Hi!  It’s Joy here.  I wanted to introduce you to a wonderful woman, Claire!

 

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Claire when we were both part of the 2016 V-WISE Charlotte class earlier this year.  I thought she would be the perfect woman to introduce to you today because she has such an amazing outlook on living well.  

Claire was kind enough to answer lots of my questions, and she shared a couple of her favorite posts so you can get an idea of the information you can find stopping by her site.  

I am the Founder  + Trainer of Fleur de Lis Fitness, which offers personal training, small group training, and healthy lifestyle nutrition coaching to clients both in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area (my husband is active Marine Corps and we’re stationed here) and across the globe using Skype, FaceTime, and YouTube.  So I’m a virtual trainer that can connect no matter where you live in addition to one that you would visit live, in person!  

I love working with clients and helping them lead a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.  When they tell me that they haven’t felt ever felt this good and healthy, it brings me ultimate joy since that means I accomplished what I set out to do! 

I’m going to go with two since it’s hard to choose between!  Starting my business and earning my masters of science in developmental psychology are my greatest accomplishments.  There was so much to learn when it came to starting Fleur de Lis Fitness and it was challenging because I had never done anything like it before.  Since I don’t have a formal business background, there was a lot of research that needed to be done in addition to living and learning, but I’d say it all paid off!  

Earning my master’s degree was also a laborious yet very fulfilling experience.  Graduate school is a whole different ballgame than undergrad because the bar is set much higher and there are greater expectations from you.  I chose to undergo the master’s thesis research program, which entailed establishing a hypothesis, crafting an experiment, gathering subjects, analyzing all the research, and writing up the results.  It took endless hours but at the end of it, I was so proud that I cried tears of joy.  

Throughout both experiences, I am endlessly grateful for the support of my loved ones who always stood by me.  We learn a lot about ourselves when we leave our comfort zones, push ourselves, and strive for greater things.

Someday I’d love to parasail (I’ve been skydiving and it was SO cool….but I had only about 45 minutes to mentally prepare because my husband drove me to the facility and it was a complete surprise!) and then eventually fly a plane!  I can’t get enough of seeing the world from above and want to be able to maneuver myself through the sky.  Being above the world is my favorite perspective.  I would definitely be a bird if I had to be an animal!

Genuine, caring, silly

If I’m not working, you’ll find me working out, traveling, cooking, hanging with my husband and loved ones, reading, or being outside in some capacity.  I try to do this (aside from the traveling) most days!

I wanted to have a voice and a way to communicate with my followers on a weekly basis.  I think my disciplined yet balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle works for many people and it was important to me to share my knowledge, thoughts, tips, and what works.  Basically I love to communicate and connect with people and this is another avenue for me to do so.  My Fleur de Lis Fitness Friday blog posts cover all topics health, fitness, and lifestyle related!

Leggings!!!  I hope they never go out of style but even if they do, I’ll just keep wearing them because they are the best.  I love how they’re insanely comfortable, show off my hard earned legs, can double as workout or more dressy in nature, but are still conservative.  They work for all shapes and sizes!

This is not the last book I read (currently reading All the Knives by Olen Steinheuser) but I did read it in the past year – The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.  It follows a South African boy during Apartheid and made me laugh, tear up, question the world, question myself, and overall left my heart so full. 

My husband got me this book after our very belated honeymoon to South Africa and it’s incredibly dear to me.  I recommend it to children and adults of all ages…in fact, many students read it in school but for some reason I just never had to!  It’s a must-read in my opinion.