The POWER of Potential

Here I am with part of the group of sixth graders I taught in East Austin in 2000 (24 years ago!). These little humans taught me so much and are part of the reason I am who I am today. That eye roll scowl in the back row has me cracking up. Can you believe I remember each one of their names? RAH!

Today, while listening to local classical music station KMFA, I caught an inspiring interview with Nicaraguan-born guitar virtuoso Isaac Bustos (https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/556132?m=false). Isaac passionately shared how he reached his current success through the generosity of many individuals in his life. He spoke about his middle school guitar teacher, who recognized his exceptional talent and connected him with a Miami guitar professor who offered him free guitar lessons.

This interview reminded me of my first year as a sixth grade elementary school teacher in East Austin, one of the most rewarding years of my many years in public education. Those sixth graders taught me invaluable lessons about life, self-discovery, and the power of potential. As educators, recognizing potential in every student can be challenging. While some teachers overlook this potential, I embraced it in each of my students. This required extra work and effort on my part—home visits, parent calls, after-school tutoring, making sure they had food in their belly, discussing their goals and dreams, and much much more. Once my students sensed my genuine care for them and their future, a transformation occurred. They began to invest in their future like never before.

I share this with you to give you a peek into my mindset as your Trainer and Nutrition Coach and as owner of RAH! Power Fitness. When you participate in RAH! Power Fitness workouts, whether online or in person, or join our Renew, Reset, RAH! Nutrition meet-ups, I see your potential for a happier, healthier life. I know it’s there and you prove it through your actions—when you high-five me on screen or in person, when you smile back at me, when you reply to a text, or when we set new nutrition goals together during our nutrition phone calls, and even when you grunt upon arrival instead of saying “Good Morning!” (I’m looking at you 6am RAH! Power people).

I also recognize the immense potential of our collective strength as the RAH! Power people community. You affirm this potential by giving back to the larger community, like picking up litter at Northwest District Park for Its My Park Day, wrapping gifts for underserved youth for Florence’s Comfort House, attending workouts that benefit OutYouth, or donating non-perishable food items for our unhoused and food insecure brothers and sisters. Connectedness and community is part of what makes RAH! Power Fitness so POWERful and full of potential.

Seeing the potential in you and in our RAH! community is in my DNA and in the DNA of RAH! Power Fitness. It's a part of my mindset and it's a part of the future we're building together. Let's continue tapping into the POWER of potential together today and every day to come.

RAH! Power RAH!