Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Ebling.
Melissa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was an athlete my entire life but once I went to college at the University of Kansas, I knew I had to do something to avoid gaining the “freshman fifteen.” At that point, I started messing around in the gym but really had no idea what I was doing. Throughout my time in undergrad, I stumbled upon fitness social media and learned as much as I could. My degree is in Health Information Management but training and nutrition quickly became my passion. Fast forward to law school (I thought that was the path I was “supposed” to be on) where I competed in my first NPC show as a 2L (second-year law student). It was about that time, halfway through my studies, that I realized I had to pursue fitness. I eased my way into online fitness coaching, starting off with a summer challenge in 2018, just about a year ago. I had a few girls join and I realized that this could be the start of so much more. During my final semester in law school (last August – December), I suffered from serious anxiety and panic attacks. Finally, things got bad enough that I left class and ended up in the emergency room from a full-blown panic attack. I decided that was it, no more. I was tired of living a double life and I knew I needed to make the decision that was right for me. Once I decided to pursue fitness as a career, my anxiety subsided substantially within a week. I still graduated with my JD in December 2018 but decided against taking the bar exam. I moved to San Diego in March to continue growing my coaching business as well as expanding into the fitness industry, and I haven’t looked back since!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I wouldn’t say the road has been smooth by any means. Anxiety was obviously a huge struggle as well as pushing past all of the limiting beliefs I place on myself. I was entirely too concerned with what people would think – “you went to law school and you’re just going to throw it all away?” “you’re going to make so much money as a lawyer!” “oh you’re in law school, that means you’re so smart” “you’ll pay off your student debt in no time as an attorney!” And I had the perfect path laid out for me – a position as a new associate at a law firm I had worked at for years. I loved (and still love) those people and I learned A LOT during my time at the firm. But I didn’t want that perfect path. I wanted something that set my soul on fire and aligned with my purpose. Some days I got lost in the mindset that I was throwing away something really good. But people are scared to leave good for great. I knew I just had to take the leap and it was only up from there. My biggest advice is to JUST GO FOR IT. The only way to know if something is going to work or not is to TRY. I would much rather get to my death bed knowing if something was FOR me or NOT for me as opposed to wondering “what if?” We only have one life so why not just go for it? There’s a ton of mindset work that goes into this but everything starts there. If your mind isn’t right, nothing else is going to fall into place. I start every day with a morning routine where I focus on my intentions, gratitudes, affirmations, and manifestations. It has changed my life since I started implementing it last summer.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of. What sets you apart from others.
I am an online fitness coach who helps mostly women (I do have a couple of male clients) achieve the body of their dreams with zero food restrictions. I teach my clients how to turn fitness into a sustainable lifestyle and provide them with the tools they need to continue progressing long after our time working together comes to an end. I am huge on client education and while I’d love to have my clients stay with me forever, I wouldn’t be doing a very good job if that were the case. I also emphasize mindset work because that is truly what it all comes down to. If you don’t believe something is possible for you, then you’re right. The same holds true for anything you believe IS possible for you. I can’t crawl into anyone’s heads and change their thoughts, but I can certainly teach the tools to switch their mindset into a more successful place. I am most proud of my story and the community that I’ve built. On Instagram, we call ourselves the good vibe tribe – and that is a community that I will never, EVER take for granted. My account recently got hacked and the feedback I received while it was gone as well as once I returned was overwhelming. I couldn’t believe the number of people who reached out saying they missed my stories and good vibes. THAT is really cool to me.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
I love personal development books! Some of my faves are Grit (Angela Duckworth), You Are a Badass and You Are a Badass at Making Money (Jen Sincero), The Slight Edge (Jeff Olson), Relentless (Tim Grover), and MaxOut (Ed Mylett).
I also love podcasts; here are some of my faves: The MFCEO Project (Andy Frisella); Earn Your Happy (Lori Harder); The Ed Mylett Show; the Charlie Rocket show; Evolve with Emily (Emily Hayden); Deeper Than Money (Chloe Crain); The Science of Success; and a raunchy/hilarious show – The Basement Yard (Joe Santagato).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://melissajanefitness.mykajabi.com/
- Email: teammjfit@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/melissajane_fit
Image Credit:
Taylor Fournier
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