January Member of the Month

Jessie Senini

In Jessie’s Words…

I joined Vitality after being invited to come to friends and family day by another member Sara. I fell in love with the energy and people. I had always loved the idea of working on not only my cardiovascular fitness, but also my muscle strength and form, but struggled with finding a community that wasn't somewhat toxic in their approach. Vitality really introduced me to people who value us as people, know our "goods and bads" and nurture us with such an awesome fitness vibe. I also needed a good mental health tool to keep my mind in the game as much as my body... and found it in this crew.

Honestly, my friends now make (loving) fun of me for being a gym person... AND I LOVE IT. I used to solely be a runner and that's only become a stronger passion now that I've honed in on my body mechanics. Every time I'm there, I want to be a better version of myself and it's what can turn a bad day into a day that ends with accomplishment.

For a future goal I honestly just want to be able to do a power clean... I'm still not a fan but I'm getting better. I struggle with tennis elbow so working on my proper form has really helped to keep me fit and improve my elbow as well. Another goal is I'd love to be able to do 5 consecutive chin ups- I have no idea why but my brain (or ego) is egging me on.

I am a huge proponent of mental health. I came into this partnership dealing with PTSD and depression. What am I most proud of- looking back on my time with Vitality and speaking with my therapist, and seeing the progress I have made in the place I am in now vs when I joined. Mental health is such a personal journey for everyone, and I am so grateful that Vitality became one of the tools in my mental health tool box.

When I describe Vitality I describe it as a cult... like the rest of us. KIDDING- I start of course by saying it is a gym with coach led classes. But then I get a little "soap-boxy" going into how much of a community we are. There are so many people I have met here that have come to be such a part of my life and influential in the way I think. We really are this crazy amalgamation of random folks who have come together to support each other and make our day better.

In Coach Kristin’s Words…

Jessie started Vitality as Saturday drop-in member on community Saturdays by her good friend, Sara, back in 2019. I instantly loved her gregarious spirit and outgoingness. Right off the bat, I was like "oh yeah, she'd be such a great fit to our group"

Post-pandemic she joined the crew and has been a loyal 4:30p member ever since. I recently thanked Jessie for being such a team player by always rolling the ever-going changes in the program, of our community, and our new-growing staff. She's such a supportive member and it is never overlooked. Not only that, she has gotten substantially stronger since she's been a full-time member. PR'ing her deadlifts each time it's a max day. She is always rooting for her peers around her in class and is very welcoming to new people in the space. I feel very lucky to have her as a model of what our community is all about. Can't wait to see what's to come years down the road. Love ya, Jess!