Ashley’s 4 Year Journey
One of my favorite quotes is from Socrates. “It is a shame for a person to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which their body is capable.”
But if we look at the line before that part of his quote, “No person has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training,” we can assume he is being direct with his meaning.
Hey, Coach Ashley here. Basic movement is a necessity and should be implemented starting at a young age.
What if we took that whole concept and applied it to all areas of life? Beauty and strength isn’t physical. Beauty and strength comes from confidence in who you are. Taking care of your mental health and in finding ways to be the best and happiest version of yourself. It IS a shame for a person to not experience a space to better themselves in the capacity they need or want.
I was an athlete my whole life, and I fell in love with CrossFit when I got to college. The intense workouts, learning new movements, potential for competition, and the community sucked me in. After college, I got a “big girl job” and because of this, it took up ALL of my time. I certainly was not making any investments in bettering myself mentally or physically. Before I knew it, a couple years passed and I felt lost and unsure of myself. So much of what I liked about myself was how I felt at the gym. I missed pushing myself to be better than the day before, and being surrounded by people who were doing the same.
When I walked in 4 years ago I found Rock It CrossFit, known today as Dissent Athletics, it felt like home immediately. The community welcomed me and I felt I had been there forever. So, I never left and it changed my life.
There have been many changes at the gym over 4 years. Some new faces, a new name, and even the opportunity to go from member to coach. Through all of these changes I can say the community has remained the same. At the risk of sounding cliche, we are a family. It allowed me to invest in myself, and as a result, pour into others who are trying to do the same. I love being a coach. It is one of my favorite things! I can’t express how fun it has been to evolve with this gym, and how thankful I am to everyone who has been a part of it. I’m proud to be part of a team and community that encourages people to chase their own beauty and strength and celebrates the victories along the way.
Big thanks to the entire Dissent fam for giving me a place to better myself, and for always being a major support system for me as a member and even now as a coach. I am super pumped to have made it through 4 years, and can’t wait to keep on going.