It was such a fun and challenging competition!! I am going to try my best to win again, but in the end it was more about just participating in life and not sitting on the sidelines watching. – Kathleen Parker, iGnite instructor and winner of Austin’s Fittest Woman Ages 50-59

by Catherine Hearn

When asked to compete in Austin Fit Magazine’s FitTest competition this spring, iGnite leader Kathleen Parker pushed aside her initial fears of failure and of the unknown and asked herself “why not?” After answering that question, she not only decided to compete, but placed FIRST in her age group!

Kathleen didn’t let any fears creep in and stop her from trying. After all, what did she have to lose? Money? No, the registration fee was minimal.  Pride? No, she wasn’t participating for the notoriety. But, what could she gain? An opportunity to meet new people, try something new and encounter a physical and mental challenge? YES! In addition, and most importantly, Kathleen was honoring her spirit by participating in something that she wanted to do. And that is the kind of can-do attitude (along with being in incredible shape) that allowed her to rise to the top.

CONGRATULATIONS Kathleen on an incredible accomplishment!! Click on the image above to read the inspiring article!

Taking Kathleen’s experience into account, what opportunities are you passing up because of fear of the unknown? What challenges do you shy away from because of fear of failure? It’s something we all do. The moment we are confronted with a challenging opportunity or a situation outside of our comfort zones, our natural reaction is to immediately focus on reasons why we “shouldn’t” try or “can’t” accomplish it…  But why not turn things around and pledge to start reacting to those situations with a more open mind — asking yourself “why not?” and “what’s the worst that could happen?”  Once you answer these questions, you will soon realize that giving it a go will have more positive results than negative, no matter what the outcome. Most importantly, you will never look back and regret, saying “I really wish I had.”

Check out Kathleen in this month’s Austin Fit Magazine and also check out the iGnite weekly class schedule and come by one of her classes!

• Read more about Kathleen’s experience here and all of her additional awesome accomplishments!

JOIN THE DISCUSSION- When was the last time you wished you would have asked yourself “Why Not?!” instead of “Why Should I?”

Related Posts We Know You’ll Like:

• Are You In The Game or One The Sidelines?
• Give Birth To The Best That Is Within You
• Congratulations Kathleen, Austin’s Fittest Woman Age 50-59!