I have had the pleasure of knowing Cheryl Burney for more than six years…read more
First, she was my neighbor. When she told me she was a Pilates instructor, I thought to myself, "Pilates? I don't really know what that it is, but it sounds painful & hard." "Good for her," I thought. "That's not for me."
Then, we became friends. She is the kind of person who says, "You need to use my oven to cook part of your Thanksgiving dinner? No problem." "You are moving far away, can't take everything, & need a place to store keepsakes?" "Hand Them over. I've got it."
The reason I am writing, is to tell you about how my neighbor, my friend, Cheryl also became my Pilates instructor, & how thankful I am to have had the privilege to work with her. I am writing to tell you that if you are able to, you should give this gift to yourself (or make it available to others you care for & love).
Working with Cheryl is such a treat. Working with Cheryl is a delight. Working with Cheryl doesn't seem like work. She makes it fun. She makes you feel capable. She makes you feel strong. More than just making you feel that way, she makes you capable. She makes you strong.
You see, a few years ago, some doctors got a hold of some of my blood work & it scared them. So, they scared me. They said, "If you don't let us cut you open with a saw, you could die." I didn't want to let them hurt me. I didn't think I should let them hurt me, but was the mother of a beautiful twelve-year-old boy and thought it would be irresponsible to die. So, I underwent a mini-sternotomy. I let them cut through my breastbone (the way they do when they perform open heart surgery)
After the surgery, at first, I wasn't able to go from sitting up to lying down without help. I couldn't drive or open doors for myself.
When the surgery didn't end up fixing the problem they'd hoped it would fix, the doctors put me on high doses of steroids. The surgery & the steroids wreaked havoc on my body.
The surgeon was concerned the steroids might keep my breastbone from healing properly. As a result, for more than six months, I was not allowed to push, pull or lift more than five pounds.
My son had to push the cart in the grocery story, & carry all the groceries up the stairs. I wasn't allowed to lift a gallon of milk. My husband had to carry the laundry up & down the stairs, & make our bed. I wasn't allowed to work...
I hadn't been in great shape before all this health craziness, but after it, my body was a mess. I was depressed, anxious, & scared.
Six months after all this started, the doctors still weren't sure what was wrong with my immune system, but I decided I was done being sad. I was done feeling broken. I was done being scared. I was ready to stop hiding. I was ready to start living. I was ready to get stronger.
That's when I called Cheryl. As my friend, she'd been watching the roller coaster I'd been riding & offering care, support, & encouragement, the whole time.
When I called to talk with her about the possibility of working with her in her Pilates studio, she was excited about the prospect of helping me get stronger. She got me excited. She gave me tips & tools to start using right away, even before I walked through her studio door.
I got to know Cheryl in a different way. I started to realize how much she knows about kinesiology, about the human body, about movement, strength, conditioning, and rehabilitation.
Cheryl took the time to get to know me in a different way. She watched the way I walked, the way I stood, the way I held my body. She talked to me about what she saw & what I could do differently.
She introduced me to her valuable exercise equipment. She helped me relax & feel comfortable on machines that might otherwise have been intimidating. She confidently assessed what I could do & couldn't do. She knew where to start & got me going, without hurting me. She knew I'd been hurt enough already.
Cheryl is such a peaceful, calming presence. She makes you feel at ease. She welcomes you enthusiastically. She coaches you gently. She helps you see what you are accomplishing & helps you accomplish more.
Cheryl is lovely, inside & out. She is positive, encouraging, & fun. She makes you smile. She makes you laugh. She is confident, capable, & strong. Every time I have had the privilege of working with her, I have left feeling more confident, capable, & strong, myself.
In six months, she had me feeling ready to try boot camp (something I'd never have thought I'd have felt ready to do). I struggled, but I participated. I was doing push-ups. Me, the one who couldn't get up off the floor without help, just six months before.
Invest in yourself. Give this gift to yourself. Treat yourself. Strengthen yourself. If you are able to work with Cheryl, do so. I am so very glad to have had the opportunity & know you will be glad too.