At 24 years old, six weeks before getting married, I almost died from a ruptured ovarian torsion.
It was the night of my bachelorette party, and instead of being on the dance floor with my best friends, I was in an emergency room fighting for my life.
During the days leading up to that horrifying night, my body had been sending me signals that something wasn’t right. I chose to ignore it.
If my friends hadn’t driven me over two hours to the hospital when they did, I wouldn’t have lived to see my wedding day.
Luckily, I underwent emergency surgery and recovered to walk down the aisle. I’ve been married for over 30 years and have two beautiful children.
That moment has stayed with me and inspired my life’s work. My fitness level pulled me through and influenced my lifelong commitment to exercise.
My near-death experience made me determined to live life to the fullest and live in a state of gratitude. I got a second chance.
To have a healthy, abundant life, I quickly recognized the necessity of listening to my body, being with others, eating, sleeping and moving each day with joy.
Eventually, I became a personal trainer and board-certified behaviour-change health coach to help people experience the same well-being I’ve enjoyed.
As a trainer, I have amassed many certifications and credentials, but no matter how many skills or knowledge I have gained, something seemed “off” when my clients tried to make long-lasting changes to their health.
When I looked around me, outside of the already fit population, I saw people struggle the most with finding the time to move their bodies.
It’s often the first thing to get moved to the bottom of the “to-do” list—more of a chore or an obligation.
The truth is that many people avoid exercise because they hate going to the gym. And many people in the gym grind themselves down, looking miserable and exhausted.
I realized that something was missing.
That ‘something’ was play. Play is not just the missing piece of the puzzle; it’s the key to a new fitness approach. Exercise as play becomes a way to move our bodies and help us thrive as we age without being onerous or requiring a gym membership.
Human beings are born to play. We can seamlessly integrate health and fitness into our lives with a playful approach. This means reframing exercise as play: moving your body for fun, whether it’s dancing, playing a sport, or going for a hike.
Yet, it’s absent from so many diet and fitness books, challenges, resolutions, and programs.
So, with 20 years in health and fitness coaching under my belt, I went all-in on the idea of play. I researched the heck out of it, wrote a book, and developed a coaching method designed around it.
I’m on a mission to reignite the world’s passion for play to fight chronic disease and improve quality of life as we age. We don’t have to play; we GET to play, and I’m here to help people regain their health and fitness to live life to the fullest.
Today, everything I do in my professional and personal life begins from a place of play—from how I seize each day, speak on stage, work one-on-one coaching clients, or bring people together with campaigns like RED January, a movement that encourages people to “Rise Every Day” together in January to support their mental, physical and social well-being.
Let’s face it. When you’re healthy and playful, life is better. When we use play as the catalyst for movement and inclusivity, we create an environment that uses joy and fun in our wellness journey while connecting with others.
As a result, people can improve their health markers, gain energy, move more easily, and feel better. Best of all, they can pursue what they want, whether running around with their grandkids, chasing their bucket list goals, or simply enjoying their daily lives.
What I know for sure is that life will always throw us curve balls.
When I was 40, my family and I survived a terrible car accident caused by reckless drivers.
In my 50s, my husband battled AML leukemia, and I had to become a full-time caregiver to take care of him.
There will always be challenges in our lives, things we can’t control.
But I’ve learned that we can be more resilient when we take control of our health. We can live life in a playful, grateful, enjoyable way. We can participate fully in life for as long as we’re here.
If I could leave you with one piece of advice, it would be to always listen to your body and go to the doctor when something feels off. Health is wealth; a preventative approach to your health through play is the key to a long, healthy life. PLAY—Please Look After Yourself
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