Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Norwoods.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It started May 8th, 2018, thinking about it isn’t it strange that a date can be nothing more than a blank space on a calendar going unnoticed, until one day we give it meaning and it becomes a date we remember forever? Well that day was the day I suffered a burst fracture of my spine, my T-12 to my L-2 from a tumbling incident. When people see me now, they have no idea that I had a spinal cord injury. Many people aren’t aware of SCI, and many SCI patients have different outcomes, but most are left paralyzed. I have been indescribably lucky to be where I am at today, walking, moving properly, etc. But that wasn’t the case in the beginning. I woke up from immediate surgery with very little movement, enough to know I was moving by faith. Even though I woke up with movement, the only feeling I felt was how unfamiliar and scary my future was looking like. I didn’t know how or what direction my recovery was going to take me, but the feeling of change was happening. I left the hospital seven days later, which is incredible and shocking to most. After the hospital became the hardest days, I wasn’t happy, I lost all independence, and I became insecure and unworthy of all things in life. To add to everything going on with me, two months after my accident, my mom, my best friend became extremely ill and passed away. I couldn’t understand what was happening or why it was happening, and after that my days became dark.
A week after my moms passing I went to Physical Therapy for the first time, I cried every session for two weeks straight. I realized how much I took my life for granted, I went my whole life being athletic to not even being able to put my own socks on, I took for granted going throughout my day without calling the person I loved most. It was one PT session that completely changed my perspective on my life when my Doctor told me I was here for a reason, now I need to use it to my full advantage. After that day everything started to change, I started working with a trainer, I started feeling better mentally and I was improving physically.
Eight months post-surgery, I went back to work. I grew up having to support myself, so not working wasn’t an option, even with my conditions. I worked at Equinox as the front desk and LAVC as the assistant Gymnastic coordinator. Evening though I was working in fields that I loved, I knew I wasn’t serving correctly. So I sat with myself, asking what I truly wanted out of life and why am I here. All I was receiving was ‘Personal Trainer’, I signed up for NASM right away. Unfortunately, when I got my cert, covid hit, so I couldn’t even train at a gym, luckily I started training people outside and to be honest, it taught me so much about myself and how to run a small business. People started going back to work and I wanted to learn more about training, so I went back to Equinox. I wasn’t there that long till I was introduced to Royal Personal Training, it’s a private training facility in Beverly Hills where I coach today. I have worked/work with some amazing individuals. I coach with love and I coach with purpose. I make sure my clients or others feel gratitude for what they have and what they are capable of achieving.
At first, it was hard to say out loud, but now it’s a big exasperated sigh and a feeling of relief from all the brokenness. I thank god and my mom every day that everything was taken away because I never would have given it up myself and I would have never have found my true authentic self or purpose without them. My own story has taught me the purpose of life is to discover your gifts, the work of life is to develop them and your true meaning of life is to give your gifts away. I know my story is still evolving, and with every gift I discover, I will develop it and continue to give it away as I continue to help as many people around me as possible.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest obstacle for me was learning to adapt and create an entirely different new life for myself. Adapting isn’t easy for most. Once I got home from the hospital after my accident, I realized that every single aspect of my old life has changed. I could no longer walk around the house freely. I used a walker to walk the streets I used to run. I couldn’t shower without help, I couldn’t call my mom to tell her all about the progress I was making: every part of my life had changed and I had to find a way to be OK with that. Learning how to find ways that brought me happiness was hard to do because my whole life I used moving my body as my escape. I learned a lot from it though, it taught me not to rely on certain things for happiness and that I should find it within myself. That way it could never be taken away.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Trainer in the LA area. I coach at Royal Personal Training. I am known as the “mobility queen”. I specialize in mobility, strength training/conditioning, and corrective exercises.
My spirit and story set me apart from others. It’s my gift to deeply connect with people and how I make them feel; seen, safe, supported, and celebrated. To show others that with grit, heart, and intent that is geared in the right places, it will generate certain results.
I am proud of myself for a lot of things, most proud of would be my strength and courage to keep moving forward.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The pandemic was such an eye-opener to me, you’d think everything that happened to me two years before was an eye-opener? Covid was a time I really sat with myself and discovered my shadow. I was re-introduced to parts of me I had thought I had forgiven myself for. It was fascinating to me discovering how my mind worked in survival mode and everyone else around me. It took a toll on everyone’s mental and physical health and watching that happen while I discovered the gift I was given, I finally learned to ask for help, so I could help others because that is really what life is about, helping others.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nikkaayy/
