Over a year ago I received a phone call from a lady who works in a home where people of special abilities live. She had received a flyer in one of our letterbox drops and asked me if we trained people who required a different kind of care and training.

It took me approximately 3 seconds to say yes and in the following weeks it was organized.

For the first few months the two men of special abilities were being trained by one of our coaches, but eventually I took over the role of their personal trainer.

I really like that we were able to help them improve their mobility, lose some weight and offer them a judgment free place to train.

I also liked that what my husband and I had created in our gym allowed me to give back and helped me feel less guilty about not helping my family in taking some of the responsibility of looking after my uncle who lives with my parents. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was around the age of 12 and will need care for the rest of his life.

Training these men was about making me feel better about myself and being able to feel like I was a good person.

I also thought I could offer them something that no-one else was willing to.

Call it getting old because I certainly don’t think I am getting wise, but I have come to realize that it has nothing to with anything I have just mentioned.

They give more, have taught me more and have helped me understand more about myself than anything I have given them.

They put in the best effort they can every single week. I am told that they are up and ready for their session hours before their start time. They tell me exactly what they think of me and they protest when they don’t enjoy something. They swear when they are frustrated and they certainly don’t hide their emotions. They work hard.

But most of all they have helped me realize that life is too short to take seriously. That there is no point in holding onto the past because we can’t change it, and as much as we can try and plan for the future, it is not promised.

All that we have is this moment and when you think that you are doing something to give, the gift you get back is often far greater than you could ever imagine.

See you in the gym

Tanya Carroll

4 responses to “Authentically me – Life is too short to be taken seriously”

  1. Claire George says:

    what a lovely opportunity Tanya, so great that you are able to “give back” in such a valuable way…and actually, get more out of it than you gave xoxoxox

  2. Wes Shadazz says:

    Great, thanks for sharing this blog article.Really thank you! Want more.

  3. that i can think you’re a professional on this subject.

  4. A big thank you for your post.Really thank you! Want more.

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