All-Around Athlete
The Goal is Life
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Lisa’ s Story
Too busy, too tired, or too intimidated by the gym crowd that looks like they came straight off their Shape ® Magazine photoshoot to get a quick workout in? We’ ve all got our reasons why we haven’ t yet made exercise a part of our daily routine, and they are all excuses. With the right mindset, we are all capable of finding ways to integrate more physical activity into our lives and improving our health each and every day. Whether your goal is to fit into your high school jeans or just be healthy so you can play with your children, there is only one way to make it happen. As Will Smith says in The Pursuit of Happyness:“ If you want something, go get it. Period.”
The dōTERRA global campus gym is a busy place. With nearly 2,000 active on-site employees, that fitness utopia gets its fair share of foot traffic and sweat. Among its regular patrons, one stands out. Literally. When she’ s not playing badminton, dōTERRA member services agent Lisa Pressley can often be found in the gym lifting weights and running— on one leg. Not because she is into some new balance-focused workout program, but because that is just what she has always done.
Watching her run, in an amazing display of proprioception and crutch-handling skill, is an awe-inspiring and motivating experience. But to Lisa, it’ s just another day. Despite not fitting the mold of the typical gym-goer, Lisa prioritizes daily exercise so that she can stay healthy and continue doing the things she loves.
All-Around Athlete
Growing up in Jiangxi, China, Lisa never thought she was different than the other children, except that her teachers were constantly telling her to slow down … when they could actually catch up to speak to her, that is. Like most other kids, Lisa spent her free time climbing trees and jumping up stairs like a rabbit, with zero inclination that she was any different. Despite the pleas from her teachers that the end result of her rambunctious behavior would be an accidental fall into the river, and taking all her friends with her for a swim, she never slowed down. She competed in track and field and dance and became known in the neighborhood as one of the fastest rope jumpers. After moving to Arizona at the age of 12, Lisa took her energy and competitive spirit to the soccer pitch, baseball diamond, and swimming pool. Now, on most Fridays she can be found putting her honed athletic skills to the test on the badminton court.
There’ s literally no athletic endeavor Lisa won’ t try, several times if need be. After enviously watching her sister ride a bike, she decided it was her turn. She spent countless hours in the driveway, falling and getting back up, but she eventually developed the balance and core strength to maintain her equilibrium while simultaneously peddling. Now she counts cycling among her( very long) list of favorite activities.
The Goal is Life
Lisa doesn’ t have any specific goals for her exercise program. Her work breaks aren’ t spent Googling the latest exercise routines and she doesn’ t conclude each workout by stepping on the scale and logging her progress. She has no interest in qualifying for the Boston Marathon or being a fitness role model, she simply wants to maintain her health so she can continue doing the things that she enjoys. Most importantly, she wants to continue finding new activities that she loves, as she knows life is even more exciting and vivid than it looks like on a screen. The endurance, strength, and movement abilities she has gained from her regular exercise ensures that no sporting endeavor or outdoor adventure is off limits.