Firstly, let’s put things in perspective, my working life has given me great experience and wisdom to get me from a place where I was doing what I was good at, to doing what I am passionate about.

I spent my younger years in the corporate arena, climbing the corporate ladder in the 90s, which at the time I thought, isn’t this what I’m suppose to do? My favourite movie was ‘working girl’ – get the picture? I was Melanie Griffith in the finance department with the big hair!

I enjoyed my life outside my job and made the most out of the perks that you get with a corporate position. Work was a job and I made it work for me. I fed my passion through other activities before and after work and even in my lunch hour. Training at the gym, playing for the office touch football team, competing in corporate park runs, training with teams for triathlons and running around the CBD with friends. You would often find me in my runners more than heels! This was my life, actively happy and earning a good salary to keep up my lifestyle.

My break through moment came when I had just finished a run and was coming back up to the office, when one of the big bosses said to me “it must feel good to be fit?” I replied “yes, it does…” To this day I remembered that comment which made me think, I need to do something different, I need to do something great. What do I really want to do most of the time? What gives me energy? What do I jump out of bed for? How can I do what I love all the time? What does that look like? I had discovered what it was that I loved to do, but did I have the courage to try? So, after 10 years of working in corporate roles and getting my joy in being out of the suit, I decided to try.

And not long after that moment, things shifted and I dove in deep into a totally different world. I became a fitness trainer! I loved the feeling of being fit, and my passion was to share this feeling with others. I thought if it makes me feel so good to be fit, other people should feel like this too. What gave me energy was the feeling of being fit and I wanted to make a positive difference for others to feel great too.

Again, let’s put things in perspective, passion led me to become a fitness leader in the industry. It was my first break through that changed my path to pursue a career that mattered to me, and I have loved the experience and am still in the game. However, there’s a lot of personal development that happens in life and I have come to accept that you don’t have to have just one passion or one purpose. Life is full and your direction and priorities change, as the days go by. (#darylbraithwaite)