his ultimate goal was to own his own gym. 

Y’all. Life has an amazing way of bringing you things you speak into existence. We bought a house with a detached garage so we could start training people out of it with the intent of having our own gym. Starting small and growing it from there. 

And in 2020, we had the opportunity to buy CrossFit Chesapeake. It wasn’t even a thought in our mind but it literally fell in our laps. 

Once again, we spoke it into the world and voila. It happened… much sooner than we thought it would. 

Living our dream has been a blessing. A ton of work, but definitely a blessing. 

I look back at my life and am shocked at how different it is now than what I thought it would be. But I’m also insanely happy with where I am in life. 

I guess my whole point is that where you start in life doesn’t mean that’s where you’ll end up. And what you think is your dream may end up changing over time. If you’re unhappy where you currently are, make some changes. 

Regroup. Refocus. Start again. Do it as many times as you need to in order to get where you want to be. 

Have a beautiful week. And don’t be afraid to start something new. 

Whitney