Meet Jenn Shelton
What originally drew you to dropgym?
Both of my kids trained for their Black Belts for many years under Shantell, when she taught at Chip Wright's Champion Karate. So, when Shantell and Lu first started Camp 17, Shantell told me all about it and invited me to join! It sounded intriguing! After years of driving my kids back and forth to all of their activities, it was now MY time to have some fun of my own! Even though there is a myth circulating that I was part of Tribe 1, I was actually part of Tribe 2, which started in March 2016! I've been with Drop Gym ever since! I think it's pretty cool that some of the ladies I met wayyyyy back then are still in class with me today! :)
What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
I took a summer internship in early college with the Indian Health Service in Arizona. I remember being nervous and sad leaving the comforts of home. I knew nobody in Arizona, so it was a huge adventure for young me! I traveled throughout the state with my job to several Indian reservations where we helped assess vector control and food safety/water quality. As part of the job, I had the blessing to hike several long, hot hours down the Grand Canyon to visit the home of the Havasupai Tribe! Lots of switchbacks and tons of sweat! Thankfully, the mules carried our belongings. If you know me, you know I'm definitely not a fan of helicopters/flying. BUT, I had developed severe blisters by the end of the visit, so for $50 cash I was flown straight up from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the top in less than 5 minutes. It was a bit scary---it was super windy, the helicopter swayed back and forth, and there were no doors! When we got to the top, I learned how dangerous the ride was. But, we made it! I was thankful!
What are 3-4 things that describe the feeling of “JOY” for you?
I love sitting outside watching birds and insects do their thing! There is so much to learn about order and purpose from observing nature!
I feel joy in the mornings sitting with my husband sipping coffee.
I feel blessed when my 21 year old son calls me and when my 18 year old daughter wants to spend time with me!
Life is so short. TIME = LOVE.
Are there any fears you’ve had to overcome on this journey at dropgym?
"Am I enough?" "Did I do that right?" Those are 2 questions (fears) that I have had come up more than once over the years. I'm definitely an over-thinker and can be very hard on myself. And it's something I can recognize easily in others. So, my advice to the women of DropGym is this: Just Be Yourself. You ARE enough! Just be you, commit to growing each day, and learn what's best for your God-given body! I see you. You are beautiful just the way you are! No one here is judging you. We are ALL learning and improving each day, and no one has it all together! In Camp 17, we were told to find the GOLD in others! SO, let's strive to SEE the GOLD in OURSELVES! The #1 encourager you have is...YOU! Tell yourself what you need to hear! I'm learning to speak positive words of encouragement to myself, rather than waiting to hear it from someone outside of myself! The truth is: no one but me knows what I need to hear the most! I am learning to be my #1 encourager!
When you feel most safe, loved and like your true self, what are three words that describe you well?
Loud, honest, sarcastic.
What’s your favorite movement? And is there a movement in the gym that has spoken to you or changed how you approach your life?
I love rowing, burpees, and deadlifts! I love how many muscles I feel activated during those 3 exercises, and how they make me feel strong and capable! Learning to breathe better through movements has helped me approach life more confidently! Focused breathing has literally saved me many times in life from having a panic attack set in! I never get those anymore because I can literally stop them as I sense them coming on by 1) telling myself repeatedly that I'm okay, and 2) intentional, focused breathing! I love when I can starve those panic attacks from setting in- It's a pretty awesome feeling!
What does consistency look like for you?
In terms of health and fitness, consistency is setting myself realistic goals and hitting them most of the time, but giving myself constant grace (a buffer) as needed. For example, while I would love to exercise 5 days a week, there are weeks where I can only make it 3 days a week, but I'm still being consistent with keeping exercise a priority even though I missed a couple of days! Consistency can look a little different each week, but overall I can say I'm definitely consistent with prioritzing exercise! Consistency is NOT perfection! (it took me many years to figure that out!)
