I can’t tell you how delighted I am to share my journey with you as a Health and Wellness Coach, and now poetess/writer.

A native of California, I grew up just outside San Francisco, in Daly City, California. Most days, I couldn’t see 3 feet in front of me because the fog was so thick, literally.

While I had direction In my life, and came from a loving middle class family with good friends and hobbies, most days I was in a virtual fog and couldn’t see the forest through the woods on many levels physically and emotionally.

My brother was diagnosed at a young age with schizophrenia, my father and mother divorced when I was 13 which was painful and confusing so I took on the role of “fixer” and had a bravado in the family to keep the peace.  Underlying and unconsciously, I was hoping if I could help them heal themselves, then I would be ok.

While I was popular growing up, a pom pom girl, Miss Daly City, a Job’s Daughter,  a Recreational Therapist, dating my high school sweetheart (who is now my husband), and managing a successful Gym in San Francisco, I had the same struggles many of us had growing up, not feeling comfortable in my own skin

In 1979,  I took Dr. Chérie Carter Scott’s MMS Coach Training and It was an “Aha moment” where a light bulb went on that illuminated my soul, becoming aware and mindful. The fog figuratively and literally lifted when I moved to warmer weather 30 minutes south..

To witness Dr. Chérie working with people in one-on-one sessions and groups was like watching a symphony conductor lead the orchestra into musical bliss.

It was an awakening into “Self” that I’ll never forget.  The feeling I had after completing the Inner Negotiation Workshop was a deep desire to run to the top of the mountain and yell as loud as I could to let everyone know this feeling of joy and freedom was possible and that they too could experience this and have the life they dreamed of having.

I became a certified coach and applied it in my Uniquely Fit Gym with my 15 instructors and hundreds of students. I was officially a personal trainer and a fitness coach and coaching took me in so many directions: from aerobics, to strength training, to birth coaching, pre- and postnatal classes, and baby massage.

I evolved from a Fitness Professional into a full-fledged business executive without the formal education of business school. I got certified in more modalities in massage and am CMTC certified in Swedish, sports, Thai, Craniosacral Therapy, myofascial release doing an integrated session mostly. 12 years ago I got certified as a Yoga instructor and teach group classes and continue to do private sessions.  I hired and trained massage therapists and started massage at Foster City Athletic Club and The Club of  Mountain View.  All of these certifications came from either instructors not showing up or clients requesting me to do more and more things.  Body work is the last thing I would ever have planned on doing, but when I would end a session clients would say “OMG you have the Best Hands, Can you come back tonight?” To which I would say “No”! The next thing I knew, I would find myself in the next training to accommodate their needs and broaden my practice.  It turned out it was another inroad to making changes in people’s lives because it gave me more insight since the body houses emotional pain and I could have access to the mind, body, and spirit.  It was a huge gift. When we stay open to where life calls us, it unfolds in miraculous and beautiful ways.

I married my high School sweetheart in 1979 as well and we just celebrated 43 years of marriage and we dated 7 years before that. It has been quite a journey and magical ride with many challenges and opportunities. I had 4 children by the age of 34, between the ages of 1 and 6 and was simultaneously teaching and training. In 2002 my husband’s job as a trader on the San Francisco stock exchange went from fractions to decimals, my job shifted overnight to working with 8 – 10 clients a day and I literally kept us afloat financially.

During that time I was working overtime and hit a wall, forcing me to dig deeper and slow down which wasn’t easy for me to do but it was essential to take heed. When you are a giver, the tendency is to think you never need anything for yourself, but as we all know taking care of ourselves is vital in order to help anyone else. Coaching gave me the necessary tools to go back to the drawing board, acknowledge my wins daily, prioritize and get back in the saddle stronger and more energized.

I couldn’t be more proud of my adult children who are thriving in their lives and passionate about their careers.  Two of them have even taken the Inner Negotiation Workshop. They are best friends which is nothing we fostered but simply demanded respect and acceptance of each other’s differences. They truly love each other and would rather spend time together than with anyone on the planet.  My husband and I have always been hands on with our kids and juggled the duties equally which brought structure to the chaos of getting 4 kids to and fro from activity to activity, fed, dressed and schooled. I look back and haven’t a clue how I did it but I just took each day as it came, and forged ahead.

Each time I contemplated a new baby, I’d call my mom and say “Mom, are you ready for another grandchild?” She always answered a resounding yes!  It did help that my mom and step dad loved every minute of being with them. It takes a village in life and having the support of family, friends, mentors and coaches to call upon is invaluable.

I’ve always journaled and written newsletters for my business and loved it but I began writing and blogging ferociously in the last 3 years, when the pandemic hit. It started with staying connected to clients through my newsletter to keep them healthy and fit during isolation and shifted to writing poetry and inspirational pieces. I have to pinch myself because I’m ecstatic that my poetry is being recognized and published in MastecadoresUSA thanks to Gabriela Maria Milton and her team and Spillwords press of New York.

It has been a journey that makes my heart sing each and every day, reminding me of the power of listening to your inner messages and trusting them (something I also learned from Dr. Chérie).  I have been in 2 Anthologies Utmost Feelings compiled by Astha Srivastava ( Astha was a well loved community member of our blogosphere. She was in her 20’s and lost her battle with Covid along with her Mom in 2020) and Wounds I healed: The Poetry of Strong Women by Gabriela Maria Milton, a Number 1 best seller on Amazon that was just released last month.  I am working on my book Aha Moments Coming out March 15th 2023 with my publisher Ingrid Wilson of Experiments in Fiction and I am ecstatic.

Life is always ready to give us what we want when we say “yes” to ourselves; and “no” to things that aren’t authentically right for us.  Learning to discern between those two is critical to success.

When you are invited to do something that you are thrilled about but terrified of because you might not feel deserving or qualified for whatever it might be, just say “YES!”   Take the fear with you and step up to the opportunity.

Some of my most satisfying endeavors have come out of the blue from accepting the invitation to share my gifts and they have been the most financially rewarding as well.  Give the universe permission to open doors for you and boost your success. Abundance comes from knowing what you want and following through. Showing up is half of the battle.

Never did I dream my career of empowering people would turn into a lucrative business that has sustained us financially and has been deeply satisfying and rewarding. This next chapter is my evolution becoming a poet and a published author!

No matter what kind of a session I am doing each day my coaching skills are woven into sessions, and sometimes personal training sessions morph into a life coaching session when someone is battling giving up a habit or an addiction to embrace a healthier lifestyle.  My work is alive and moving and takes us to places that give access where it was once blocked so people can find what it is they need to break through and grow internally and achieve their dreams.

These skills that I learned from Dr. Chérie at MMS are life gifts that help me deal with clients, loved ones, colleagues, friends, and children; this mindset continues to be entwined in the fabric of my Being where I continue to live the life I envisioned and step up to what I want by following my inner yearnings and desire to support others through life’s challenges.

Thank you so much for inviting me to share my experience Dr. Chérie. I am forever grateful for your expertise, passion, ingenuity, love, and friendship.  I am blessed to know you.

Cindy Georgakas

Fitness Coach, Wife, Mother, Business owner, blogger, poet, author…(and, and)