Client Story: That "Whoa!" Moment

A client shared with me recently one of those very cool, unexpected, "just happened" kind of moments that made her go, "Whoa!".

Quick Background

When this client first started with me just over a year ago (start of February 2025) after being referred by her physio, her goal was to continue to rehab her knee and (hopefully) be able to play pickleball again. On top of that, our goal together was helping her with that natural injury mind that keeps saying "This shouldn't be happening to me" and/or "I'll never get better".

*Side note: I couldn't believe this client has only been with me for a little over a year when I checked back to write this post! She's made such wonderful shifts in her health and mindset, and we've had amazing conversations pretty much every time she comes to the studio. Most of our time together she has come 2x per month and we utilize our app for coaching, programming and habits in between.

Fast Forward to May 2026

Not only did she play pickleball again (since last summer) but she's even at the point of mulling over the idea of some pretty epic hiking adventures in the near future!! WOW! The confidence (and abscence of stress) surrounding her knee and her overall ability is simply awesome in a very short time span. ALL of it due to the fact that she was honest, open and willing to work at her mindset as well as her body.

Recently when she came in for a session she shared with me that she's been doing lots around their (big) property, including plenty of gardening. While she was doing her gardening, she was planting some garlic when all of a sudden she realized that she was in a deep squat position!! She hadn't even given it a thought - her body just did it, and did it comfortably!

I love these moments with clients, when the body just naturally does it's thing once we ALLOW and HELP it to heal. These regular, every day moments are WAY BIGGER than many of us realize. These little things like "I can't get down to the ground" or "I have to be careful of doing 'x' so I don't feel pain or discomfort", eat away at us EVERY, SINGLE DAY. THAT creates a chronic stress (physical, mental and emotional) that we carry with us at ALL times. However, when we seek guidance and support, when we take action for ourselves and when we're open to ways of thinking and approaching our deep health, these awesome moments happen (seemingly) naturally.

The Deep Squat IS in our NATURE

Humans evolved to rest in a variety of positions. A deep squat was one of those rest postures that we would naturally rest in when we lived in nature. Even today though, the ability to move into this position helps with a variety of everyday tasks.

In addition, this movement itself is a wonderful example of human mobility. Since modern day humans spend most of our time no lower to the floor than a chair position, our joints and tissues are not mobile enough to comfortably move into and through this rest posture. Many of us are living in a constant state of tension, stress and inflammation as well, which is also NOT lending itself to allow us to freely move into natural rest postures.

"So we're doomed Coach??"

Absolutely not. There are a couple things holding us back from re-learning this ability...

1) We don't think about it

2) We don't allow ourselves time or effort to actually work at it

3) We don't work from where we're at now, modify as needed and gradually progress our ability

4) We don't feel it's important enough to work on

All that said, my client and I were NOT specifically focusing on it which makes her "Whoa!" moment that much better. HOWEVER, here's what she did do within the points made above....

1) She thought ALOT and talked ALOT about mindset with me regularly (still does), in how she approaches her health practices and what SHE TRULY wants in her health goals

2) She took ACTION regularly and consistently over the last year. She TOOK CONTROL of her health practices.

3) She modified, progressed and/or regressed things as needed, while learning to listen to her body.

4) She re-discovered the VALUE in the little things in her daily health and lifestyle.

Think about it? Working on something like overall mobility in the body, can ELIMINATE a nagging stressor in your daily routines.

Want to do some gardening? Get down and enjoy.

Need to get something you dropped on the floor? Get down and pick it up without a thought.

Want to play with the grandkids on the ground? Have a blast!

What makes this story special is that this client was referred to me with the hopes that she could (someday) play pickleball again. Not only did she achieve that goal, but she continues to build on skills, abilities and "ah-ha" moments in her everyday life that supports her deep health in positive ways. Love it!!