Are you choosing to live a happy, fulfilled life?
That’s right, studies have proven that ninety percent of the factors that make the difference between a happy life and an unhappy life are factors within your control. One life hack proven to help unlock your best life is setting, pursuing, and achieving goals.
But you don’t have to take my word for it; many other people are proving this point every single day. They are setting goals, doing the work and building the life of their dreams.
Don’t Take My Word For It, a new Operation Melt blog series, shares how other people – people just like you – are choosing to achieve happiness through their goals.
Yes, you can choose a happy life, but don’t take my word for it!
Amuse-Bouche Before we jump into today's post, I offer you this "dad joke" as a light "amuse-bouche" to entertain your mind before we get serious. Like any other amuse-bouche, you may hate it, but it is worth every penny you paid for it, right? My grandad always used to say, "as one door closes, another one opens." Lovely man, terrible cabinet maker.
You Can Always Make a Fresh Start (Interview)
For this inaugural Don’t Take My Word For It post, I am sharing my first-ever Interview with a Goal-Crusher. In these interviews, I sit down with someone that is accomplishing big things by setting and achieving their goals to learn their secrets. Then I share those secrets with you. It’s like free mentoring from someone already on the road to success. Who doesn’t want that?!
It was early Spring of 2022 in Columbus, Ohio, but the weather was anything but spring-like. People throughout the city were still wearing their heavy winter coats to protect them from the cold. That’s when a new business opened that provided an oasis to escape their winter blues and the stressors of the world around them.
After months of hard work, Fresh Start Yoga officially opened its doors in Columbus’ Brewery District in Columbus in April 2022. Occupying a space above a decades-old popular bar, this studio offers clients a welcoming environment where they can move, reflect and get their own fresh start.
I recently had an opportunity to talk to first-time business owner Jessica Jenkins about the studio, her goals and how she brought this studio to life.
Please introduce yourself and tell Operation Melt readers what you do.
Hi! I am Jessica Jenkins; I have recently opened a downtown Columbus yoga studio, Fresh Start Yoga. The studio is located upstairs at 543 South High Street. As the owner, I teach most classes and run day-to-day operations.
Tell me more about Fresh Start: what is the vibe, and what’s your vision for the studio?
Yoga can be intimidating to some, and I don’t want people to feel that here.
My vision for Fresh Start Yoga is to create a community. I want everyone to be able to come to class and feel comfortable and welcomed.
This is your safe space.
I can personally say that you are achieving this vision. After taking a few yoga classes at the studio, I can say that I have always felt welcomed and never judged. You are such an excellent yoga instructor! How did you get started with yoga? What drew you to it?
I have struggled for some time with severe anxiety and depression. It has been crippling at times. I felt stuck and didn’t know how to overcome this problem.
A friend suggested that I try yoga. It took me a while to actually do it, but when I finally did, it was a game changer. Yoga was one hour of my day that I was out of my own head, and it felt so good to move my body. While I still suffer from anxiety, yoga has given me tools to help.
Every time I left class, I felt like it was my fresh start to my day. This is where the Fresh Start name came from. I want to be a place where people can get their fresh start.
I always say you never regret yoga.
Opening a business is a big decision; what motivated you to take the plunge?
I have known since I was a child that I wanted to work in the personal fitness space. I had been teaching yoga at another studio for quite some time and always thought about how cool it would be to open a studio of my own.
The current Fresh Start space became available, and I knew I had to give it a chance.
I didn’t ever want to look back and think, “what if?”
As a first-time business owner, what have been your biggest challenges for far, and how did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge has been learning how to run a business – I am still learning every day.
I had to build confidence to be the best owner I could be. I almost talked myself out of it several times. Support from my friends, family, and Operation Melt coaching has helped me conquer my fears.
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Writing down your goals! Seeing a goal on paper makes it that much more real.
Keep your goals visible – it can be a vision board or even as simple as a PostIt note on the mirror reminding yourself you’ve got this. It feels so good to mark something off your list.
Stay true to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if something takes a little longer than you thought. As long as you stay focused, you will get there!
Try to stay consistent, and it will pay off. We are humans, and we have to remember that.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about your journey?
I honestly never thought I would be here following my dream. It is scary, and I feel out of my comfort zone more often than not. But the rewards are so worth it!
To learn more about Fresh Start Yoga, you can visit their website at www.freshstart-yoga.com and follow them on Facebook (@FreshStartYoga614) and Instagram (@fresh_start_yoga). If group workouts aren’t your thing, Fresh Start Yoga offers private lessons.
My big thanks to Jessica for participating in this Interview with a Goal-Crusher. Kudos and mad respect to her for all of her hard-fought success! Her story proves that a bit of courage and pursuing well-crafted goals can change your life. The life of your dreams is within reach, and you can always make a fresh start.
Need a little help crafting your goals? Struggling to build a plan that works for you? I would love to be your partner and help you get moving. Check out my Coaching page to learn about my life, goals, health, career and leadership coaching services.
I believe in you; let me help YOU believe in you!
Breathe new life into your goals
Download my free ebook to learn how to create goals that actually work and get the jump-start you need in life!
