Real Talk: Celebrating International Women’s Day With Boss Babes

The theme of International Women’s Day 2019 is Balance for Better. We’re especially loving this theme as we celebrate all the amazing boss babes out there who somehow seem to balance it all.

At the top of our minds are our amazing Jazzercise instructors who seriously do it all, all while sweating it out on the stage every week. We sat down with Alicia Hammond, Senior Attorney Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Margaret Zoila Domínguez, Optical Engineer at NASA, and Jenet Morrison who is a powerhouse mom to SEVEN kids, to hear about how becoming Jazzercise instructors has empowered them in their personal and professional lives.

We discovered that a common thread amongst all three women is how teaching Jazzercise has inspired them, and even helped them to excel at everything from career, health and happiness, to setting future goals and beyond. We hope these boss babes inspire you just as much as they have inspired us.

How has becoming a Jazzercise instructor encouraged you to live your best life?

Jenet: I have more self-confidence than I did before and have gained a community support system from my friendships with fellow instructors and customers. We are there for each other to lean on, no matter what happens in life.

Margaret: Jazzercise allows me to have balance in my life. Between my job at NASA, working on my PhD, doing educational outreach and regular everyday life drama (like wedding planning last year), Jazzercise allows me to get a good night's sleep every time. No matter how bad my day is going, when I get on stage I forget about everything and all I focus on is teaching a fun, hard class.

Alicia: So much of my professional life has to do with being a Jazzercise instructor. Being an instructor has taught me to be a motivator, teacher and guide and my favorite thing is to motivate others to be their best.

When did you begin your fitness journey?

Margaret: I had just moved to Maryland and with all the changes and stress of being there alone I wasn't exercising and mostly stress eating. So I looked for something close by—I didn't need to look far. One of the NASA engineers was a Jazzercise instructor and two or three times a week she was offering class at the cafeteria. That's how I found Jazzercise!

Alicia: I started working out when I was 30. Turning 30 was a significant marker for me...I could either take ownership of my life and my weight or let life pass me by. I was always a happy, bubbly person and I had lost that, but whenever I worked out I felt better.

Jenet: I was busy working and a college student, the stress combined with an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise started to affect me. I knew I needed to get back to exercising and started going to Jazzercise. I loved it so much, I got certified as an instructor a year later.

What’s your advice to all the boss babes out there struggling to balance work and fitness?

Alicia: I believe that the best investment you can make is in yourself and in your health. Whatever makes you feel your best is worth it. It translates into your work, family and friends.

Margaret: It is hard to balance the various activities but I know that when I make time to exercise I'm always much happier after. I think making time for it pays off, even if it's not every day.

Jenet: Look at taking care of yourself as another way to show love to your family. When you make it a priority to set aside time in your day to take care of yourself, your attitude improves, your stress level decreases and you have more energy and love to give away. You also set an example to your children that we teach others how to treat us. If you become a wife and mother who continues to love herself and care for herself, your family will follow suit. I think this is so important because motherhood can be exhausting at times—physically and mentally.

What inspires you to start your day off right in the morning?

Margaret: The excitement that every day has the possibility of something good to happen. And if I taught class the night before I always wake up feeling rested and happy.

Jenet: I have a responsibility to teach my children that fitness is important, and the best way to teach them is by modeling it every day.

Alicia: I would say the pursuit of excellence across the board. If you’re going to do something you might as well excel at it.

How has Jazzercise inspired you to find balance and motivation in your life? Tell us in the comments.

For more information about becoming an instructor click here.