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One of my favorite parts of being at The Swell Center actually happens after class is over. People are gathering water bottles, phones and whatever else they brought in with them. But instead of heading straight for the door, they linger. Someone starts a conversation. Two people who didn't know each other before class are still talking. Another person asks, “Are you coming next week?” And sometimes I just stand there observing the moment and feeling a little bit more excited

This past week, the doors of The Swell Center officially opened. And I spent the first week sprinting from the role of instructor to executive assistant to janitor to graphic designer to accountant. There has been teaching. And cleaning. And scheduling. And troubleshooting. And hiring. And marketing. And answering emails. And ordering supplies. And figuring-it-out-as-we-go-ing. Beneath all of those “ings,” there has been something else: building. Building a place where people

We’re at a dinner party full of lively conversation and interesting characters. The hosts have strategically placed Paul and me at opposite ends of the table, so I find myself watching him from afar. At one point, he looks down at his watch, then glances up and catches my telltale expression. Paul consistently sets a timer for about two and a half hours when we’re out with people. He knows that’s right around the point when my social battery starts to fade—or as he would tell

In 2020, the world experienced a global shutdown. We huddled in our homes with our families and friends. We enforced social distancing and boundaries. We tested new ways of working remotely. We held our breath as our children navigated online classes. We mourned the loss of loved ones whose health conditions worsened. And we are still witnessing the damaging effects. Before the COVID pandemic, I worked several days a week in local Central Florida gyms teaching Les Mills BodyP