What Utah Taught Me About Thinking Bigger

Have you ever gone somewhere expecting to learn about work…and came home realizing you needed to change the way you think about your life?

That’s exactly what happened to me in Utah.

On the surface, I was there for a leadership even with MAKE Wellness. There were presentations, business strategy sessions, and time with people from all over the country who are building something they’re passionate about.

But what impacted me the most wasn’t a product or business lesson.

It was mindset.

For years, my life revolved around the gym. Every day had a schedule. Each hour had a purpose. My identity was tied to being “the trainer.”

When the gym closed, I knew I wasn’t walking away from helping people. I just wasn’t exactly sure what the new next chapter would look like. I knew I wanted to head down the path of retirement, but I definitely not ready to sit back and let my life just play out.

Utah gave me the space to think bigger.

Not bigger in the sense of making more money or building a larger business.

Bigger in the sense of asking, what kind of life do I actually want to create?

That question opened my eyes to really sit and think about my future life. Five, ten years down the road and I came to realize that I’ve planned for vacations and events more than I have for my own future!

I don’t want to fill my calendar for the simple sake of doing so.

I want to build a business that gives me the freedom to spend time with time with family, travel with Kevin, host women in my backyard, write, continue learning, and help women improve their health in ways that go far beyond the gym.

I want my work to fit my life - not my life to fit my work.

One of the biggest lessons I brought home is that the future isn’t something that just happens to us. It’s something we create.

Every decision we make today is either moving us toward the life we want or pulling us away from it.

That realization has changed the way I plan my days, set my goals, and even think about my purpose.

Instead of asking, “What do I need to do today?” I’m learning to ask, “Will today’s choices help create the woman I want to become?”

It’s a simple question, but it changes everything.

Utah reminded me that growth rarely happens when we stay comfortable. Sometimes we have to leave what’s familiar, surround ourselves with people who challenge us, and give ourselves permission to dream a little bigger.

I’m still figuring this new chapter out. But I can promise you, midlife is not the end of the story. We’re just turning the page.

It’s exciting to think that I’m not trying to recreate my old life because I’m intentionally building a new one. Progress creates momentum.

Until next time…keep becoming the women your future self will thank you for.

~ Melissa