Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Flanagan.
Shannon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As early as I can remember, I grew up always interested in sports. Not only did I want to play sports, but I wanted to be better than everyone…including the boys. As I got older, I started to make softball my priority. I played at an elite level which included winning 18u World Series AFA Championship and representing the USA in Europe for a season. When my softball career ended, I decided I wanted to everyone find their inner athlete so I got my personal training and group training certification in 2007. Shortly after that, I decided to move to Los Angeles to take my career to the next level. In Los Angeles, I started off as a trainer at a big box gym and ended up managing a beautiful corporate campus for Yahoo, Kaiser Permanente, Insomniac Games, etc. I lived in LA for almost 7 years, and loved the life I made there, but out of the blue my health started to deteriorate. I went to doctor and after doctor, but no one could figure out what was happening to me. I was 26 years old, one doctor told me I was going through pre-menopause, others told me I was making my symptoms up, and many were quick to tell me I wasn’t getting better because I wasn’t following their protocol (which I was). After lots of money, time, and energy spent trying to figure out what was happening a doctor finally diagnosed me with chronic Lyme disease. Shortly after getting diagnosed I decided to move back to Illinois to be closer to my family…my support system.
At first, I was like, “Hurray!!! I finally know what’s wrong with me. I am not crazy!!!” but I would soon realize that this road was only going to get harder.
It’s been over 4 years since getting diagnosed and I finally feel like I have control of my life back. I can’t tell you how many days I wasted feeling sorry for myself and wishing life was easier. My health got even worse. I gained weight, I couldn’t run or physically perform the way I used to and that killed me. It took me years to figure this out (because I am stubborn) but I needed to accept where I was and change the way I looked at situations if I wanted anything to improve. The thing is…if you want change to happen, you can’t wish it to happen…you have to actually CHANGE those stubborn habits in your life. For example, I needed to stop saying terrible things to myself and I needed to love myself from the inside out so I could help myself first and then help others. It sounds cliché, but it really is true…. self-love is the best love.
It’s been a long road, but I am finally ready to help others (which has always been my goal). I have been a fitness coach for almost 12 years and a nutrition coach for about 1. I have learned so much over the last 4 years about the importance of what you put in your body. I truly believe that with the right coaches, doctors, movement, and nutrition, you can lead your best life.
I created my company Live Laugh Move to help people feel better, move better, and ultimately get more confidence naked!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been the bumpiest road ever, but I love what I do. It was hard starting out in the fitness industry in a new city, and especially being a woman.
In the personal training world, most people don’t like to take women seriously. Off the bat, they have it in their mind that women aren’t physically stronger than guys, so they don’t know as much. When I moved to Los Angeles, I found a “celebrity trainer”. That I thought was going to mentor me. I found out quickly that he was definitely not interested in being my mentor, and when I turned him down for a date, he wanted nothing more to do with me. A few years ago, I had a boss who constantly had meetings with me to talk about my “image”. He questioned my tattoo that states, “Be YOU tiful”, my printed Lululemon leggings, and my well-manicured nail polish choices. He told me because I looked younger than I was, I needed to be more sophisticated for their clientele. My advice, be who you are. Be well groomed, wear a uniform if they provide it, but stay true to who you are. Don’t let anyone put you down for being creative and unique.
In the group exercise world, women are superabundant. I’ve learned over the years, that many companies will take less skilled men over women because they ASSUME most people that take group classes are women…and they ASSUME women like looking at men. It’s a very competitive world which leads to self-doubt, anger, and frustration.
However, I love what I do. I love how I make people feel. I love the connections I make with people in the studio outside of it. If I wasn’t extremely passionate for what I do, I would have definitely found different avenue. My advice is if you love something and you are passionate about it, go for it. You will meet some people that don’t have your best interest along the way who want to bring you down…don’t let them. You will meet some amazing people, people that will change your life for the better…hold on to them and don’t let go. Some roads are already smooth and some roads you have to pave your own way, but the lessons you learn along the way will make you grow.
What should we know about Live Laugh Move? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My mission is to help people become healthier and feel amazing in their bodies. I really try to get to know my clients in their everyday habitats. Every approach is different because everyone is different. Not only do you have to know the individual, but you have to understand their personal lives. Do they have a strong support system around them? How many hours a week do they work? What are their stressors? How do they cope with stress? etc. My approach is to break down big goals into smaller more attainable goals, and approach them one by one. I like to readdress those issues every 3 or 4 weeks to see how they are doing. If they are struggling with those habits, we have to break them down even more. If they are excelling, we progress into more challenging ones.
Something that sets me apart from most coaches is my journey with treating my auto-immune diseases. I am a better coach because what I have had to learn from my own personal experiences. I know that there is not one direct solution to everyone’s’ situation. You have to try different avenues and experiment at times to get the results they are looking for. Long story short, there is not a one size fits all protocol when it comes to fitness and nutrition.
Who do you look up to? How have they inspired you?
I have always been inspired by my grandmothers, my mother, and my sister. They are all strong women that have shaped me into who I am. I can’t thank them enough for their constant support in my career and personal decisions.
Katharine Hepburn is a woman that has always intrigued me. She was fiercely independent at a time where women were “supposed” to depend on a man. Katharine was an actress who was known for playing strong-willed women. She won four academy awards for Best actress, the most an actress has ever won. She got criticized all the time because of her unconventional non-conformist, masculine style choices. Katharine made wearing trousers acceptable to women (thank you Katharine…I have never been a big fan of dresses) which was largely considered a taboo at that time. My favorite quote from her is “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”
Audrey Hepburn (unrelated to Katharine) was another woman that made an impression on me growing up. I always loved how elegant she was. She was also known for humanitarian work, which I admire. My favorite quote from her is “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, “I’m possible”
Contact Info:
- Website: livelaughmove.com
- Phone: 630-215-6676
- Email: shannon@livelaughmove.com
- Instagram: shanagan9
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannon.flanagan.3726
2018 Jennifer Catherine Photography
Image Credit:
Photos by: Dana Ann Photography. Andrew Weber. Paul Bennet. Spin To Break the Cycle.
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