You didn’t listen to the naysayers

This will be your cross to bear. You will second-guess every decision you make, even the good ones. Not because you are unsure of yourself, but because those around you are unsure. Dan telling you that you're a bad coach will haunt you forever. It will make you strive to be better and constantly work to provide more. You'll constantly question your worth and struggle to take what you deserve. This will drive you to upgrade certifications, write your own, and continue to learn. 

Moving to another gym showed you that you're better than you ever got credit for. Trying to prove yourself, you took on more and more responsibility. To the point of hearing "you're not good enough" again. The thoughts of "what will I do if I don't do this" crept back in. The opportunity to run a gym and “show him” was within reach…then Covid hit. You worked harder at that moment than ever before, and everyone noticed. Again, you stuck with it and kept growing. My favorite story to tell is how all of the new staff kept asking how I knew all of our members, and not just their first name. My passion was to rebuild our community, and it started with me knowing/welcoming/learning about everyone that trusted us enough to walk in.  

You're now in a completely different state, in a community where very few people knew you. Your dream of a community is strong, and every new member knows it. While you may be “starting over,” you are so far ahead of your first day at LA Fitness. The following years will be hard; you’ll question everything, even miss payroll a time or two, but you’re doing it, and they are coming. 

You have big dreams, and not everyone will support you; many will even say it can't be done. Use that energy to fuel your growth, double down on your passion, and trust your instincts. You are good at this, and helping your community has always been your driving force. Embrace it 1000%. Have faith in yourself, even if nobody else sees the vision. You stuck with it, against his words, against everything, kept going, and now you’re stronger for it.