It’s Time to Start

“It’s time to start” was a theme today in an early morning Zoom today. Meeting with colleagues weekly for over a year, we talked this morning about the importance of starting. It’s time to start is a good saying for you who have plans, dreams and desires for next year.

You’re one decision away from getting started! Rather than wait until January 1st, if you start now, you’ll have momentum going into the New Year!

Today, let’s talk about health. In the Advisory Perspective Series, I ask service providers to answer a series of questions to educate you about them and their services. Before the New Year, I’ve asked Kayla Barnes to provide us with her perspective about health.

Meet Kayla Barnes – Her Bio

“Ever since I was a little girl the human body fascinated me. Still to this day I believe our bodies are one of the most amazing things that can never, no matter how hard we try to replicate, can be replicated to its fullest potential. Which is one of the many reasons that lead me to my one of my life passions- helping others. More specifically, helping others along their health and fitness journey. So I became a personal trainer, lifestyle and health coach and more recently owner of my own business, Kayla Barnes Fitness, LLC. I have worked with hundreds of individuals over the past 10 years and helped them achieve their health and fitness goals. I believe that ones health and fitness journey is more than just calories and exercise, which is why I choose to take a more holistic approach with my clients. Helping them realize that this is something that we will be working on for a long time, a lifetime if we are lucky. And how to change our gaze from the immediate to the future and how our actions now impact our bodies in the future.”

Question 1.  What do you enjoy about working with your clients?

I enjoy the 1-1 of working with my clients. I love the connection I am able to build with them. Fitness and health are so individual and can be vulnerable and so I hope that I have created a space with my clients in which they feel comfortable to share with me the things that are happening in their lives. And seeing them at their most vulnerable and helping them work through those roadblocks and stepping into their power- the confident, sexy, strong, man or woman they are! The person that I saw deep inside of them, that maybe they never knew or once knew and had been hidden from them for an amount of time. To see that transformation…. That’s one of the best things about working with my clients. 

Question 2.  How would you suggest a potential new client prepare for a 1st meeting?

Starting any journey can be challenging or appear scary. And this does not exclude ones health and fitness journey. My best suggestion for a new client when they are preparing to either meet with me for the first time, or they have decided to start a health/fitness journey is to come with an open mind. To leave what they once thought behind and be willing to learn. 

I’d also suggest that if you’re starting a journey in health/fitness that we focus on one thing at a time. Too many times I see a client trying to go from one extreme, say not working out at all, to the other extreme of working out everyday. This more times than not will lead to burnout and frustration. Baby steps are my philosophy. 

And last suggestion for any new client or person starting their health/fitness journey is to have clear goals and a clear why! This will be the cornerstone and your foundation as you continue along your journey. 

Question 3.  When someone agrees to become a client, what can they expect immediately?  Over time?

When someone agrees to become a client of Kayla Barnes Fitness,  I don’t like to waste any time. My goals are to get them started on a program that is sustainable and manageable for them to achieve their goals. This program allows us to grow and build from there. We will clearly identify their goals and why and make sure that everything we do is in line with those things. I will create an action plan for us that we will follow along the length of time we are working together. Which includes but is not limited to: tasks/habits that I want them to perform daily/weekly, a comprehensive workout program and nutritional guidance, and numerous resources that they are entitled to keep. 

Immediately they will expect that they will have new responsibilities and the awkward stage of figuring out how to make this work into their lifestyle.

And over time, they can expect to have learned new skills and acquired the ability to define what healthy means for them and what that looks like. They will have learned and continue to learn what foods work best for them and how to eat properly for their body and their bodies needs. They will have learned and continue to learn how to make daily movement apart of their lifestyle. The will have learned how to cultivate more confidence in all aspects of their life. They will have a stronger relationship with themselves, and with others. They will feel more in control around foods and in family events/functions. Last but not least, have learned the skills and tools on how to not only achieve, and maintain their results for the rest of their lives! This is what they can expect to achieve and gain from working with me. (This is my purest hope.)

Question 4.  What is your service philosophy?

My service philosophy can be summed up in two words: over provide. Knowledge is free, what is the difference between someone succeeding or not- is the implementation and the application of said knowledge. The only way to ensure that- is by working with a qualified professional and one that goes above and beyond are the ones that you know who care about their clients and their craft. 

Question 5.  What resources do you provide to assist “laypeople” with understanding what is being discussed?

Knowledge is power, and my greatest hope is that I am educating my clients along this journey. I encourage them to ask questions throughout the whole entire process. I want them to understand why we are doing what we are doing. With that, I provide them with what might seem like an overload of information from the beginning. Each client receives a “Info Packet” filled with valuable and useful information on not only how Kayla Barnes Fitness the program works, but also on the processes in which we will utilize to see results. 

There are numerous downloadable resources and content that I have created and continue to create for clients. I am constantly learning and changing things to be a better coach for my clients. And knowledge and information that we have in this industry seems to be constantly evolving and changing. So I am constantly learning and updating those sources for my clients. I also provide almost daily content and information on my social media pages as well. 

Bonus Question!  If you were to relay one piece of advice to anyone reading this, what would it be?

Only one piece of advice- that is tough. But I guess I would have to say- don’t think you have to do “all the things” all at once. Baby steps go along way 🙂 

Bonus Question #2: How does COVID-19 impact your interaction with clients?

Covid-19 has changed the way in which I interact with my clients- but in a great way. I have been able to grow and expand my business in ways I never knew I could. It has helped me learn how much more valuable what I do is and how I am not bound by 4 walls. I am able to reach people in a new way.  Instead of meeting with clients face to face in person in a physical gym, I have learned how I can be even more impactful and efficient at servicing my clients in an online platform. 

Thank you Kayla for sharing your perspective with us today!

It’s Time to Start

Health comes first! Health is the foundation for our ability to navigate life throughout the good and bad days.

As we enter the month of December, it is a great time to highlight this information in order for you to get thinking about planning now. 2021 ends in less than a month. Making a little time now, lessens the year-end “crunch” and starts you off strong for next year.

Starting now applies to more than health. Let’s talk about your life, your family, your pets and your work. Before life’s twists and turns impact you, your loved ones and your business, get started! It’s easy to put off until later, when you think something is in the future. But, what if the future is now?

Check out my website to learn about me and what I do: https://thelivingplanner.com My book The Living Planner (What to Prepare Now While You are Living) is available on my website. And, I’ve developed online courses geared to jump start planning for you, your families, young adults, businesses and your pets 🙂 To check them out, the Home Page is: https://courses.thelivingplanner.com Have questions, email me: Lynn@thelivingplanner.com

Thanks to you all for your support this year –Lynn

#CareForPeople #CareForBusiness #LifeHacks