"I used to feel uncomfortable in the gym. I didn’t know what exercises to do, how much weight to use, what proper form looked like, etc. Going to the gym felt more like a daunting task than a way to enjoy exercising. When I would go to the gym, I felt extremely anxious. It felt as though my mind was turning against me, telling me that everyone there was watching me, judging me for what I was doing. I wanted to become a better version of myself, but I didn’t know how to do so without feeling this way. Jackson was easy to relate to from the moment I first talked to him. I saw many of my own struggles in his story, which made me feel like I wasn’t alone. He heard my concerns and validated my experiences. I could instantly tell that I wasn’t just another number to him, that he saw me as a person. I realized that online coaching was working for me a few weeks in to my training program. I was having a mentally tough day. I was very anxious and just not myself. In the past, I would have come home, laid on the couch, and done nothing for the rest of the day. However, on this particular day, there was nothing I knew I needed or wanted to do more than to go to the gym. I didn’t set an PRs or use the heaviest weights, but I completed my workout. Afterwards, I felt better, like my mind was clear, but I remember feeling so proud of myself. I have never felt more like myself than I do now. Exercising has become a priority in my daily life, because I love how it makes me feel. I have become more confident in myself, my mental health is improving every day, I sleep better, I am stronger and faster."