We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Castillo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I overcome imposter syndrome by recognizing that I am in control of my own success. Rather than attributing my accomplishments to luck, I take ownership and responsibility for the hard work and dedication that goes into each client’s individual unique body and programming.
To stay motivated, I reflect on every success and appreciate even small successes every client achieves, as I know I am impacting their life for the better.
When I’m faced with moments of doubt, I remind myself of all the skills and knowledge that I have gained over time along with my past of who I used to be and it reminds me of why I began in the first place.
Additionally, I draw inspiration from other trainers who have achieved their goals in their clients and use that as a source of motivation to keep pushing forward with my craft. Ultimately, resilience and determination are key when it comes to overcoming imposter syndrome, so no matter how many times self-doubt arises, I focus on staying positive and making a difference in peoples lives.
I truly believe that you are the master of your own reality. What you believe, you will achieve and that all stems back from accepting and believing in yourself, abilities, and potential. Never let self-doubt hold you captive. Self-confidence is a super power, and with that, you can achieve anything.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a wife, mommy of 3, and a lover for all things fitness and Disney. When I am not training my clients, I spend my spare time doing Crossfit, Olympic Weightlifting, Obstacle Course Races or somewhere making adventures and memories with my family.
Fitness and health became my passion as soon as I gave birth to my firstborn daughter. I use to be in your shoes, My road to being strong and healthy was definitely not an easy path, paved in gold! It all started in 2016 when I had back-to-back miscarriages. This led me to be depressed, and in a result – I did not have the drive or motivation to exercise and would often lead to food as a “way out”. I spent my time after that finding that “one thing” that would fuel my fire again and I discovered that in 2018, after the birth of my first daughter. I have always been into fitness but was not consistent or even motivated. She was my “WHY”, and gave me the push and the drive to further my knowledge, grow my passion and enthusiasm for fitness to better myself.
I began to enroll and take classes in fitness to gain knowledge of what I wanted to do so I didn’t have to hire a personal trainer. At that time, With the busy schedule of being a new mom… I was not financially or mentally read to hire a trainer for myself.
After studying and obtaining a few fitness certifications, I developed a love for fitness and saw the opportunity to help those in her community and beyond. I now live and breathe fitness because it has truly changed my life and has TRANSFORMED me in every area of my life for the better!
Fast forward to now, I am currently a NASM Certified Personal Trainer out of Santa Clarita, CA who works independently. I train out of a local personal training private gym that is exclusive to its trainers and their clients.
I currently specialize and am certified through NASM in the following: Women’s Fitness, MMA Conditioning, Weight Loss, Fitness Nutrition, and Corrective Exercise. I am also certified as an ISSA Body Building Specialist and Strength & Conditioning Specialist. Most importantly, I am completely happy and the most confident I have ever been both mentally and physically.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that I believe have been most impactful to my journey are Determination, Flexibility, and Faith. For those just starting our on your journey never forget your reason, your reason for embarking on this journey will help you to remain determined. When things get rough and it seems like you made a wrong decision, remembering your initial reason and purpose will help you to stay flexible and tap into your faith.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
A book that has impacted the way I view life, including my career, is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. The novel reminds me that living my purpose and pursuing my dreams, no matter the obstacles will always result in a masterpiece, even if the journey doesn’t look like the one I imagined.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Jessicaj_castillo
