We were lucky to catch up with Stacia Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.
Stacia, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience first started to develop from a childhood shaped by control. Growing up, I was expected to listen and obey, often without room for questioning or self-expression. I spent much of my early life in environments where I felt boxed in and misunderstood; told who I should be rather than supported in discovering who I was. As a girl, and later as a woman, that lack of agency stayed with me. It taught me to doubt my instincts and disconnect from my inner voice.
Over time, my resilience only grew as I learned to trust my own effort and believe in what I was capable of, even when that belief wasn’t reflected back to me from my parents. Fitness became the vessel for that early on. As young as 13, movement was how I processed hard things. I’d grab my CD Walkman and go for long walks or runs; just creating a space to think and breathe.
As I got older, that outlet evolved into strength training. In my 20’s I eventually hired my first trainer to learn how to lift weights and fell in love with the growth that comes from showing up and doing hard things consistently. It gave me something I hadn’t experienced before; clear proof that I could meet challenges again and again and grow from them.
Weight lifting became one of the first places where I had tangible evidence that I could grow, evolve, and work through hard things on my own. That self-confidence; built slowly and often alongside fear and anxiety; is where my resilience truly comes from. Fear and anxiety have always been part of my life, but I learned that resilience isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to move forward anyway. I was terrified to work with a trainer, but more afraid of staying the same.
That understanding carried directly into my career: if I kept showing up and doing the work, progress would come, even when no one was watching or believing in me.
That’s why I felt called to create Rooted & Resilient Training this year. I believe women don’t need more pressure; we need validation, support, and space to build strength on our own terms. Every woman already has a powerful intuition, and it’s a privilege to help her trust it and move forward with confidence.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I started Rooted & Resilient Training this year to help women create a sustainable fitness practice that fits their lifestyle. Through personalized strength and mobility training, I support women in getting stronger while building confidence and long-term resilience in both the body and in life.
Before starting Rooted & Resilient, I spent over eight years in a tech recruiting career that looked successful on paper but did not fully align with how I wanted to make an impact. Over time, I realized I was most fulfilled when helping women feel capable and confident in the gym. Making that shift allowed me to create work that feels meaningful, values-driven, and sustainable.
What feels most special about my work is that it is not about pushing women harder or chasing aesthetics. It is about meeting them exactly where they are and helping them build strength in a way that feels supportive and sustainable over the long term. Many of the women I work with have tried traditional fitness approaches that left them feeling overwhelmed, injured, or disconnected from their bodies. My goal is to create an environment where they feel safe, seen, and capable as they get stronger.
I am especially passionate about working with women navigating transitions, whether that is postpartum, perimenopause, recovery from injury or illness, or simply a desire to feel stronger and more grounded in their lives. Strength training becomes the entry point, but what we are really building is self-trust and confidence that carries far beyond the gym.
Right now, I am focused on growing Rooted & Resilient in a way that stays true to my values and the impact I want to have. This includes expanding one-on-one coaching, teaching mobility classes, and collaborating with other wellness professionals to better support women holistically. Everything I create is rooted in the belief that women do not need more pressure. We need validation, support, and space to build strength on our own terms.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First was learning to trust my own abilities. For a long time, I looked outside myself for validation or permission to succeed, and I still catch myself doing that at times. What I’ve learned is that my instincts have only become sharper the more I act on them. Along the way, I’ve learned to value my mistakes as much as my wins. That’s the only way to develop a strong gut instinct—you have to be willing to be wrong sometimes. Many of the lessons I’ve gained through failure have been more powerful than those that came from success, and strength training reinforced that for me in a very tangible way.
Second was developing patience with the process. Learning to enjoy the journey has been one of the most impactful shifts I’ve made. It grounded me in the belief that I am exactly where I need to be in each season. Trying to rush progress usually backfires. Skipping steps only means you’ll have to come back and learn those lessons later. For anyone early in their journey, my advice is simple: pick something you can do consistently, do it imperfectly, and let the evidence build over time.
Third was learning to work with a regulated nervous system. One of my personal mottos has become, “If I can’t do this with a regulated nervous system, it’s not going to work long-term.” Earlier in my career, I experienced a lot of burnout because I removed myself from the equation and focused only on serving others. That’s not sustainable, and it wasn’t aligned with the advice I was giving my clients. Learning to rest when needed, build self-awareness, and listen to my body changed everything. Understanding my limits, my energy, and what I actually needed allowed me to grow without burning out or getting hurt.
My advice here is to be kind to yourself. Validate your needs and trust how you feel. It may change the pace at which you grow, but it will likely make the process more enjoyable and more sustainable. I want to live life today, not someday.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is a woman who’s ready to invest in herself and approach fitness as a long-term practice, not a quick fix. She’s curious, coachable, and values consistency over intensity. She may be busy or navigating a life transition, but she’s willing to slow down, listen to her body, and build strength with patience.
She values education, self-awareness, and progress over perfection. She understands that strength is about more than aesthetics and wants an approach that supports her life, nervous system, and long-term health. When someone is open to learning, committed to the process, and ready to trust herself along the way, that’s when this work really clicks and makes a lasting difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rootedresilienttraining.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootedresilient.training/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacia-e-9264b870/
Image Credits
Photo credit: Lana Maren Photography
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