Lockdown - The Silver Lining
Hello army! It’s been a while since I’ve written any blog posts, which I’ve been absolutely kicking myself for! Not only do I love writing, I also feel that this is a great vessel to allow you to get an insight into my crazy brain, and in a way, I think it brings us closer! So without further ado, here is my long awaited blog post about.. you probably already guessed it from the title, the world wide lockdown!
So the past 6 months have been a rollercoaster for me. Being so used to working with my clients in-person, connecting with people, and getting lots of positive energy from that, it was devastating being told that the gyms were closing and that I was allowed just 1 walk per day (excuse me?!). Little did I know, that lockdown, as horrible as it was for the whole world, was exactly what I needed..
Before I delve into my story, I just want to put a disclaimer out there that this is about to get really REAL. It’s taken me a while to truly understand that being open and vulnerable actually allows me to connect with my clients and my audience. So here goes..
Keeping it real
I’ve always been a hard worker, and I’ve always linked my work ethic to my self worth. As much as it’s a quality that I am proud of, it’s also a quality that I hide behind when life gets tough. To be totally truthful, I wasn’t doing that well before lockdown. In October last year, I silently suffered from a burn-out. I only really opened up to 2 people, my boyfriend and my therapist. ‘’Did Kim just say therapist?’’ Yes, my therapist. I’ve reached a stage in my life where I’m 29, and I want to reach my 30’s without past unsolved trauma’s and a good sense of who I am, and I’m not ashamed of that! The way I look at it, self improvement is the best investment anyone can make. So, what did I do with the burn-out? Well, in typical Kim style, I worked MORE.
Now, I think it’s important for me to state that coaching people as much as it’s my job, is also my passion. For this reason it made sense for me to want to work more and be around my clients, seeing them progress, because it gives me purpose. However, there’s only so much a body can handle, and lack of food and sleep will eventually get the better of you, which I learnt the hard way.
So as the months passed, I was working hard long hours at the gym, then on March 23rd lockdown was announced in Scotland, and it forced me to press the pause button on my hectic life. Now if you know me, you know full well that I didn’t take it lying down and of course I had my contingency plan set up for ATHENA. Having switched all of my active clients on to an online coaching system by the Tuesday, I was prepared but also in unknown territory! As I stated above, I am used to working with people in-person and have built ATHENA from the ground up by building meaningful connections with my clientele, and lockdown was a big test to ATHENA’s fortitude as a business.
Let me get my business hat on for a second..
If there is one thing I’ve learnt about business over the years, is that connection is the key to success. In every business. Think about it, the shops you go to, the people you buy from, on either a conscious or subconscious level, you have built a connection to that place or person. We buy from certain people or places because it fits our identity, the identity we choose for ourselves. So the first question I asked myself was, ‘‘How can I maintain a connection with my lifters, and how can I maintain a connection between all the Athena members?’’
With my newly cleared schedule (I’m looking at you, covid!) I gave every single one of my clients a slot for a weekly call. What did we talk about in the calls? Anything and everything, but most importantly, how they were coping. The level of emotional support needed can totally vary from person to person, but I always seem to have a knack for knowing when somebody needs to talk or get something off their chest. So that’s what I did, I was simply there for them.
Athena Group calls were set up every Sunday morning, where we would have a weekly catch up, with everyone having a chance to speak about their week. These weekly calls later developed into Athena Classroom sessions, or mini Seminars really, it was a great opportunity for me to keep my clients learning and to help them work on their knowledge which I figured was going to give them a great head-start when they got back into the gym.
I’m super proud to say that, not once have I been worried about ATHENA failing, in fact, the thought never even crossed my mind. I put this down to maybe 20% work ethic, but most definitely 80% the connection I have with my clients. Look after your people, and your people will look after you.
The Silver Lining
So, here we are, at the end of lockdown. Gyms have reopened from the 31st of August, and everybody is free to roam the squat racks once again! I’ve had to quarantine for 2 weeks after visiting my mum for her 65th birthday in The Netherlands, which leaves me 8 days before I am reunited with my Athena Army once again.
I’ve learnt a lot over the past few months. I’ve learnt that embracing change allows you to grow. I’ve learnt that I have the ability to change a negative situation into a positive one, not only for myself but more importantly, for other people. I’ve learnt that working up to 14 hour days, 7 days a week, does NOT equal success, but instead can be the road to failure. I’ve learnt that to be a better version of myself, I need to look after my needs and set boundaries.
I also have to mention, that I have the most amazing, understanding and supportive boyfriend who also happens to be my best friend. And his support means to world to me, it’s a special thing when you meet somebody who loves you for who you are, even when you are at your lowest. We were lucky enough to move into our own little home 3 weeks into lockdown, and I finally feel like I have a safe space where I have been able to feel like myself again and heal.
I think I may be one of the lucky ones, walking away from this pandemic with more than just a silver lining.
I would love to hear from you in the comments below! What has been your Silver Lining?
Thank you for reading and for supporting Athena!
Love and Gains,
Kim