“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.“
The summer of 2023 was the beginning of one of the most challenging periods of my life. I was 25 years old coming off one of the greatest years of my life. My wife and I got married. We bought our first home. And I began a new job in customer service that, at the time, seemed like a great fit for me. However, with all of the things that began to go right for me and my future, there was also a chain of events that shifted my routine and mindset. The winter of 2022 I had lost my grandfather to dementia. My new job (which I had thought could turn into a career) had disrupted my exercise and workout regime. I lost my internal drive for self-care and self-motivation. My stress and anxiety had reached levels that I had not ever felt before. I started to change for the worse. I lost who I was.
Since I was 15, the gym and exercise have played a vital role in my stress management. It was always something that I could control. Whether life at home was in conflict, I had a rough day at school, or I just needed a place to blow off some steam, I always had exercise. It was my solace. And in the summer of 2023, I lost that comfort. I lost control. I lost myself. The lack of drive to find the time for something that had been so important to me for so long was the red flag that really alarmed my wife and I that something was wrong. Something was wrong with me. I was not okay. This was not normal. We both decided that it was time for me to talk to someone, and get myself back.
Seeking help and talking with a professional was one of the greatest decisions I have made in my young adult life. The past two years, I have felt the best that I ever have. That feeling and relief led me to where I am now. Not only back to being myself, but being better than I ever thought I could be. That led me to realize that I wanted to be to others what that professional was for me. I wanted to be the person that someone could count on to get better. I now knew what it felt like to feel hopeless, and to feel like there was no way back to finding comfort and control. I knew that I wanted to be the light for those who had been consumed by their darkness. I wanted to help them regain themselves.
That leads me to where I am today. A Certified Brain Health Coach at Activate Brain and Body Fitness Indianapolis. I get the opportunity to serve amazing people every single day. It is a privilege to do what I do. I know that everyday I come into work I have the opportunity to make someone’s day better. I have the honor of being the light for someone who might be fighting their own darkness. I am blessed to have the pressure of giving the greatest customer experience each time a client comes through our doors. I am so grateful to be here today. Words cannot express my gratitude for Ben, Mike, John, Adam, and the entire Activate team for giving me the chance to promote the link between exercise and brain health. I went from some of the hardest times in my life, to now some of my best. Everyday is a gift, and I am grateful to share that gift with each of you.
-Johnny