It's May, and we are celebrating the women in our lives--the mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and friends that support, encourage, and challenge us to attain our fullest potential. I've always been passionate about empowering women of all ages and backgrounds. It's kind of a family mandate!
I'm very fortunate. I've always had examples of strong, courageous women, starting with my mother and grandmother. They owned and operated a Curves location, which allowed women to work out in a nurturing, female-only environment. As a young girl, I grew up in a dance studio; dance gave me an outlet for my creativity and allowed me to build my self-confidence. When I started managing their Curves location, I was eager to do the same for other women.
This opened the door to own my own business, Jeron's Kardio Kick, where my class grew to include 50 plus women and even landed us on an episode of MTV's Made. And dance led me to my second family--the Chiefs Cheerleaders.
In the seven years that I cheered for the Chiefs, I forged friendships that have stood the test of time. The majority of my bridesmaids were former cheerleaders. It truly was a sisterhood. We traveled together (even to Iraq!), grew together, and helped encourage the next generation of girls on the move.
After hanging up my pom poms, the friendships are still strong but I couldn't let dance be absent in my life. I started teaching at Studio 10, a non-competitive, philanthropic dance studio. It's a blessing to be able to mentor young girls through the expression of dance and watch them form the friendships that will carry them through their lives.
So be a cheerleader for the women in your life, this month and every month! Let her (whoever 'her' is) know how much she means to you. You'll be glad that you did!
Jeron