Ready, Set, Knockout.

As far back as I remember, I attended every school career dress up day as lawyer. I had my entire career path set out for me, I was going to be an Indian (and female) Nelson Mandela, I would help women attain the rights and liberties they deserved. I would be fulfilled. But those of you who know me know that my life took a sudden adverse course somewhere along the line. I was well on my way to walking the long walk to freedom when…

Tag you’re it.

..my daughter happened – and my life took an entirely different trajectory. I woke up one day knowing that I will never work in corporate law again. My life suddenly felt meaningless, I just wanted so bad to do more, to be more. I could feel a restlessness inside of me. And before I knew it, and much to the dismay of my family, I resigned from my job at a prestigious law firm. 8 months pregnant, newly married and broke as hell as you can imagine.

Achoo-achoo, we all fall down. 

I restarted my kickboxing training approximately 6 weeks and 2 days after my first caesarian section. Training again reminded me why I started training in the first place. I felt strong again, I felt happy, I felt fulfilled.  And suddenly everything clicked into place. This is it – this is the thing I want other women to feel. So, on a whim one day I made up mind and signed up for a personal trainer course (mind you, I was still broke as hell but Trifocus offers payment plans). A couple months later, I posted a shoddy ad in the community whatsapp group advertising an open day for fitness classes for women.

I remember waiting in my make shift gym, a gym I exhausted my savings trying to put together – barely paved, with 2 boxing bags and one pair of gloves –  wondering if people would show. I kept looking down at my little daughter on my hip, 6 months old at the time, wondering if I was making the biggest mistake of my life. Did I honestly just choose to quit my stable 9 to 5 for this? So, I prayed to a Lord who never fails to hear me and I took a leap of faith.

Ready. Set. Go.

He brought those women in that first day and then He kept bringing more back. He showed me for the first time, the impact of my work on the people I worked with. He showed me women who have fought the hardest battles in life find release in sessions. He’s shown me the mother of 4 kids sighing out loud knowing that her training proves to her that she is more than just a mother. He has shown me women who are trying to get pregnant strengthening their minds and bodies though training. He has shown me women battling depression, anxiety, physical sickness and domestic abuse – showing up day by day to reclaim themselves. Most of all, He showed me women of all ages and sizes coming together to break stereotypes, to support each other and to prove to me exactly why lionesses hunt in packs.

Today, with the grace of the Almighty alone, our studio has trained more than 100 women and is in existence for 5 years. To my girls, those of you who are here and the ones we lost, through laziness or scheduling conflicts or whatever (don’t worry they’re all still alive and kicking) – thank you for being so instrumental in creating a life for me that is abundant in exclamation points and hardly any full stops.

To You, my Friend, thank You for giving me a life that is not always full of smiles but is always full of passion – for reminding me every day why I do what I do. Most of all, thank You for helping me find my wings. Now its time to dust them off and prepare to fly again. And now, with You by my side, the world doesn’t stand a chance.

Ready or not. Here we come.