Amy’s Story of Success
Amy Holloway, has been a member here at The Swimming Hole since fall 2015. It was clear Amy, had focus, determination, and a goal. We asked Amy, what fueled her fire, she responded with this wonderful account of what motivated her to get moving, and how after describing herself as ” not the gym joining type”, she found that the hidden gem of getting in shape for her trip, was her new found love of taking control of her own health and well-being. Congratulations Amy, we look forward to your continued growth and stories from your next big adventure, thanks for sharing and inspiring others to move for fun, fitness and life.
Here is Amy’s story…..
“I am not the gym-joining type. I am certainly not the trainer-hiring type either. That is until about a year ago when my husband and I finally booked his dream trip to New Zealand for December of 2015. Unlike other travelers who go to New Zealand to take in the views from a van parked on the side of the road or while sipping a glass of extraordinary wine, we chose a different way to experience it. Inspired by the beauty of the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings films he wanted not only to see the mountains of New Zealand, but to experience them up close. To satisfy his desire we chose a two week trip through Hiking New Zealand that would take us on a variety of treks through both the North and South Islands.
Once booked, I knew that I was facing a choice. I could go along to New Zealand as the supportive wife in my then current state of fitness, which was frankly quite bad, and just endure it, or I could get myself in shape and embrace and enjoy this adventure along with him. I chose the latter.
I embarked on my own training regimen in the spring and summer of 2015. It included two to three days of hiking each week. It helped. I got stronger but I was still not feeling as if I was getting strong enough for what lay ahead of me in New Zealand.
That is when I reconsidered by stand on gyms and trainers, which frankly I had always considered to be frivolous expenditures and not worth the time or the money. At the urging of my husband who began to see how desperately I wanted to enjoy this trip I did both. I joined the Swimming Hole and turned to Jeremy for help. As it turns out it was worth both the time and the money.
At our first training session I told Jeremy about the trip and what I thought I needed. He put together several challenging yet doable sets of exercises or what I prefer to call “strengthening activities” (there were several different ones because I bore easily). His programs targeted my core, my balance and my agility. I alternated gym days with hiking days and by the time I left for New Zealand in late November I was doing something to challenge myself physically seven days a week.
Once in New Zealand, we were on the move constantly, hiking between 8 and 15 miles a day. Because I was so prepared and used to being challenged, instead of getting tired and frustrated as time went on and the distances increased I got stronger. It turned out to be one of the most physically and existentially transformative experiences of my life.
When seeking to feel better we are faced with an interesting choice: spend the time and money on an experience or on the purchase of something tangible like an article of clothing or a piece of jewelry. It turns out that those who study wellbeing have discovered that spending money on an experience has a longer lasting positive effect on our overall wellbeing than purchasing that one “must have item”. It turns out experiences that we remember and savor make us feel better in the long run than the extravagant thing we can actually touch. I learned this lesson through my trip to New Zealand and the enduring impact of that experience.
I thought my time at the Swimming Hole and working with Jeremy was just about New Zealand, but it turns out I was wrong. True I savor the memories of that experience and all that it brought me, but it also brought me to the experience of being part of the Swimming Hole community. For me being part of the Swimming Hole community is not an investment in a thing I can hold in my hand that will bring me limited well being and joy. It is about experiencing a long lasting positive impact on me; the experience of challenging my limited beliefs about what is possible for myself, the experience of taking control of my health and wellbeing and the experience of being part of a community that cares and offers me the opportunity to grow. It started with a trip to New Zealand. There is no telling where this journey will end”
Amy Holloway
Member since Fall 2015