A Mother Knows Things- Showing Up and Following Through Builds Character

This week on our A Mother Knows Things series, we’re diving into Principle 4: Showing up and following through builds character. Spoiler alert: it may also help you get more fit.

Let me take you back to June 2019. I just became an American Council on Exercise (ACE Fitness) Certified Group Fitness Instructor.

Had I ever taught a fitness class before? Nope.

Was I teaching fitness classes at that moment? Also nope.

Did I have any plans to teach fitness classes anytime soon? You guessed it, no.

But here’s the thing: I love fitness.

There was always something telling me that I should share this passion with people one day. Maybe. So, I decided that when the time came, I wanted to be ready. If I was going to put myself out there, I wanted people to take me seriously. That meant getting the knowledge and credentials first even if I had no clear plan for how or when they’d come into play.

Then came the plot twist none of us saw coming - a global pandemic.

Suddenly, the world slowed down, everything turned upside down, and amidst it all, a few of my female coworkers made a request of me that changed everything: "Hey Alvine, do you think you can do a virtual fitness class for us?"

One class. That’s what I thought it would be.

But one class turned into a twice-a-week commitment on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before work and evenings after the workday ended. For nearly six months, we stretched, sweated, and grooved our way through those classes together.

What started as a small, scrappy effort with colleagues in Slalom's New York office turned into a full-on movement, reaching multiple offices across time zones, and, eventually, live fitness classes on Instagram.

Was it exhausting keeping up that pace? Absolutely.

Was it incredibly fulfilling to watch people get stronger, more confident, and fall in love with movement? Without a doubt.

Did it give me a way to share something I love in a time when we all needed connection more than ever? 100%.

And through it all, here’s what I learned: When people are counting on you and you keep showing up, especially when it’s easier not to, it doesn’t just build their trust in you; it builds your trust in yourself.

Consistency isn’t glamorous. But it is powerful. It’s how character gets built - one pushup, one Microsoft Teams virtual fitness class, and one “I said I would, so I will” at a time.