1/5: WELCOME BACK

I'm not going to lie, that was wonderful 2 weeks off.  It has been a very busy 2025 for me and I desperately needed to get away from everything for a couple of weeks.  However, I am equally as excited to get back to class and get started on my goals for 2026.

I was joking with one of the coaches on Saturday that there seems to be a pretty direct correlation between how good my body feels with how many days I have off where I don't train.  Now, some of you might say, "Prof, shshshshshsh, don't let the cat out of the bag.  People may stop coming to class if they realize that."  Of course, I'm not worried about that at all because the other benefits that come with that sore body far outweigh not having the gym to come to.  For me personally, those benefits include 1) Doing what I believe God put me on this planet to do, 2) The mental benefits of overcoming adversity every day, 3) The friendships I have developed, 4) The emotional release that we all occassionally need, 5) The long term health benefits of staying in incredible shape when most 55 year olds have put their athletic pursuits on the shelf, 6) Seeing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth of members of the gym, 7) Seeing families develop lifelong bonds with other families in the gym, 8) Being able to show my kids that you don't need a college education to run a successful business, and 9) All the awesome travel that has accompanied this job and the amazing people I have met along the way.

Hopefully, you share some of those same benefits, and many others that I may not even know about.  Whatever the reasons, I am extremely grateful for each and every person that walks through that door, whether they stay for a class or stay for a lifetime.  Without all of you, none of this would exist.  Every so often I have to stop and pinch myself that so many people have entrusted themselves and their children with what we have to offer inside the walls of the gym.  The road has certainly been bumpy over these first 2 years, but I also feel much of that was needed to build me into the person I am today.

Whatevery your goals are for 2026, write them down, only share them with trusted friends and family that are going to support you and brush the doubters away.  Two years ago I worked hard to purge the people from my life that were dragging me down instead of lifting me up, and it has been the healthiest cleansing of my life even if the process was incredibly difficult.  It's wonderful to only be surrounded by people that want the best for you, be it family, friends, or business associates.  I certainly hope that Gracie Barra Northville is in you plans for all of 2026 and beyond.  But if it's not, I want you to know that I appreciate everyone who gives us a chance and I hope you can take something from the time you have with us to benefit your life.  Well, 2026, here we are.  Let's GOOOOOOOOOOO!