Find Your Rhythm. Protect Your Purpose. Be Someone’s Quiet Ripple.

A few years back, I thought I was at my fitness “peak.”

Then, at a sales kickoff, I rolled my ankle. Instead of heading to the hospital, I walked around the city carrying a bag of ice. That moment said a lot about me then: stubborn, determined, maybe a little too proud to stop. I loved having a good time, and there was no way I was going to miss it, regardless of the pain.

Fast-forward a few years, and the truth hit hard. I was out of rhythm. Overweight. Tired. My clothes kept getting bigger while my energy kept shrinking.

That’s when I heard about the 5:2 balance: eat what you want five days a week, fast on two. Simple enough. It wasn’t just a diet; it was a reset. It taught me discipline, patience, and that small wins compound.

I started walking again and then running. Slowly. My first mile felt like a marathon. But one mile turned into five. My 40-inch waist dropped to just over 30. The scale shifted, but what mattered more was how I felt, lighter, stronger, clearer.

Then came Orangetheory.

At first, I thought it was another yogurt shop. But after two classes, I knew I’d found something special. It brought back that competitive drive I’d missed, only now, I was competing with myself.

Three classes a week became five or six. I used to book hotels near coffee shops and restaurants; now, I look for the nearest Orangetheory.

July 9, 2019: my first class.

Today: 2,101 classes later.

Back then, I’d burn over 1,000 calories, spending 30+ minutes in the red zone. Today, I burn around 500, because my heart, my rhythm, and my recovery are stronger than ever. That’s progress you can’t always see, but you can feel.

And if you read about me today, it’s no longer just about fitness. It’s about purpose, finding balance, pushing limits, and showing up for myself first. It’s incredible how undervalued you can feel until you make that change, until you decide to fight for yourself.

This post isn’t about workouts. It’s about building mini wins, the ones that drive goals, shape habits, and eventually rewrite your story.

This mindset has changed how I work, play, learn, and lead.

It’s given me clarity on what matters most and reminded me that gratitude and consistency are fuel for growth.

I look back now and realize I’ve inspired others to do the same, to find their rhythm, end the chapter they’re stuck in, and ignite that inside fire to want more.

I still love having a great time, that’s never changed. But now, it’s goals first, rhythm first, daily goals first. Because when you find your rhythm, everything else, in fitness, work, and life, falls into sync.

And lately, I’ve been thinking about Randy, a friend who showed me years ago that small acts of kindness ripple farther than we ever imagine. Sometimes it’s not the loud moments that shape us; it’s the quiet ones, when someone shows up for you, or when you finally decide to show up for yourself.

Find your rhythm. Protect your purpose. Be someone’s quiet ripple.