Which Path Are You Going to Take?

Making big changes to our lives can be really scary. I think the scariest part about the change isn't the change itself, but rather our fear of failing and what everyone around us will think. It becomes easier to just sit back and remain what we are, with a far off dream of what we want to be and what we want to accomplish just floating softly in the back of our minds. We start thinking of the time it will take to get there, the things we must give up, the people we may lose along the way that have different priorities and goals than us, and the inevitable fear of failure.

I just want to say that I've felt all of those emotions, and have been through all of those obstacles. For me, I have experienced this and more in my decision to become the fittest, healthiest version of myself, and to begin my own business as an online health and wellness coach. I knew it was going to be a big, scary, hairy change and goal. I knew I was going to be judged. I knew I was going to have to give a lot of things up to reach my goals. I knew I was probably going to lose the respect of some people along the way. What I didn't realize, was how trying it would truly be. What I also didn't realize, is that every single person that has knocked me down, made fun of me, told me what I was doing was stupid. told me "I don't care about your progress and Shakeology, why do you have to post it for everyone to see?!" -that those people, the ones who continue to stay negative and just plain mean, are FULL of their own self hatred. The negativity they are portraying onto me, and onto you, is a reflection of THEM, NOT of the wonderful things that YOU are doing and that YOU are trying to accomplish!

It took so long for me to realize that, and so many painful nights of tears and embarrassment. Was what I was doing truly that stupid? Am I really annoying everyone around me? Do people not really care?

But, you know what conclusion I have come to now? That that is ok. I can't please everyone. I can't make everyone see how happy I am and how amazing my journey has been. But I CAN help SOMEONE! I can help the people who care to listen, who are ready to change their lives too, who are happy for those around them and open to positivity and love in their lives. For each person I have lost in my journey to my dreams, I have gained 10 more beautiful ones in my life.

Not everyone is going to care for you. Not everyone is going to have your back. But are we going to let the one mean, hurtful comment overshadow the HUNDREDS and THOUSANDS of beautiful, meaningful, thankful comments we have gotten from the ones who truly matter?

When I first started my weight loss journey with at home fitness programs, I had friends telling me that they knew me, and I'd never finish the program. I'd never drink my shakes every day. It would be cool for a few weeks, and then I'd drop off. I had friends that were mad at me when I said "no" to our lunch dates to Chili's, or our drinking nights to the local bar, or our ice cream dates... not because they were mad at me, but because they had different goals and were mad at themselves in the process. I have learned that as painful as giving those things up, that if those people can't support me and understand my life changes, then that's ok. I had to do what was right for me, and I am the only one I need to ever prove anything to, after all.

And you know what? I finished that program. And have now completed many more. Each program has meant something so incredible to me at that point in my life. Each program I did was what I needed at that time, and has brought me closer to my goals than I have ever imagined. They were more than just "silly fitness programs." They were what have brought me my confidence, happiness, laughter, self worth, and love for fitness again. Maybe that will annoy some people when I want to share my passion with them. Maybe some people will not understand. But that is ok with me now. I appreciate and love the support from each and every single person I have received it from. I LOVE watching people on their own health and fitness journeys, whether it's with me or not! I love watching the training that some are doing at their gym for the next show they're entering, or the way people are training for their next big marathons. It may not be what I'm doing, but I'm so happy and proud for them. I know the hard work and dedication it takes, and I understand the hurt of the naysayers that they must endure.

But what's more beautiful than anything- is their ability to outshine that negativity and prove everyone around them wrong, and prove themselves right. Watching them finish their shows and their marathons- there is nothing like it.

That's part of what I try to do. I share my progress, how I looked and felt before Beachbody programs, in the hopes that I can connect with someone that feels the way I feel, and has felt the way I felt. I want to show them that they can do this- they can make those changes in their lives, and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It will be hard, but it can be done, and with the support of our fitness challenge groups- you will have a community that understands and has the same goals as you.

So, what I hope someone can take away from this post, is to live your life, as who you TRULY are, unapologetically. Scream it from the rooftops! Have huge scary dreams that seem INSANE- so embarrassing that you don't even want to tell anyone about them! Then, after that, GO AFTER THEM. Reach those goals. Walk past the haters with your head held high, and don't let ANYONE knock you down. They're not really trying to knock you down, but build themselves up on top of the foundation of their self doubt and hatred. 

We have so little time on this earth. Are we going to spend it shrinking in the shadows, scraping by day by day with the absolute minimum, keeping our hopes and dreams to the side? Or are we going to fearlessly step out into the spotlight, let our passions steer our lives, and NEVER GIVE UP for anything or anyone?

I know which path I'm going for.... and ain't nobody stopping me.

The Power of Loving Oneself

I just began reading Brene Brown's The Gifts of Imperfections, and it has already spoken to me on so many levels (I also HIGHLY recommend it).

In this generation of rising adults, I have felt such a strong pull for the need to always be doing the best, and being the best, and accomplishing faster than EVERYONE around me. It creates a whirlwind of chaos, fear, anxiety, excitement, yet major self-doubt in the process. I feel that those of us who are rising adults, or just spreading our wings into our first career-oriented job, have the sense that we are just NEVER good enough.

We won't be good enough or worthy of praise until we graduate college, or until we are accomplished in our career field, or until we lose the 20 pounds we gained this last year.

I am tired of this way of thinking and feeling. We ARE good enough, right here and right now.

Life doesn't always go the way we originally planned, and that does not make us any less worthy of love and a sense of belonging in this world.

To me, being successful should not only hold true for those who have been fortunate enough to go through the steps of life in what is considered "socially normal" (i.e. graduate high school, go to college, meet the love of your life, graduate college, start your career, get married, have babies, live happily ever after).

Rather, why not let us all see the success in the abundance of COURAGE in those who have suffered from painful life experiences, that have chosen to grow up, take responsibility, and rise above in the end?

To me, it is not about where you start, it is about where you DECIDE which path your life will take with what you are given. Each day, we make THOUSANDS of seemingly small choices, that all end up creating our habits and ultimately our entire fates.

If you take what you are given and try to be and do your best with it, you are SUCCESSFUL and COURAGEOUS in my eyes.

All of these thoughts have reminded me of the story of my upline Star Diamond coach Lindsay Matway's story, who created the entire Bombshell Dynasty (or the umbrella team that I am under as a Beachbody coach). Linsday dropped out of high school at 16, and made most of her money into her mid-20's as a bartender. She never finished school, never stepped foot into college, and would sometimes try starting new business ideas (she calls herself a "serial entrepreneur"). She felt like she was never good enough for anything and would never amount to anyone truly worthy of love.

As if things couldn't get much tougher, she ended up getting pregnant with her boyfriend of a few months. In the last stages of her pregnancy, her daughter had many health complications, causing her to be born prematurely, and racking up about $400,000 of hospital debt.

Lindsay ended up being a 25 year old (partially) single mother and bartender with $400,000 in debt. She filed bankruptcy and her and the father of her child decided something had to give.

That's when she discovered P90X, and was desperate to get back into shape after having her daughter. Well, she ended up getting in incredible shape, and becoming a coach to help others get in shape. She worked HARD for YEARS and she now has not only paid off all of her debt, but is a MILLIONAIRE and was able to pay off her house with CASH last year!

So, you could say the rest is history, but let's look back for a second here.

Lindsay hit a fork in the road and she had two choices: 1) give up and continue to think of herself as unworthy and keep scraping by with her bartender paychecks and tips, because reaching out and trying something else is too risky, or 2) get RID of the blame and self-hate. Love yourself NOW and see yourself as worthy NOW. Stop giving up and start FIGHTING for something no matter what!

Luckily, she chose the latter. And that is what I have chosen and strive to choose every day. That is what I hope YOU will begin to choose!

Take Lindsay's story and just THINK about how powerful loving ourselves can truly be. Not only has she become financially free, but has been able to live her life by her own design, and has become one of the most inspirational leaders in all of Beachbody, and just for anyone looking to change their lives that have never thought themselves capable, and that they are too far gone for that option.

When we finally realize how much we are capable of in the here and now, and that all of the seemingly small choices we are making now will and DO make an impact- that is when we can really let our light out into the world and create MIRACLES.

Love yourself now, because you are worth it. Take risks. Find your passion and WORK for it. Do what you can right now to get where you want to be... those grueling night classes and 9-5 jobs will be worth what you are fighting for! NEVER GIVE UP!

How a "NO" can turn into a blessing!

"Trust that when the answer is no, there's a better yes down the road."

I want to talk about a little word called "no," and how those two letters have such an impact on our lives and in our culture. We hear the word "no" an unspeakable amount of times before we even understand the English language. A UCLA survey found that the average ONE year old hears the word "no" more than 400 times in one day! So, imagine how many times we must be told what we cannot do, instead of what we CAN do, by the time we are adults.

I think it is so easy for us to cringe and break down once we are told "no," maybe from the first time you mustered up the courage to ask your parents to go on an incredible Spring Break trip to New Orleans with your five closest sixteen-year old buddies (because what could go wrong?), or from your first application to your dream college, or your first application to your dream job- you worked SO HARD to get to where you are and to be a trustworthy, reliable individual- why keep trying when you are constantly told "NO?!"

I have been told "no" countless times, and for things that I thought would be the end to anything important to come to my life. I want to share my story and why me being told "no" ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me.

I was always in love with school. I'm not sure if it was the challenge of it, or the rewards of getting good grades, but I just loved it. By the time I was in high school, I would do everything in my power to get a 4.0. In fact, I ended up graduating with honors and OVER a 4.0. I didn't know what I wanted to do yet, but I knew I would for SURE end up being some groundbreaking surgeon or millionaire anthropologist because, I mean, I got AMAZING grades, right?!

Well, not so much.

I was fortunate enough to get accepted into my dream college at Florida State University (GO NOLES!), and worked my butt off harder than EVER before in my four years there. I had decided that the medical field was officially my calling. My dad was (and is) a very successful optometrist, I could kinda sorta handle blood and needles, AND when I studied for eight hours a day, I could pull a B on my Biology and Chemistry exams! That lasted for a semester. My first semester. Then, I realized becoming a doctor maybe wasn't so much my thing. After talking to my family and friends, we all decided that nursing was the next best thing- and I really ran with it. I became obsessive over it. I wanted to be Amanda Corry, R.N. SO badly, I would have done  ANYTHING for it!

I studied, and studied, and studied some more. I never went out to late night parties. I didn't go to Thirsty Thursdays at Potbelly's or "women drink free Wednesday's" at the local pub. I spent hours making notecards and even more hours learning them them front and back. I made A's in almost all of my classes, and the occasional B on an Anatomy & Physiology exam.

I did everything right. Did I get accepted into FSU's Nursing Program? No.

I was totally and completely devastated. WHY oh why were these females that go out four nights of the week getting trashed, then coming home and cramming the night before the test to make an A on their memorization skills getting into nursing school without even trying, and here I am getting DENIED!? Don't they see how badly I want this?! Maybe I needed to get cozy with the Dean of Nursing and try again...

But I didn't. My ego was shot, and I gave up. I just decided that it "wasn't meant to be." Really, if this were my ULTIMATE dream and not just what I had realized I wanted to do to make everyone else happy, I would have found another way and pushed harder to get into another nursing school. Since I made the excuses and didn't fight harder, I realized then that I would not the person to take that spot in a nursing program from someone that truly and honestly lived for it.

I changed my major to Family & Child Sciences. I really loved the classes and their content, and enjoyed it thoroughly. In my last year at FSU in the program, I ended up getting my internship hours in a First Grade Classroom. I will tell you, I was NOT happy about that at first. Kids scared me! I didn't know what to do with them and I SURELY did not want to spend 60 hours of my semester with them!

Can you guess what happened?!

I fell in love. I fell in love with the classroom and each child. I fell in love with lesson planning and watching little lightbulbs go off in the children when they understand a new aspect of reading, and the little sparkle in their eyes when you hug them goodbye for the day and tell them you can't WAIT to see their little faces tomorrow. When you get an "I love you" from the children from broken homes. NOTHING compares to the love of a child. 60 required hours turned into almost 200 volunteer hours. I knew then what I wanted to do.

I immediately took and passed all of the teaching certificate exams I could without first being in the school system; I got all of my recommendation letters; I served almost 100 hours tutoring first and second graders at a non-profit after school mission center; I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.75 gpa and many kudos in my major, and immediately got accepted into the Okaloosa County School District's website to begin applying for jobs.

When I moved to Ft. Walton Beach, FL, I immediately tailored and printed out every resume to every elementary school in the area, and took them to the principals in person all dressed up. I applied to over 30 teaching jobs.

I did everything right. Did I get a job teaching in the school district? Nada.

WHY WHY WHY is this not happening for me!? I could not understand. I became desperate for a job and began applying to local preschools, and settled for a job at Childcare Network in the area. It was a tough year, and I absolutely loved it, but I knew I couldn't do it forever. I began to question teaching entirely.

That's when I also came across this little opportunity called a Bombshell Challenge fitness group. (I was also entirely out of shape at this time, but we will save that for another post ;) ). It was finding a Beachbody program to fit my fitness needs and what I liked, starting to drink Shakeology every day, and being in a fun support group with a few other women.

Needless to say, that ONE seemingly small opportunity... that one little "YES" that knocked on my door that I thought would never turn into anything, became the best thing to ever happen to my life!

After falling in love with my Beachbody program and the community it involved, I became a Beachbody coach myself (like anyone can do). I have never felt more like MYSELF than I do now. This is my niche, this is my passion, and it has become my world.

One little "yes" in a world of what seemed like endless, painful "no's." And I wouldn't change it for anything.

"But what about your degree, Amanda? What about your teaching certificate, Amanda?"

Yes, those are questions I, too, ask myself. However, they are not my worry as of today. Everything I experienced during my time at FSU, and my time at Gilchrist Elementary School, and my time at Childcare Network... they have all brought me to where I am today. I know without a shadow of a doubt, I would not be here had I not gone through those hurtful learning experiences.

I am so thankful for each and every "no" I have ever received, because they carried me to the place I belonged, and brought me to a place of complete peace, confidence, and health in my life. And I get to spend my life helping and sharing that with others.

I could not ask for more.

I encourage you to KEEP GOING no matter what. NEVER give up. Go after your passions and your dreams! You may get a few doors slammed in your face, you may have a few nights begging on your knees for an answer as to why, but just remember the good IS coming, and there is always... ALWAYS a better "yes" down the road!

With love,




*I also want to give a big thank you to the love of my life, Stephen James. You have been my rock and my support through every bump and turn in this crazy road, and you never gave up on me. You always encouraged me. Thank you for being the best and always being right by my side.*