Healthy Living • Y Stories • YMCA Health and Fitness • YMCA Volunteers
How Beth broke down her boundaries
08 March 2018 - by Nicole Meredith
The Y has been like a second home to Beth’s entire family for the past twelve years. With group fitness classes for her, and swim lessons for her kids, the Y was her one-stop shop for health-promoting activities. But the Y has become so much more than just a gym to Beth and her family: after two of her now-adult children started volunteering, a once-shy, reserved Beth decided it was time for her to step out of her comfort zone and move from the back of her favourite classes to the front. Here’s Beth’s story of how she broke down her boundaries and built up her confidence.
I stumbled onto the Y back in 2005 when a neighbour asked me to come take a group fitness class with her. Before that, I hadn’t really been doing anything to protect my health, but after that first class, I was hooked! To this day, the classes are one of my favourite things about the Y. You can take as many as you want every month, and they’re so upbeat and fun, it’s easy to stay motivated. I’m grateful I’ve found a fun way to stay active, because I know I need to commit for life: my dad had Type 2 diabetes, and I really don’t want to go down that road. So far, so good: I feel strong, healthy, and excited to continue taking care of myself.
I also love that there’s something for everyone in my family at the Y. Two of my children have autism, so the Y’s welcoming, inclusive environment means a lot to us. The staff, instructors, and volunteers always have a smile waiting for us when we show up, and they’re always ready to answer our questions or help us out whenever we need it. Beyond the wonderful staff and members, the Y also has an assistance program that’s allowed my two kids to keep their memberships, even though their only source of income is ODSP.
My kids are actually the reason I started volunteering at the Y. When my daughter was in high school, she needed to get her community service hours. We all knew she was capable of doing the job, and would just need someone there to help keep her on track. The two of us volunteered at the membership desk for a year, and now she volunteers every Saturday, helping to teach kids’ programs. My son also got his high school community service hours through the Y, and is still active as a volunteer. They both like volunteering because it gives them a sense of purpose, and an opportunity to interact with others.
Thanks to them, I’ve also kept up my own volunteering! I loved group fitness classes from the beginning, but when I first started, I tended to stay in the back row so I could feel safe and hidden. I slowly started working my way towards the front of the class, and eventually debated if I should try teaching Arriba, which had become my favourite. I was terrified to get up there in front of everyone. I finally decided to go for it when I heard someone say that people have a tendency to put all kinds of barriers up that stop them from doing what they want. I made the choice to stop holding myself back, and I’m so happy I did! My confidence has skyrocketed and I’ve built deep relationships with tons of people, from the members in my classes to the other volunteers and instructors I train with. I’ve never been the most outgoing person, but the Y is definitely changing that!
Volunteering at the Y has really pulled me out of my shell. My friends and family are always telling me that I look happier, healthier, and stronger — and I feel all of those things! I like to joke that I never go outside of my comfort zone anymore because I just don’t have one left. The boundaries I used to confine myself within have simply been blown away.
I stumbled onto the Y back in 2005 when a neighbour asked me to come take a group fitness class with her. Before that, I hadn’t really been doing anything to protect my health, but after that first class, I was hooked! To this day, the classes are one of my favourite things about the Y. You can take as many as you want every month, and they’re so upbeat and fun, it’s easy to stay motivated. I’m grateful I’ve found a fun way to stay active, because I know I need to commit for life: my dad had Type 2 diabetes, and I really don’t want to go down that road. So far, so good: I feel strong, healthy, and excited to continue taking care of myself.
I also love that there’s something for everyone in my family at the Y. Two of my children have autism, so the Y’s welcoming, inclusive environment means a lot to us. The staff, instructors, and volunteers always have a smile waiting for us when we show up, and they’re always ready to answer our questions or help us out whenever we need it. Beyond the wonderful staff and members, the Y also has an assistance program that’s allowed my two kids to keep their memberships, even though their only source of income is ODSP.
My kids are actually the reason I started volunteering at the Y. When my daughter was in high school, she needed to get her community service hours. We all knew she was capable of doing the job, and would just need someone there to help keep her on track. The two of us volunteered at the membership desk for a year, and now she volunteers every Saturday, helping to teach kids’ programs. My son also got his high school community service hours through the Y, and is still active as a volunteer. They both like volunteering because it gives them a sense of purpose, and an opportunity to interact with others.
Thanks to them, I’ve also kept up my own volunteering! I loved group fitness classes from the beginning, but when I first started, I tended to stay in the back row so I could feel safe and hidden. I slowly started working my way towards the front of the class, and eventually debated if I should try teaching Arriba, which had become my favourite. I was terrified to get up there in front of everyone. I finally decided to go for it when I heard someone say that people have a tendency to put all kinds of barriers up that stop them from doing what they want. I made the choice to stop holding myself back, and I’m so happy I did! My confidence has skyrocketed and I’ve built deep relationships with tons of people, from the members in my classes to the other volunteers and instructors I train with. I’ve never been the most outgoing person, but the Y is definitely changing that!
Volunteering at the Y has really pulled me out of my shell. My friends and family are always telling me that I look happier, healthier, and stronger — and I feel all of those things! I like to joke that I never go outside of my comfort zone anymore because I just don’t have one left. The boundaries I used to confine myself within have simply been blown away.
