Today we’d like to introduce you to James Carroll.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born at the Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital in Willowbrook, CA but have lived in the San Fernando Valley for the majority of my life. My story doesn’t differ from most of the people in my community and nothing makes it special in any way. I was raised in a broken household in which my mother worked extremely hard to provide for us while my father was in and out of jail. We survived on my mother’s income and government assistance. Growing up, I was unaware that we were poor. Everyone around us was in the same or similar situation as ours and it seemed to be the norm. The gangs, drugs, evictions and money issues were all too familiar for us all. I often felt that things were particularly hard for me being that I was the oldest of three siblings, biracial and that my mind seemed to work a bit differently than other kids my age. I was considered to be “weird” and didn’t seem to fit in. Since I had no older siblings or my father around to protect me and teach me how to deal with things, it made me an easy target. I was bullied and called all sorts of names. Things got extremely tough between the ages of 8-11 and this led to me having negative thoughts about myself and feeling as if there was no place for me here on Earth. Luckily around this time, I started playing sports and this became a huge part of my life. It helped me get through middle school and most of high school. Sports gave me confidence, joy, a sense of purpose and it taught me a lot about myself. It also helped me stay away from gangs and drugs.
During my mid-twenties, I found myself at a crossroads. I was unsure where to go and found myself choosing sports like I did when I was younger. I decided to start my journey in the Health and Fitness field. I went back to school, got my degree and also got my personal trainer certification from NASM. It gave me the opportunity to work with private clients as well as in commercial gyms. I was then fortunate to land a job with a non-profit organization as a Health and Wellness Coordinator where I worked in various low socioeconomic communities. Our department helped provide services in health, fitness, to parents and children. We also brought resources and special classes to elementary, middle school and high school students and staff. During this time, I realized I had a gift of being able to connect with both students and their parents like no one else did. I realized that through health and fitness, I could connect with others and make an impact on their lives. I then became a Physical Education and Health teacher at a charter school. I spent three years teaching and coaching at that location. I knew the students very well and that opened up an opportunity to become a mentor and counselor to many of them. Their issues and struggles were not unlike mine so I did my best to guide them and help them through them. After some self-reflection, I came to the conclusion that helping others change their lives and become a better version of themselves is what I enjoyed the most. This is when I decided to start JMC Holistics.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to where I currently am has been extremely difficult. Having to self reflect and deal with your own personal demons is not an easy thing to do but it is a necessity. Also, sometimes in the workplace you find yourself in situations that affect you both personally and professionally and you have to be able to handle it correctly. This is especially true when your work involves people allowing themselves to open up and be vulnerable.
JMC Holistics – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I was able to combine my experience, knowledge and education to help people grow, find a sense of happiness and live a healthier life through JMC Holistics. I believe that if you awaken the mind, train the body and nourish the soul, you can be balanced and live a happier life.
Having the correct mindset is a big part of what we focus on. Our mindset can affect us in a negative way depending on how we see things and how we react to them. Having a better understanding of why and who we are can help us start changing our mindset more positively. My goal is to help others on their journey so they can know they are not alone.
Exercise and nutrition is not only about looking good on the outside. I always tell my clients that we work from the inside out and not the outside in. That means that you can look good on the outside but be unhealthy on the inside. Exercise is not just about running and lifting weights but about proper form and technique. Making sure the kinetic chain is aligned and working properly to prevent injury.
Nutrition seems to be really popular right now with the different diet fads and fake supplements. People are always looking for the magic pill or the easy way instead of putting in the work. I am not in the business of catching fish for you. Instead, I will teach you how we can fish together. This just means that I will empower you to take ownership of how, why and what to eat. Like one of my former instructors told me, “When it comes to exercise and nutrition, I’m currently the teacher and you are the student. When you become a professional, you then become the teacher and are responsible for teaching your clients.”
Nourishing the soul is just about finding what you are passionate about, what moves you and to possibly get outside your comfort zone to find it. It makes your life more fulfilling when you do so.
What sets me apart from others is that I don’t sell people on things that I don’t truly believe in. I only share things that I know are deemed to work for the better.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The impact that I have been able to make on other human beings lives. Also, all the support that I have received from my students, clients, friends and family.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jmcholistics.com
- Phone: (818) 996-4818
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmc_holistics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmcholistics/
Image Credit:
Juan Espino, Marissa Contreras, Cris Meza
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