Recently I was asked to speak at my old high school’s career day on the fitness industry. To overcome my fear of teenagers, I accepted. In between snickering teenaged boys and wide-eyed stares when I told them I work out for fun, I was asked something that stuck with me for a few days.

“How did you get to the place you are now?”

As I reflected on the past ten years, I realised my life looked nothing like how I imagined it would. I travelled to countries I never imagined, worked a ton of jobs, fell in love, experienced heartbreak and in the middle of all of that: found myself.

I realised I experienced the same process throughout my fitness journey. The journey towards “fitness” never looks how we expect it to. We all fall in love with trainers, break-up with gyms, get injured, obsess over, then hate, sports. Even the best trainer has days when they would rather eat a pint of ice-cream in bed than work out. We are all human and the journey is what makes us who we are. The only difference is that it is so much easier to dismiss a healthy lifestyle as not priority compared to work, relationships or a social life.

You didn’t let that high school break-up or crappy job interview define your entire life, did you?

Don’t let fitness frustrations define you either. When things got really tough, we remember that it doesn’t last for ever. (I say this to myself every time I step into a high intensity training class).

Take time to look at what defines your fitness journey. Do you allow fear, frustration or ego to keep you from taking the first step towards a healthier you? Do you say “I can’t” more than “I’ll try my best”?

As I sat in front of a table full of students with their whole journey in front of them, it reminded me that my journey will never fully be defined.

I still have so much to learn and grow from.

As the New Year approaches and those pesky resolutions creep into your mind, remind yourself that you are not defined by your setbacks but rather the courage it takes to take the first steps towards a healthier, fitter you.

•Cassandra Matcham is a Yoga Alliance-certified yoga instructor, studio and group fitness manager at Alchemy Fitness. She specialises in accountability and goal-setting to help clients reach their full potential. Follow Alchemy Fitness on Facebook: https://www.face

book.com/AlchemyFitnessBermuda or e-mail info@alchemy.bm.\