Despite what you see on social media, REFIT is a revolution powered by mistakes, mess ups, failures, and fears. (We sprinkle a few successes in there every now and then to keep things interesting.)

One would think that running a fitness company for 10 years would mean that we have our act together, but we don’t. Every single day we learn something new, encounter something new, or find a new problem to solve. Toss a global pandemic into the mix and it’s almost like we had to start over from square one.

When we first entered the fitness space, we honestly didn’t know what we were doing – but we knew what we wanted. We wanted to create a welcoming fitness format that would “fit” any size, shape, or age.  We wanted to create a space where unlikely friendships were formed and community could be built. We also wanted to create a fitness program where people found the freedom to live as the fullest version of themselves, rather than trying to create a smaller, thinner version. Most of all, we wanted to be a fitness community that said, “You are enough. You belong here.”

We didn’t know of any fitness format that offered such a “spin” on fitness, and we were determined to try.

Starting a fitness business is one thing, but starting a revolution is another.  We were building something that had never been built before, and in the beginning – it was a lot of fun.  But fun quickly became work and work required risk and risk produced fear.

And fear isn’t fun.

One of the scariest decisions we made was to start certifying instructors in the REFIT format. Looking back makes me laugh just a little bit because we didn’t really know how many people would be interested in a REFIT certification, but we clearly believed that if we built it – they would come.

And you did.

Ten years later we’ve certified thousands of instructors across the globe.  (At my last count: 44 states and several international locations.)

The one thing that has kept us devoted to the cause of our revolution is you, our community.  Our community makes each and every decision important and meaningful. And our community supports each and every one of our decisions – even the ones we get wrong. Being surrounded by such a positive, encouraging community has kept the REFIT Revolution fires burning, and I can honestly say that without you guys, we would have closed the doors years ago.

I’m not sure what revolutionary things you're building in your own life, but I imagine that you’re exhausted, doubtful, or wondering if any of it matters. Revolutions are not easy.  I’m here to offer you the encouragement that has been offered to us over the years:

“Keep going. You’re doing a great job. The work you do matters. YOU are the girl (or guy) for the job. Trust that things are being built and impacted beyond what you can see in the here and now.”

In our 10 year history of mistakes, mess ups, get ups and failures, nothing has been what we imagined it would be – but it’s been everything we could have hoped for. We may not be a “successful business” by certain measuring sticks, but the impact we’ve made along the way tells a different story.

It’s evidenced in the lives that have been transformed without losing a pound.
It’s evidenced in the friendships that have formed that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible.
It’s evidenced in the love and support that flows from our community to our leadership team.
It’s evidenced in the love and support that flows from our leadership team to our community.
It’s evidenced in the passion that still burns strong even after 10 years.
It’s evidenced in the gratitude we feel each and every day for a job we love.

Look for the small evidence in your own revolutions, and I promise you’ll find them.  Write them down and occasionally reflect on them.  I guarantee your revolution, as imperfect as it may seem, is filled with success, too.

Reflect on your imperfect revolution:
–Describe your revolution and why it’s worth fighting for.
– What small piece of evidence can you point to that indicates the work you’re doing is powerful, meaningful, and purposeful?
– How can you encourage yourself today? 

Pictured: Here we are in 2013 at our first live fitness event in Batavia, Illinois. It was the first time we traveled outside of our home state of Texas to lead a REFIT event.

| Keep Reading: Imperfect Moves by Emily Field >>