As an elite highschool and college athlete, Shannon Connolly was driven to win, to be the best, to master her body and what it was capable of. She carried a belief that her success was tied up in her fitness excellence, so when she pushed herself to the limit, it impacted far more than her wins in field hockey or track. Her relationships with friends and family, but most importantly, with herself, were pushed to the limit. Injury and plummeting self-esteem followed. While she reached for balance in sports, she also had to find balance in her career. Graduating college, she pursued a career as a doctor of chiropractic, in a fast-paced setting, churning through patients. She felt disconnected from that model of care, but it would take a major catalyst to put her on a different path. Now, she no longer sees the body as something to “fix,” but instead wants to help people build a relationship with their body-mind that unlocks wellbeing from now into old age.
In this episode, she shares her own healing journey and finding movement that supports, challenges, and builds confidence. As Jocelyn’s real-life personal trainer, and a huge influence in her own healing journey, we dive into the power of consistent strength training in healing chronic pain and illness. Just in time to reality check any New Year’s fantasies of becoming a gym-rat, we break down what it really takes to develop a healthy relationship to consistent movement and how that can support you from now until you’re an old lady. Follow her on Instagram @livewellwithdrshannon or at her website https://livewellwithdrshannon.com/.
From Burned Out to Embodied Speed and Strength