In 2009 I was out of shape, unmotivated, and unsure of what to do with my life. I moved in with my super fit Mom. I was broke which caused two immediate changes in my life, I had to quit smoking cigarettes and I had to eat her food.
She ate like a being human manual would suggest. Tons of greens, some fruit, fish, lean meat, nuts, little starch and sugar, tons of water. She started taking me to the gym with her. I fell in love with spin, dumbbell conditioning, and body sculpt classes After about 6 months of really being in the zone I finally SAW results. But there was still something missing...
It was 2012 and I was watching Tony Robbins interview Mark Cuban on Piers Morgan Tonight. "Do you agree that hunger is the most important element in success?" Tony asks Mark.
" If hunger creates effort. So many people always talk about their dreams. The biggest lie in all of mentoring is follow your dream. But where you should go is where your effort goes. Don't follow your dreams, follow your effort. Where are you willing to put in the time? Where are you hungry enough to put in the time. " Mark Cuban
That year I began my personal training career at Equinox in NYC, I discovered my passion to encourage others to become their strongest self. Four years later I moved to San Diego, CA where I began training throughout the county and continued training some of my New Yorkers through virtual training and program design. As much as I was enjoying my career as a trainer, there was yet again something missing…
Having the body was not enough for me, or for my clients. I was having a hard time with the move, relationships, habits, in all honesty on the surface things seemed good but I did not have peace in my heart. One Sunday after using all the strength I had in me to motivate and teach spin, I decided I need more. There was a church nearby to the gym I worked at, I decided I’m going! I went home, changed and hurried back to their service. The Pastor spoke to my heart, I needed healing, I needed to know I was loved, I needed to know God had a good plan for me, and I needed a fresh start. That day I surrendered my life to Jesus. I declared I believe, I’ve done a lot of things wrong but I want a fresh start and I want to do it your way. A peace came over me. Everything in my life began to change for the better after that. It was a process, a learning to believe that God is really there, that he really is for me, and learning to trust him. No joke, as I did he did amazing things for me and in me.
Through receiving the Holy Spirit another passion of mine was awakened. I no longer just wanted to strengthen people’s bodies, I wanted to strengthen their mind’s and spirit’s too. That passion gave me the drive to turn one of my journals into a book “How to fall madly in love with yourself and your body.” Later through my own process of learning to overcome my fears (prompted by my first muay thai fight) I wrote another book called “Fearless.”
Today I want to use my passions for fitness, love for God, and testimony to encourage others to be their strongest selves in every way, and awaken their purpose! I truly believe God created every person for a specific purpose and when you are awakened to it, that is the sweet spot where joy, peace, and strength will flow from.
I believe in you.
- Danielle Swaby
