In an era when we are all consumed with our ever shrinking and rapidly evolving screens and we seem to be further and further entrenched in our bubbles, it’s easy to think that authentic connection and community are hard, if not impossible, to build. But this community has shown me that not only is it possible to bring people together, it inevitably makes each individual immensely stronger along the way.

There’s no greater example of this than the last installment of the 30 day challenge. This group of various ages and backgrounds came together from different states, everyone starting from different places in their fitness journey. They humbly shared their goals with each other, celebrated each others’ successes, vulnerably admitted when they weren’t showing up at their best, pushed each other to do better, and shared a whole lot of laughs.

The entire context for our community was once the physical architecture of the gym. And here we were, seemingly thrown overnight into being confined to our homes with massive uncertainty. It would have been incredibly easy to let our workout and self care habits fly out the window. No one would have expected us to thrive during this time. Truly, no one would have blamed us for letting our fitness goals and self care dreams fly out the window. But here we are, showing up with the heart, dedication, and teamwork we’re using to push towards the best versions of ourselves I am beyond humbled and grateful to be surrounded by this community. Each and every one of you makes me, and everyone else in this community, infinitely better.