SMF: At the Core and from the Heart

The shirt really does say it all.

This post is a little bit confessional and a little bit mission statement. It all comes from the heart, or – to make a strength trainer pun – from the core.

I took a couple of months off of blogging, but in the meantime have bottled up all sorts of thoughts that get at the big question of “why?” Why do I do what I do? Why is my work so important to me? Why do I wake up every day feeling passionate about SMF and my desire to serve? 

I haven’t just been sitting around and thinking, though. In the last several weeks, I have studied, read a pile of non-fiction, listened to inspiring podcasts, completed my meditation certification, started two more certification programs, and enjoyed plenty of relaxed quality time with my family.

These are three women who has lifted me up and believed in me no matter what crazy idea I have had. My mom, my “Meme” and my mother in law. I am so grateful for these women.

All this is to say: I love to learn, to grow, to challenge myself to do the hard work, digging in deep through conversation, action, and introspection. It goes without saying that I absolutely love to share the things I learn with all of you.

And all this is in the service of my passion to help women create strong bodies and minds. I’d be lying if I said that SMF is not about Stephanie Mitchell, because at the core, SMF is driven by that passion I feel to lift women up. 

Let’s start with this: I grew up a dancer, always obsessed with my weight and my appearance, and to be honest, I’ve never been satisfied with how I look. What a horrible way to live.

Never in a million years do I want this sweet girl worried or obsessed with her weight or looks. May she shine and be strong at every age!

This mindset is something I pray I don’t pass on to my daughter, and which I wish our society would renounce.

The obsession to look a certain way should be replaced by a dedication to health and wellness, to nutrition that fuels our bodies so we have the energy to move and thrive, to mindfulness that allows us to be of service both to ourselves and to the greater good of all those around us. 

I am wholeheartedly committed to letting go of achieving the number on the scale and constantly comparing myself to others. It’s just not healthy (for me at least) to do this day in and day out.

So, what is Stephanie Mitchell Fitness at the Core? It is about being strong, mindful and feisty.

My hope is to help women feel strong inside and out. Physical strength allows us to engage actively in our day-to-day lives and achieve our goals.

I could not have achieved the fitness goals I’ve set for myself without a focus on physical strength, but even if you aren’t planning to run a marathon, physical strength is necessary to live your best life. But there is more.

Inner strength helps us show up confidently and be our best self, and that is where mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness allows us to be fully present, to be vulnerable and open to growth, and to be grounded and connected. What a gift to know, through meditation or simply through the act of slowing down, that we are part of something greater. How empowering to live in such a way!

This was me at the finish line at my first 70.3 event. For me, triathlon help me begin the journey to becoming stronger (in body and mind) and helped me to become more feisty, I began to ask for what I needed and carved out time for me. The process of training for races has been a gift for me since 2011. One thing I hope to never give up.

My friends, let’s be strong. Let’s be mindful. Let’s be determined, lively, courageous…FEISTY! Let’s live in a way that serves us well and allows us to do incredible things.