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Success Begins Within
By Monique Rider, Thu Dec 8th
Incorporating bodybuilding into my lifestyle has been one of thebest decisions I ever made. My early childhood was marred by thetrauma of sexual abuse. Although these memories were represseduntil just a few years ago, I spent most of my life sufferingfrom all the classical symptoms of abuse: low self-esteem, lowself-confidence, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behavior, anddepression. The cycle of abuse continued through my adolescence when, at age16, I entered into an eight year abusive marriage. I endureddaily emotional and verbal abuse, threats, and intimidation. Myself-esteem continued to plummet and at age 24, when I finallydivorced my husband, I was a physical and emotional wreck. I hadnever practiced a healthy lifestyle, had no self-respect, andthe stress of my lifelong abuse had taken its toll. At 24 yearsold I weighed 97 pounds, was having daily chest pains, heartpalpitations, panic attacks, and insomnia. I also suffered fromTMJ Syndrome due to stress. My doctors advised me to begin anexercise program before my condition worsened. I reluctantly began aerobics and then incorporated a mildstrength-training program. I immediately noticed the physicaland mental benefits of exercise. At that point in my life,toning and building muscle was not my goal. I needed an outletfor stress and an increased energy level. However, it didn’ttake long for me to develop an interest in nutrition, buildingmuscle, and possibly competing. My self-esteem and generaloutlook on life improved tremendously as I continued myworkouts.
In January 1998, at age 34, I took my love of the sport one stepfurther. I hired a professional bodybuilder to train me for theupcoming Belding Natural Classic Bodybuilding show in Belding,Michigan. Due to the abuse I suffered, I have always had aterrible self-image. Even though I never had a weight problem, Ihave always been very
embarrassed of my body. Competing wassomething I never thought I could do, because of this hang up. At a petite 5’ 2”, I am not genetically gifted with goodmuscular development. However, I trained hard, was verydedicated to my diet, and did exactly what I was told me to do.I felt a lot of anxiety on April 11, 1998 when I stepped onstage in just a posing suit. Most of my competitors had bettermuscle development and had been training much longer than me.(Normally, that would have sent my confidence right out thewindow.) However, my routine was graceful and my poses weren’tbad either! The audience was very supportive and myself-confidence soared. I won a medal that day. In my mind, I accomplished everything I set out to do. I gainedvaluable experience and many of my fears and hang-ups wereconquered. I have never felt such confidence, satisfaction, andpride in myself. I have come a long way over the years andachieved many goals, but that contest changed my lifetremendously. It is difficult to put into words, but I have notfelt the same since that day. Over the years my family and friends have noticed the positivechange in my health, attitude, and self-confidence. I have takenother steps to improve in those areas and to heal from my past.However, bodybuilding has been the one thing that has made thebiggest difference in my life. It has made so much differencethat I became a certified personal trainer. Through my newbusiness, Trinity Coaching Services, I now combine fitnesstraining and personal development coaching to help others reapthe benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I have continued to competeonce or twice a year, simply because it is vital for myself-esteem. © 2000 By Monique Rider About the author:Monique is a life coach, writer, and personal trainer. She isthe founder of Trinity Coaching Services, a company thatprovides life coaching services to clients world wide. Pleasevisit Monique at:http://home.talkcity.com/workoutpl/trinitycoachingservices/
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