Meet Shelby
Everyone needs a coach
Especially me.
Human behavior change is hard for everyone, no matter your age, your background or your beliefs about willpower. (hint: willpower is overrated and it easily depletes with every decision, every action and every reaction we need to make in a day). We are all humans and for humans to make a change - any change- we require motivation. Some of us may require more motivation than others, or what motivates us will certainly vary based on our skills, our passions, our mindsets and our current stages of change (growth). We all need some form of coaching, whether it be guidance (knowing what to do), support (believing we can do it) or, at times, a figurative kick in the ass (being motivated to do it).
I don’t know about you but I have always been the “needs a kick in the ass” type of person when it comes to motivation. I am a recovering: procrastinator and negative thinker who for the majority of my life hated exercise and, really, anything hard or uncomfortable. I had the desire to take on challenges, the passion for being healthy and pursuing bigger goals and the skills to take on A LOT (I would later learn).
What I lacked was the right mindset … and a great coach.
That all started to change in 2006 when I met my now husband, Jonathan Spars, while working my first newspaper job in LaSalle, Illinois. A year out of graduate school I was stil living like a college student: terrible diet, lots of alcohol and little mind for things like hydration and sleep.
Everything that happened from meeting Jonathan to starting Spears Strong changed my life drastically for the better, the healthier and the happier. I went from a stressed out, adrenaline-driven desk jockey working as a professional journalist covering hard news to a certified Health Coach and business owner who now helps people manage their stress and reach their health and fitness goals.
Jonathan- who has always been the opposite of me in that he excels at motivation, proaction and a positive attitude. Overtime, in addition to my husband he became my mentor, my trainer and my coach. And he still is today, very much. Because we all need a coach, no matter how much we’ve accomplished, how much we’ve grown or how much we’ve become more proactive and we’re developing a growth mindset. Because we’re human. And humans require motivation to get things done- especially in this modern world where technology creates the illusion that life should be full of ease and comfort.
By 2014 we had both run multiple marathons, a couple ultras, lots of crazy long bike rides, not to mention miles upon miles of trails run in the Columbia River Gorge and some mud-covered Spartan races.
But our biggest challenge, our “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” became reality in August 2015 when Spears Strong was born. Seven years later we are operating a brick and mortar. We made it through a global pandemic by adapting our business to meet the new needs of our community, adding new programs better suited to support and guide our clients to success as well as a new online version of Spears Strong, meaning clients cna do everything we do from anywhere, anytime. And now we’re preparing to take on that next BHAG of mentoring trainers and coaches to do what we do.
When we first started Spears Strong I was still a freelance writer and I taught journalism part-time at Clark College. And though I no longer work as a journalist or adjunct professor, the skills from my work as a writer and teacher translate to everything I do at Spears Strong. They give our company an outsider’s perspective from the health and fitness industry. And I can also do things like edit video and manage administration and communications. Through Jonathan’s extensive research and my ability to vet sources, Speras Strongers can trust all the content we share and put out is credible.
Despite being Editor-in-Chief of my college newspaper, having a master’s degree, getting jobs in a tough industry and even teaching, I never felt confident. I never fetl comfortable in my own skin. I was always good at writing and encouraged to write. I always felt drawn to health and helping people but was scared by the math or science or unknowns of something out fo my wheelhouse. I could see the magic of helping people get out of pain and get confidence in their bodies everytime Jonathan would come home from his early days as a personal trainer. I wnated that. I was burnt out on journalism. It was fun and I learned a lot but it was never me. It wasn’t who I am or who I wanted to be.
I wanted to share my experience. I wanted other people to learn what I had learned. You can feel confident in your body at any age. And you can get stronger and better every day. I wanted to lift up others. Spears Strong gives me the opportunity to do that.
I’m here to lift you up. I’m here to believe in you. I’m here to give you guidance on what to do.
I’m here to give you that figurative kick in the ass.
Read more about my experience with panic attacks and how Spears Strong changed my mind!