Our First Year
By Michael Harland.
Tomorrow marks a very special day for A|M Fitness, it is our one year anniversary!
So much has happened over this past year. A|M Fitness has changed from a dream, to a reality, to a community, to a family. Friendships and bonds have been forged. Goals have been fulfilled. And all of these remarkable feats continue to grow.
I would like to take a few moments to go through the creation and past year;
One of the most common questions I get asked is “what does A|M stand for?”
Well, when creating the name, I was trying to think of the coolest fitness lingo I could use. I wanted something that was catchy and would draw people in. After filtering through a thousand different ideas, I knew that none of them would really mean anything to me, personally. A name is just a name. It’s the product that is important. And since I believed in the product so much, I believed I could name the gym whatever I wanted.
Now I had to think of what was truly important. Without a question, I knew naming the gym after my children was my only option. So, A stands for Alex and M stands for Mason. They’re heart and soul are as much a part of A|M Fitness as mine. Everything I do, I do for them. And one day I will turn over the keys to my boys!
I was having a conversation last week about the number of participants in each of the sessions. I then recalled the number of participants in each of the sessions of the first phase. I remember sitting on the computer for the 7am session. The 8:30am and 9:45am sessions might have had 1 person show up. I had mornings where nobody came. One of the women that trained there asked “how are you going to stay in business?” I had faith.
I had confidence.
I had a dream and I believed that I would be able to help change the lives of others. I had the passion and drive and was willing to do whatever it took. I’ve put in so many 18 to 20 hour days I wouldn’t be able to count. I live and breath A|M Fitness. It is my life and wouldn’t change a second of it.
Personally,I’ve grown more than I could have imagined. I believe I’ve grown as a student, as a businessman, as a coach, and most importantly, as a person. I’ve struggled at times through this process. I’ve felt beaten and run down. I’ve thought about giving up. Fortunately, I’ve had people in my life to remind me of why I do this. What all of this means. Not only to me, but also, to the community that I’m trying to impact.
I continue to work hard and grind away. This fight continues day after day. I know there is a reason for all of this and I am happy to give my life for all of you.
Aside from my own personal growth, I have witnessed some amazing transformations over the past year. If we had to tally up the total pounds lost, it would be in the thousands! If we had to tally up the money spent on new clothes, because of all the inches lost, well, that would be in the thousands too!
With that said, on our mission to change our bodies, something even greater changes…Our brains!
Watching the confidence in a person change is probably the greatest thing for me. Once we start to believe in ourselves. to believe that anything is possible, to find ourselves beautiful again, well, we start to understand that we are capable of anything.
I’ve watched that growth in so many of you. It’s amazing! I’ve become a part of so many aspects of all your lives. I’ve learned about your jobs, your family, your ups and your downs. I can tell the mood you’re in when you walk in the door and I can watch that change when you walk on the fitness floor and see one of your friends, or, you start talking to someone different and make a new friend.
I can only thank each and every one of you for allowing me to be a part of that. I thank you for trusting and believing in me and A|M Fitness. I love all that has happened over the past year and can’t wait to make this next year even better!
Published on: Nov 27, 2013
