I’ve been doing CrossFit in groups for the past 12 years, mostly for fun. When the gym I went to suddenly closed, I had to change my training habits, which was really difficult. I also travel a lot for work and never trained while away, so my routine kept getting disrupted. On top of that, my eating and sleeping habits weren’t great, and even though I was training, my blood tests came back pretty alarming.

When I turned 40, I ran out of excuses. My kids were older, my time was my own again, and I finally gave myself permission to focus on me. After 10 years away, I returned to the gym and started running — but it wasn’t until a friend introduced me to Empower that I realized what I’d been missing.

Well, I know that being part of a community is important in different scenarios where you’re working as a leader, as a mother, as a daughter, as a friend. You are always involved in different communities and with different support groups

For me, it goes way beyond just exercising; I have a community that motivates me to sleep better, to meditate, to practice mindful breathing—or to take it to the next level, however I choose to see it. It challenges me to realize that there are other people who are also super busy running businesses and handling so many other things, yet they’re managing to carve out space to take better care of themselves. I think it all starts there.

My need for community feels fulfilled. I find that sometimes I’m lying in bed, not really feeling up to getting up, and then I see that everyone is doing their part in their own way—whether at an airport or walking their dogs around the neighborhood. That reminds me of my commitment to self-care and really motivates me.