We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Veronica Peterson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Veronica below.
Veronica, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Creativity is in my opinion, one of the most important parts of life. It’s how we avoid burnout. It’s how we expand both professionally and personally. It’s how we evolve from one chapter of life to the next. Creativity and all that it brings is held at one of my highest values in life. I personally gain my creativity from 3 main areas.
First and foremost – the people I surround myself with. It is no secret that as we get older we become more and more aware of the people and energy we align with. My best friends are some of the most creative people I have ever met. We are constantly bouncing ideas off each other and always challenging each other to take an idea further or think about it from a different perspective. Having these open conversations and brainstorming sessions without any judgement has become something that I crave. It has given me the confidence to trust myself and my ideas more along the way as well.
Second – MUSIC. I listen to music and discover new music every single day of my life. It is truly something that I cannot live without. I also make it a point to go see a lot of live music and for me, dancing in a crowd full of my best friends and also strangers is one of the times where I feel most alive. Its a feeling of freedom and joy that I hope everyone gets to experience at some point in their lives. Every time I see a show, I leave feeling re-inspired and re-energized. It is important to break up the parts of life that start to feel mundane and be apart of something that makes you tap into a different side of yourself. It allows you to go back into your normal routine with a different mindset which makes room for you to evolve.
Third – and for me, this ties my first 2 together – movement. Now I am lucky enough to have made a career out of movement by being a fitness professional and opening my own studio but I knew from long ago that this was the only path for me and I stayed true to that. Attending and leading workout classes set to inspiring playlists and watching people come alive in those moments is something that has and will always be locked in my core memories as a human. The energy exchange in those places has continue to blow me away time and time again. Experiencing that, and the trust that others put in you to guide them through those moments is exactly what keeps me going and why will always continue to push my own creative boundaries. It’s for my community and we are constantly growing together.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have been in the fitness industry for about 13 years now. The moment I stepped foot into my first group fitness class I was sold and knew with every bone in my body that this was my path. The types of fitness I have participated in along the way has changed and evolved but the feeling it gives me has never altered.
When I decided to create Bodied – it was about creating a new workout, yes but also so much more than that. The science behind the workout is something that I believe in wholeheartedly. It is a combination of cardio, strength training and deep stability work that helps promote functional fitness to help aid in our daily lives at present but also (and arguably more important) as we continue to age. The energy and vibes of the space allow for it to be FUN and empowering. I am a firm believer that moving your body should make you feel good and excited to do it again and again. I am very particular about the people that I’ve invited to join my team because I have a very specific idea of what a leader should be. Our team genuinely cares about getting to know people. They are magnetic and empower people to take up space and be whomever they want to be. We share in the tough times but truly believe that things will get better and that WE have the ability to make them better. We are confident in who we are and are here to thrive.
Overall, Bodied leaves you with a feeling that you have never felt before. You leave feeling strong, inspired, confident and like nothing can stop you. You also suddenly belong to a team that has your back no matter what.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think the three things that have impacted my journey in opening Bodied this far have been staying true to my vision, picking the right people to join my team and using my strengths in connection. I’ve always had a big imagination and as I get older, I realize that is a great strength of mine. I am able to see a vision in my head and figure out how to bring that exact vision to life. Sure, things evolve along the way and I take other opinions into consideration, but I make it a point to follow my intuition in decision making. Picking people to join your team and represent your vision is one of the most important parts of all of it. My biggest thing when choosing someone to join the team is observing how they connect and execute my vision in their own personal way. Everyone does things differently (and they should) and trusting your team wholeheartedly is something that I have and will always value. It’s in trusting them to curate their own magic within the brand that they feel inspired to continue to show up 100%. Another strength that I have honed in on is my ability to create connections. My favorite thing in the world is to connect all of my different circles. I am a people person and bringing people together is what makes me happy. Honoring and trusting that part of myself has drastically helped to build the community that we have at this point.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Untamed by Glennon Doyle was a game changer for me. I first read it at the very beginning of the pandemic and it helped me in more ways than I can say. That year, I actually sent it to all of the important women in my life as my go-to gift. It is NOT a book that you can borrow. Everyone needs their own copy because it is a book that you highlight and fold over page corners of your favorite parts that resonate with you so that you can revisit over and over.
I actually ended up getting my favorite quote tattooed on my arm as a reminder to not play it small and to not be afraid to take up space. This book came to me when I was constantly comparing myself to others and letting that mindset take me down a deep spiral. Untamed holds so many parts that resonated with me on so many levels. The main thing I took from it was owning who you are and what makes you special and not dimming any bit of yourself just to make others feel more comfortable. It’s helped me tap into my own confidence and empowerment on a deeper level and influenced the way that I help others do that as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: bodieddenver.com
- Instagram: @bodieddenver
Image Credits
Taylor Vincek Biz Young
