Elise Young @elisesbodyshop is so incredible and so inspiring. I met her while shooting an adidas FitnessX event in which she lead the group in one of her fantastic training sessions - right away we clicked. I have since photographed her on a number of occasions, including her engagement photos to her amazing fiance Carmen @cperez_1! I use her daily instructional videos at my gym and people ask what I'm training for, because they are so creative and HARD! Also, during this shoot we realized we had the same awesome car- SAAB Convertible, mine 99 and hers a 2000- both experience the rain inside our cars :) Check her out at www.elisesbodyshop.com
Here is Elise's totally inspiring story:
I moved to NYC without a job 9 years ago. I quickly started personal training and worked 4 jobs to pay rent. I woke up early/stayed up late, hustled all over NYC. After a couple of years, things started to shift as I continued to follow my path in fitness. My confidence began to build, but I was still unsettled. A few years ago, I couldn't say my job outloud without my head down and mumbling "personal trainer" fearing rejection or that dreaded response, "but what's your real job?" I wasn't proud.I was unsure.I cared too much what others thought of me. I thought with a college degree, social acceptance in NYC meant working in Midtown or Wall Street and what I was doing was just a filler job.I was wrong.I didn't trust my heart or listen when it was screaming this is your passion, this is what you love. I was too focused on going everyone else's way and not my own. Over time, I got to a place where I was proud of my growth yet still lacking confidence.I decided to go to a therapist and when she asked me what I was doing there I said, "I want my mind to match my body. My interior must be as strong.I want my mind to be able to carry the same weight my body does." We worked endlessly.Today, I openly and proudly not only share my career but also who I am as a person.I don't live behind these fears of acceptance, the voices of I can't are minimal.I speak true to who I am and remain rooted to this very ground. I am a firm believer in authenticity. Don't post things I don't believe in myself, I shoot 99% of my own photos and videos by propping up my iPhone, write posts on crowded subway platforms, manage a full roster of high profile clients,teach bootcamp and work to reach as many of you through social media. I share this because I am often asked how I got started in fitness or how I stay fit. The paths are many and not without hardships and hard work. But the constants that resonate over and over again within me are clear; work hard, trust my heart, work on myself mind+body, believe in who I am, recognize the impact I have on those around me, don't take things for granted and wake up grateful. I am a firm believer ALL of this starts within and our work is #neverdone
