Define Success...

Pictured left to right: Matt Dryden, Kristina Dryden, Sally Rich, Michelle Hodgkins, Linda Slabaugh, Leslie Gudmunsen.

I know my success comes through our amazing fitness members. There is no doubt that I look forward to going to work every day knowing that I get to do something I love. I get to hang out with some wonderful fitness members. It's the smiles on their faces, the interactions with them in the fitness centers. What is even better, is seeing our fitness members in our communities with a smile, maybe a friendly greeting, a simple wave or—for the really cool guys—it's just a head nod.

When you are blessed with managers like Michelle Hodgkins and Sally Rich in Spooner, Linda Slabaugh in Shell Lake, and Leslie Gudmunsen in Trego, who go out of their way to help our members, to get to know them by name and get to know their families, you know you have a team that has our communities' best interests at heart.

As I sit back and read numerous articles on the internet in the fitness and financial pages I visit, I keep seeing a common theme: How to be better in 2019. Take these steps for this and that, eat better, save more money, make positive relationships etc, etc, etc. I felt like I was successful in 2018, but I guess according to all these articles I still can be better. Hahaha, well news for them, I am very happy with what 2018 had to offer, the good and the bad. Before you get sucked into all these articles, that if your not careful can make you judge yourself too harshly, just remember there is always room to tweak life, but don't beat yourself up for where you have been. It is all part of the adventure and learning curve of life.

“You're perfect just the way you are. But if you feel like loosing a few pounds, getting healthier and making a few new friends in the process then Joe's is the place to be.” This is my favorite movie quote from the movie “Dodge Ball” regarding my philosophy to running my fitness centers. This quote has always stuck with me and really helps to remind me why I started the Body Shop Fitness Centers.

If you are on the fence about joining, you don't have to lose a few pounds before you come in, and you don't have to buy new work out clothing just to join the fitness center. Shoot, ladies if you're coming in for early AM workouts, don't waste your time with the hair or make-up. We don't care what you look like, we just appreciate that you are here putting in the effort with the rest of us.    

So how do you define success? Is it the input from others that give you value? How many followers you have on social media? What material things you have? The circles of people you associate with in the community? Every day is a new day, some days will be better than others but I think we can agree we all can take the extra time to be better to those around us. Maybe we can be the positive in someone's bad day, week or year.

When I reflect on the year I can not help but feel very grateful for the opportunity to have opened and operated The Body Shop Fitness Centers for over 11 years now with 3 locations. This would not have even been possible if it was not for the support of our fitness members (past, present, and future) and the support from our communities. Ultimately, my success comes in the form of relationships we have made in the fitness centers and the people we have been blessed to help along the way. When you get to help people start a new adventure in life and help them make positive healthy changes, it is very rewarding to see them accomplish the smallest of personal goals.

We wish all of our readers a Happy New Years.  

Matthew C. Dryden