Mindset of Making Experiences Life-Changing
Interview by Tricia Moore
During quarantine there were a few folks who really stood out in terms of consistency in group coaching sessions on Zoooooooom. Daniel trained just about every day. And, he trained with enthusiasm. He worked with whatever equipment he had, and he displayed a high-energy, “can do attitude”. His balcony became a frequently seen backdrop to his slaying those workouts! He saw results in that he was able to maintain much of his strength. After chatting with him this week upon his returns to the gym, he was grateful to be back. He noticed his fitness was maintained in some areas and others needed improvement. He again displays a positive can do attitude and will just tackle the next task with grace and a smile. His positive energy is contagious and I feel fortunate to have him as part of our community. Meet Daniel!
How long have you been with Invictus? Why do you train? What’s your favorite part of coming to the gym?
I joined Invictus 6 months ago after moving to San Diego from Chicago last September. My favorite part of Invictus is the programming, which is one of the best ones in the world. I’m so grateful to live near an Invictus gym! Through many trial & errors, I discovered what exercises and routines bring the most joy to me. My side gig is teaching spinning, so I complement it with CrossFit and yoga. The combination of these three fitness/mindset avenues allow me to feel and do my best in life.
What do you miss most? What are you looking forward to most upon your return?
The one thing I miss the most is the space and being able to pick up the barbell and use the equipment. Now that the gym has re-opened, I’m looking forward to the in-person coaching and pushing myself harder at the gym.
While in quarantine, what have you experienced that you want to continue going forward?
Quarantine pushed us all to slow down, look inward, and really take the time to enjoy the small things. I plan to be more self-aware about my energy and continue to have moments of introspection and pause. I lived a fast-paced life prior to COVID-19, so I found a new sense of value in these moments of reset.
What Zoom movement do you never want to do again?
Gosh! Doing Burpees to Roxanne was hard because that song basically repeats the name Roxanne consistently. It was brutal, but it was a great way to warm up!
What was the first thought that ran through your mind when the shelter in place order came?
“Oh sh!t, I need to get an office chair!” I literally drove to Living Spaces the evening before SiP (Shelter in Place) to find a comfortable office chair for my new work-from-home arrangement. I’m very glad I did it!
How have you engaged and stayed connected with your friends and family during this time?
I have done more Zoom meetings during SiP than my entire life combined. But like I mentioned before, SiP allowed me to slow down. I took the time to reconnect with older friends and with my family more. One of my cousins is a yogi, so I even now do weekly yoga classes led by her with my family via Zoom.
What has been the most difficult part of this time?
The hardest part of SiP has been dealing with feelings of cabin fever or feeling boxed in. I tried combating it by taking long walks with my dog around the neighborhood or driving to another neighborhood to walk and have a change of scenery. I look forward to our community opening more and being able to somewhat enjoy the city more. But COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, so we all need to still do best practices to minimize infection.
What are you currently focusing on?Â
Lately, I have been focusing on deeping my meditation practices to gain further clarity on my next steps. I have recently felt a new sense of inspiration for songwriting during my meditations. I have always enjoyed writing, but lyricism is something new I want to explore and learn more about in the near future.
What else would you like to share?
Raising awareness about cancer prevention and research is something that I have done for many years. Back in 2012, I joined the Texas 4000 team at the University of Texas to fundraise for cancer research and prevention programs. Part of being in this organization involved biking from Austin to Anchorage to host various programs in small and large cities along the way and drive forward the mission of cancer awareness. Biking 4,000+ miles was a very rewarding experience with both euphoric and very challenging times! Truly life-changing!