Page 23 - The Holiday Issue San Diego Woman Magazine

Women of Distinction

California to be with her Kimberly was pregnant. son has his mother around. through something. I really
new husband. Believing When she told her doctors, I figured, they can find wanted to let it go, but by
it was time to start a fam- they immediately had her someone else to be a na- Thursday I decided that this
ily but found difficulty in come in. With the fertility tional director…but no one type of shaming happens
conceiving. They called meds she had been on and else can be Tyler’s mother. too often, and I couldn't let
upon the help of fertility no menstrual cycles for over So in 2017, I stepped out of it go. I needed to stand up
specialists and after spend- a year and a half, they feared my six-figure corporate role to it. So, I took a screenshot
ing a year and a half trying it was the cyst causing more to be a better mom, a more of the email blocking out
different fertility treatments serious problems or else an present mom, and to start her name, and I posted it,
available, decided they just ectopic pregnancy. In the an online platform the Make along with a picture of me
needed to take a break from end, it actually was a healthy a Difference Academy." in a sports bra and my Lu-
it all. At this point, doctors pregnancy. The doctors dis- I asked Kimberly to lulemons. It was just a raw
had told her she would most covered that the suspicious explain what the Make a Dif- and real selfie along with
likely never conceive. cyst, wasn’t a cyst at all, but ference Academy was, “The my message to all women
Make a Difference Academy
is basically what I have done
for the past 15 years while
working in the health and
fitness industry. I provide
education and coaching for
fitness and yoga teachers,
but now I do so online. I
have online courses, and
currently, maintain an online
coaching group of about 60
instructors while still pre-
senting live at conferences
across the country.
“This past June I was
presenting at a conference
In January of 2012, her developing fetus. Kim- in Atlantic City. It was a asking them to remember
Kimberly was feeling even berly was actually already great weekend, with lots of how beautiful they are and
worse than she had during in her second trimester! To great feedback, I was feeling that they need to practice
her fertility treatments and everyone's surprise, she blessed since I love what self-acceptance as well as
doctors were treating her had been pregnant several I do. I got home from the self-love. I shared that the
for a series of cysts. Concern months before she found conference on Sunday, and world does not need your
grew over one cyst that out. on the following Tuesday, belly or hips to shrink nor
was growing larger with no The birth of their son, I received an email from does it need your muscles
apparent cause. “I had been Tyler Michael, a healthy one of the attendees. In to expand. The world just
sick a lot through the fer- bouncing baby boy, was the email, she stated that needs you to let your light
tility process, but for some the happiest day of her life. she felt I gained weight, so I shine. Yes, this does require
reason, I felt something She was finally going to be didn’t represent the per- being healthy…but it's an
was different. I don’t know a Mom, something she had fect body any longer. She inside job more than an out-
what possessed me to do so, hoped would happen for suggested that I shouldn’t side job; so, how about we
since the fertility kits always many years. “I continued be presenting anymore, at least start there…by lov-
came with a free pregnancy working after Tyler was born but instead, I should step ing and accepting ourselves
test, I decided to take one.” since I was able to bring him down and retire to make 100%, unapologetically?”
She took it, and the result with me when I traveled. It room for someone new to Kimberly left the house
was positive. Certain that wasn’t easy to travel with a replace me. Of course, this to take her son to his tae-
this could not be accurate newborn; but it was worth threw me when I read it, but kwondo class and when she
she jumped in the car and it. Once he hit kindergarten I decided to just sit on it for returned she was amazed at
went to the closest drug age, I made the conscious a few days and thought, Ok, the response to the post. “It
store and purchased 3 addi- decision that it was more hurt people… hurt peo- kind of blew up a bit. It had
tional kits, and sure enough, important to me that my ple, so she must be going hundreds of comments and

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