Anything Is Possible

Meet Aleen Lodge, a 52 year old mother of 2, a wife, and Vice President of sales and marketing for Grapevine Communications.  I met Aleen about 3 months ago and invited her to take my dance classes.  At the time, Aleen's fitness routine was absolutely NOTHING!  The most exercise that she got was doing the laundry, walking the dogs around the block, and carting her kids around from activity to activity.  She was overweight, frustrated, and sick of her old ways.  Her weight was always a problem and her eating habits were out of control.  You name every diet out there and Aleen had tried it...but nothing had ever worked.  Every time she had a doctor's appointment, she would pray that she had a thyroid problem.  The question was, "Could Aleen make it possible to change?"

"I thought that I was going to die after my first dance class with Ilyse.  It was about 100 degrees in the summer time in the San Fernando valley with no air condition in the dance studio.  After 5 minutes, I had to stop because I could not breathe.  I had no stamina and all I could think about was Ilyse will never invite me back to this class again.  I had to push myself because I couldn't believe that this was considered exercising.  It was so much fun, the music was great, and she was incredible.  I had no dance experience, but she got me to move," Aleen voiced after class.

Is it bad to say that I was actually overjoyed by watching Aleen huff and puff through her first class with me?!  She struggled, had to stop numerous times, and it was awesome!  :)  I say this because at that moment I knew anything was possible for Aleen.  I knew that I had Aleen hooked and I was going to help her make a big change in her life.  That hot summer day was one of the best days of my summer, because the unexpected began...

"David, you are going to back to school night by yourself tonight, because I'm dancing.  I have gone every year.  This year, I am putting my foot down and I am not giving up my dance class.  It is my time and I will not compromise,"  Aleen told her husband.  When Aleen shared this with me that night after class, I could not stop laughing.  She put her dancing, me, and her new fitness routine in front of her own children.  I was very proud and excited to hear that her family was supporting her new choices as well.  Aleen was finally doing for Aleen.  She was no longer in bed at 8:30 p.m. ... instead...she was DANCING!

On September, 25, 2009, I received a text message from Aleen, "I just put on a pair of pants that I haven't been able to wear in a year!  Don't stop the music.  You've given me a new Ilyse on life!"  That text message was yet another "Rock Star" moment for my, Aleen Lodge.  The results that she was seeing, feeling, and getting were mind boggling.  This was just from dancing, eating the right way, and making new choices.

Now, after 3 months of me knowing Aleen, she asked me to share this, "I'm 52 years old, it has taken me this long to get here, but everything happens for a reason so it's okay.  This journey with Ilyse has made me feel good and made me realize that I will be around for a very long time.  I want to set a good example for my children.  I have lost 50 lbs. in 3 months, but it was the happy result to this experience with Ilyse.  I feel good and that is all that matters.  Discovering Ilyse has been more that I could have ever hoped for.  She is a choreographer, dancer, fitness instructor, and my angel.  I do not know where I would be or what I would be doing if I never met Ilyse.  I probably would still be sitting on my couch watching TV and not living my life.   Now 3 times a week, I know where I want be and what I want to be doing, because of Ilyse.  I didn't have it before, something was always missing, and now my life is complete.  This is a new part of my life.

After hearing how Aleen feels, it amazes me how many choices need to be made in life.  Some are doable, some are more difficult, and are some even possible?  Aleen Lodge's life has now changed for the better after that hot summer dance class.  Aleen Lodge did it....accomplished the unexpected...she is on her way to a new, exciting journey.  So...it is true...ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!

Take Aleen's story and reflect back on 2009.  What could you have done differently?  What did you not accomplish?  Could you have worked harder?  Whatever your answers may be just move forward.  Step into 2010 on the right foot, because "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!"