Overcoming Adversity through Strength & Modesty with Vanessa


Today we have with us on the Incite Change podcast Vanessa Gonzalez, a friend of coach Mauro and a fellow mentorship member, to discuss overcoming adversity, taking control of anxiety with training, and remaining modest along the way. She currently works at “Longevity Lab” in Alaska where she is a personal trainer.

Born in California she spent much of her life “moving with the wind” as she puts it. Vanessa grew up playing school sports, and participated in extracurricular activities as an escape. Working as an assistant coach in high school, Vanessa had an “aha! moment” and realized she loved coaching, training, and hanging around people. She continued on to study at the University of Alaska, and had to finish up at University of Texas-El Paso. Being a military spouse, and having to move with the husband, it was no easy feat, but she graduated.  

“It is not about what you can’t do at the gym, it is about finding what you can. Wherever you are right now, whatever that is emotional, spiritual, physical… find that common ground and just take it one step further.” She suggests, “This way, you can use movement and exercise to get better and help others get better too.” Vanessa had a poignant point about life, “Always remember ‘living your best life’ in the body that you love, is subjective; And different to every individual. So don’t compare your progress, to other people’s success you see on the internet or in your local gym”.

Going into the 2020 Mentorship, the question she had lingering on her mind was “how to serve the people at a deeper level”. She believed trainers must also have the minds of students. They have to have the right mindset, be open to learning things that make them better to help their clients. Vanessa almost left the industry, but a desire to deep dive into exercise in a way more than sets and reps led her to a life-changing transformative experience. 

Vanessa talks about the pause before taking on something that scares her. She shared the thought, “If you can’t then you must”. SHe talks about doing things outside of your comfort zone, and that feeling after something you almost didn’t go through, “Wow, I can’t believe I almost didn’t do that”. She goes on to suggest that you give things that scare you a try and see how it goes. 

People should forget what they know and come to a trainer with an open slate and come and be willing to learn despite your background or what you told yourself you can do. Come with a clear mind willing to learn. Get rid of those expectations and limitations, who knows what you might learn. Come with that curiosity, It allows you to learn and to not be blocked by what you think you know or you don’t know.

Vanessa and Mauro also discuss what they see as the future of coaching going with lockdown and the pandemic and how it has changed for them. 

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 

[01:39] What growin up was like for Vanessa 

[04:05] Meeting Mauro at Ben’s Mentorship

[08:02] Love for sports and introducing siblings to the active lifestyle

[12:45] Developing Passion to the science of coaching with mentors

[13:50] Overcoming obstacles with a community

[16:00] Movement as therapy

[15:40] Benefits of outdoor activities

[17:30] Wim Hof method and Breathing During Exercise

[22:00] Mentorship and serving clients at a different level

[30:00] Connecting to the right resources

[35:00] Cold Water Showers and Dealing with Anxiety

[38:00] Kettlebell training to become a fitness instructor postpathurm

[45:00]  Advice to people to starting out with a trainer

QUOTES:

“Whoever it is that walks into my gym. It is not about what you can’t do at the gym, it is about finding what you can. Wherever you are right now, whatever that is emotional, spiritual, physical… find that common ground and just take it one step further

“Living your best life in a body that you love and a body that you love is so subjective… like a 7$ trophy at  the top of the  olympics stage “

“Most awesome experiences in my life have been through chasing that strange feelings… doing something outside my comfort zone”

“Come with a clean slate and willingness to learn, come with that curiosity it allows the ability to learn and not be blocked by what you think you know or you  don’t know. Get rid of  those limitations”

LINKS AND BOOKS MENTIONED

StrongFirst Kettlebell SFG

Longevity Lab

Dan Jon

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma –  Bessel van der Kolk

Muscle Intelligence podcast

Dr  Andrew Huberman