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Life and Work with Corie Campbell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corie Campbell.

Corie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Pure Joy Training was a desire in my heart long before I ever really knew what it would look like. Four years ago, my husband and I had just moved to a new state, with a new baby and a toddler and I had left the professional world to become a stay-at-home mom. Shortly thereafter, our oldest was diagnosed with special needs and my world was rocked. There isn’t anything that really prepares you for that kind of information. It did not take long for me to know I wasn’t strong enough physically, emotionally or spiritually to successfully take on this new reality.

So, I joined a boot camp, I joined a small group, I joined all of the things that I had hoped would give me some kind of support and comfort as I attempted to navigate this new territory. Not only did I find comfort and support in these places, but I also found strength and joy. Despite all of the uncertainty surrounding my son and his diagnosis, I had found joy through faith and fitness. It was then that I knew I had to pursue fitness in a more real way. There had to be other women out there like me who were in the trenches of struggle who needed joy and strength.

Two years later, my husband and I moved to Houston and I was challenged by a friend to become a Personal Trainer and pursue fitness in a professional capacity. That began my “just say yes” journey. It never began as “open your own studio and run a business” it just started as get a trainer certificate. Ok – doable. Throughout the process, that desire in my heart from four years earlier continued to grow and I really began to sort through my journey as a wife, mother, and as a woman from my experiences of the last four years. I truly believe that we go through struggles so we can help comfort others and I really believe my journey is not unlike that of many others. We are so much stronger than we give ourselves credit for and sometimes, it just takes someone else to help us find it – and those strengths that we find in the gym translate far beyond the gym and you find yourself stronger in life.

From there, I finished my certificate and needed to know more, so I pursued an additional certificate as a Nutrition Specialist and started looking for potential jobs at local gyms. But nothing fit for me. The gyms want you to sell and I want to teach. I want to teach people how to work out in the gym beyond the cardio equipment. I want to teach people how to build their own programs, and lift weights safely and challenge themselves. I want to train people to discover their own strengths and ultimately go off and be able to do it without me.

When I first pitched the idea of opening my own studio to my husband I think he thought I was crazy for about one second and then realized this was exactly what we were supposed to do. We incorporated Pure Joy Training in August 2018 and worked like crazy to open the studio at the beginning of 2019. Since opening the studio I have had the privilege of training some amazing women of Cypress, TX and I am so excited to see what is in store for Pure Joy Training in the future.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh my goodness, no the road is not smooth! I think one of my biggest struggles has been fear of not being “enough”. And I say it in quotes because it is so internal and surprisingly I hear it from a lot of other women that they felt the same way until they found their groove. You have got to trust yourself and your skills. People are going to work with you not just based on your qualifications but based on who you are. Outside of that, the biggest piece of advice I can give is to surround yourself with other women in business, both in your field and outside of it. Pick someone in your field who is further along the road than you are who can help you navigate the waters, and pick someone outside of it who you feel confident bouncing your creative ideas off of who can give you a clean perspective outside of the industry. These women in my life have really helped me to run my business with confidence and they push me to set new goals and continue to grow professionally and personally.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Pure Joy Training – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist. Training sessions include Small Group HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) classes, one-on-one personal training sessions and small group training sessions (2-3 people). Everything at Pure Joy Training is either one-on-one or small groups no larger than three people.

I specialize in teaching my clients how to eventually train themselves. I put a high emphasis on form and technique and taking the time to teach people how to correct it on their own so they can train safely without me. I want to help people meet their goals and send them off knowing they have the tools to be successful on their own to make fitness part of their long-term lifestyle. I don’t have any magic secrets; fitness is about hard work and consistency. But there are safety factors involved, some programming and nutritional techniques that will help you reach your goals, and I want people to feel confident about what they have learned with me and continue being successful on their own.

Who have you been inspired by?
My mom has inspired me so much throughout my life, but most specifically in the last six years. Now as a mom, I now finally understand all of the sacrifices she made for us and all of the many hats she chose to wear in order to get the jobs done. She is never afraid to tackle a challenge, and I have yet to see her set her mind to something that hasn’t been accomplished. She is a fearless woman of God who has so much wisdom and I only hope one day to have some of that to pass along to my daughter. I have watched her take on challenge after challenge, and teach herself not only how to accomplish it but to be great at it. I have watched her take in strangers that have become family, and build life-lasting friendships with people wherever she goes. She isn’t perfect, and would never claim to be. She inspires me to go all in, to dream big and work hard, and to love God and love people while doing it.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Jamie Lindley

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