We’ve been exploring the theme of “reflection” during our Friday evening WARRIOR Rhythm class lately. Last night I invited my people to consider how we mirror each other’s movements - they reflect me and I reflect them as we flow through the choreography. I asked each person to think about how we also reflect the qualities of the people with whom we spend our time, and perhaps to identify the people who help us reflect brighter and beautifully.

One of the class members excitedly shared with us that this is related to a scientific phenomenon called “mirror neurons”.

I looked it up. 

Here is the article link if you are curious: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510904/

In a nutshell, mirror neurons have been proven to exist through numerous studies in the past couple decades. Not only are they activated during mirrored movement, but even watching another being move! It’s postulated that mirror neurons allow us and other species to learn as infants to understand the intentions of others, even allowing us to predict their future actions.

That feeling you get when you sync up with the others in your WARRIOR Rhythm class?… Yeah, that’s your mirror neurons firing up! Cool, huh?!

Self-perception is a tricky mirror. Do you have a set of traits that you feel represent the "real you"?

The other evening I ran a red light making a left turn. My heart sank when I realized those flashing red and blue lights in my rearview mirror were for me. Dang it.

The young officer came up to my window, "Hello, Ma'am. Do you know why I pulled you over?"
"Yes..."
"You know that yellow means slow down and prepare to stop?"
"Yes..."

I was SO embarrassed and abashed! He eventually let me go with just a warning and a pleasant "Have a good evening, Ma'am."

Here's the thing: In my mind I am a super compliant, law-abiding citizen. I even said to the officer, "I always stop at that intersection..." He finished my sentence, "...except this ONE TIME when a CHP happened to be behind you." (Was he being sarcastic? LOL.) Of course I've been hypervigilant about following driving rules and regulations after that! What I realize is that in fact I frequently "run" yellow lights when I should be slowing and stopping. My self-perception was not really accurate!

It made me think about other qualities I ascribe to myself and whether they are true. The theme of WARRIOR Rhythm Lesson 14 is HUMILITY. I am looking at myself through that lens right now. Am I really "always on time"? Am I really a "lone wolf"? Do I always "try to understand all perspectives"? Maybe. Maybe not. There's a lot to be said for the power of affirmations. Here's one that my husband and I say to each other on occasion to inspire action: "We are the type of people who don't let a little bad weather stop us from getting outside." Boy, that's been a hard one to live up to lately during this relentless rain and wind!


I'll keep digging up some humility to examine my beliefs about myself: Are these qualities that I hold dear still valid? Do I want them to be? What is an affirmative thought and what is a misperception? What will I do with this self-awareness?

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the lime light 😆, but I’m at a point in my life and career where if feels just as good if not BETTER to give it away.

We are approaching Warrior Rhythms 3 year birthday next month and since the beginning I DREAMED about elevating the young leaders who would come into the WARRIOR fold.

It’s been a blessing to be able to do so. Today we released a Bonus section led by Usha Nellimarla, Regan Steedman, and Francy Stoyer. 🌟🌟🌟

Diva and I met on the conference tour.  San Francisco.  Dallas.  Chicago.  Boston.  Our WARRIOR Instructors kept gravitating to her boxing sessions.  Over the course of a few months, Diva and I would speak about her building her own format. It dawned on us that we could collaborate for a bigger win...for me, for her, but above all for our WARRIOR instructor fam and WARRIOR student fam.  
Diva Richards is a motivational life coach with over 20 years of experience. She is the Founder and President of Hard Work No Excuses, LLC. Her 10,000+ sq. foot boutique boxing gym is located in Marlton, NJ. She is the co-creator of WARRIOR Strength™.
Diva is a professional public speaker, owns the DO WORK podcast, and has an apparel line.
Learn more about Diva Richards at www.DivaRichards.com.
WARRIOR Combat™ is "Boxing inspired, powerful, and fierce, WARRIOR Combat includes high intensity intervals, stress-melting strength training, and music driven fight combinations. This empowering conditioning class makes you feel like a confident badass."

Keep fighting,

El

PS Follow Combat on IG here and on FB here.

In a world of comparison and competition, we can all belong to the same team. We can all do different things to obtain the same goal.

These ladies I met through the world of teaching exercise classes and we could not be more different. We come from different parts of the country and teach different class formats, but we are part of the same team - to help people have fun while exercising.

Yet, when we do get together we belong together. We have a sense of community and connectedness.

So the next time you feel wrapped up in competition, ask yourself if you're in the right circle or if you should find a new one.

​Bye 👋 ✌️ Nashville!!!! You ROCKED my world. 🎸🎸🎸
Highlights:
1. Making meaningful connections with our Team
2. Certifying new instructors
3. Networking with other fit pros and presenters

Do you know why, when I teach,  I often tell you to “place a demand” on yourself?  Often it’s the legs, the core, whatever the muscle is that we are requiring most in a move when I say it.  Whether it’s high knees or push-ups, Warrior 3’s or deadlifts, you’ll often hear me coaching you to make that connection of mind-will-body to persevere through the toughest moments of a workout. 

It’s important for growth and development to not limit ourselves.  How can we ever meet our full potential or realize what we’re truly capable of if we’re not expecting more from ourselves?
 
Often times expectations of ourselves are mirrored after what others have expected of us. So, if you’ve never had anyone motivating you or inspiring you to push yourself, you might be stuck in ‘status quo’ mode, not realizing you have the potential to do more. After another instructor inspired me to reach for more, I started to believe I could… what’s the worst could happen if I couldn’t?  How else would I know unless I did?  I’m so glad I answered that call.  I not only discovered joy for fitness for the first time ever, but I went on to find a passion for teaching others. 
 
It’s time to break through your limits! Stop telling yourself you’re too old or too young or have too many kids or are too busy or not strong enough, not outgoing enough, not flexible enough,  or not smart enough… 
 
Expect more from yourself! Set the bar high. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Expect greatness. Even if you don’t fully reach the expectation, you’ll be better off than where you began. 

Who’s someone who inspires you to do more? -

Psst… that woman @ellendewerd to my right  has inspired me!

Once upon a time there was a little girl who never exercised or played outside.  Her neighbors actually thought she went away to school 😅
​
She grew up and still rarely exercised.  She joined a bootcamp in 2003 and that was it for that decade.
Then her daughter grew up and asked her to get active and become more social in late 2009.  She, of course,  waited for the new year because that’s what all good procrastinators do.

⏰Timing is everything.  Walked into a class that married music and movement.  Zumba led to Jazzercize and that led to cardio kickboxing  and sweating to  a crazy pounding beat…it was over!  Obsessed, life changed and determined to share the medicine that exercise is with everyone who will listen.

Flash forward 12 years and now this girl…me!! gets to lead others on a group exercise floor and in small group trainings.  I also get to train other instructors who are looking for continuing education and new formats to teach.  Some may think your 50s are the end but I feel like I’m just getting started.

Oh yes I forgot to mention I also lost over 25 pounds.  I forget about that because the things I’m most grateful for are the loss  of depression and negative thinking, the new friendships I’ve made, and the opportunities I used to just dream about that have become realities.  So grateful for WARRIOR Rhythm and WARRIOR Strength to be the brands I found a home with.  I continue to grow and  learn with this magnificent team,  community  and decided leadership of Ellen de Werd.

Moral of the story..it’s never too late to start something, to try something uncomfortable 📸, to believe you can make a  dream come true.

Not even close  to The  End.

Dallas was off the hook.  We made beautiful connections with awesome instructors, fitness managers, and club owners.
Our WARRIOR team represented Rhythm and Strength so well (per usual). They rocked the booth and our sessions like rock stars #OnTour.  Our Master Trainers and Instructors were a dream to work with and they were magnetic 🧲 to everyone attending the conference...including myself.
Thank you for coming or for cheering us on from afar!

Love, 

​Ellen