Lauren Parker, a fourth-year public relations and advertising student, shares her passion for fitness and well-being to help others grow not only in strength but also in their self-love.
Parker started her career as a fitness instructor when she took a job at Campus Recreation. Freshman year, her boss encouraged her to apply for the class and become a certified instructor. Quickly after, she began her training and has been teaching classes since.
“It’s just been amazing connecting with people, really getting to know them and just seeing individuals grow in themselves and feel good,” Parker says. “Mentally, emotionally and physically, you notice they feel stronger in their bodies, too.”
Even before college, Parker made wellness a priority in her life. However, staying on top of your fitness all the time can be challenging, and Lauren faced this challenge when her summer filled up with an internship and classes. Her focus shifted, and she found herself dismissing the urgency to stay active.
In July 2023, Parker and her family experienced a shock that gave her a new perspective on health. Her dad had a stroke, causing paralysis on the left side of his body. Parker was snapped back into reality and paused everything. She took time to reflect and altered her entire outlook.
“I realized that it is such a blessing that I get to move my body. I get to be able to do things, and I didn’t realize that until it was through him. I was not even taking care of myself,” she says. “So, I came back that next semester in the fall thinking, ‘I need to change my mindset, and I need to show up for these individuals and tell them it’s a blessing to be here and feel strong in yourself.’”
Lauren Parker
Parker attributes her growth and appreciation for her mind and body to this new outlook. As she looks back at her freshman-year self, she claims she would be unrecognizable now. A constant feeling of anxiety and stress consumed her body at every waking moment, restricting her from eating or taking care of herself. Now that she has learned how to listen to her body, she has developed the ability to control her anxiety and overall well-being.
“I’ll take a breath and just come back to my body because it gets you out of your head, and it reconnects you to where you are,” says Parker.
Parker uses these practices to not only handle her anxiety but also to clear her head when her schedule starts to overwhelm her. Connecting with her body and thoughts has become her anchor in life.
“I don’t even think about it physically, but more that it’s going to help me feel clearer, more confident and prevent anxious thoughts or stressful moments,” Parker says.
Since Parker has fallen in love with moving and helping her body, she now has a strong passion for sharing this love.
“I tell people that the work that you put in, you will see the results. I don’t want them to think just physically, but usually, you’re going to feel so much calmer and so much more relaxed,” says Parker. “Maybe you are not feeling it yet, but there is still a reason why you are thinking about it. There is a reason why you’re even looking at the class, so just get up and go, and don’t even think about the workout itself: think about how you’ll feel after.”
In her classes, Parker strives to create a welcoming and inspiring environment for her patrons. Parker ensures that each of her participants sets an intention for her workout class and considers why they came to the class that day. She encourages them to not compare themselves to anyone around them and to only focus on the strength and feelings of their own body.
“Until we take care of ourselves, our minds, our bodies and who we are as a whole, we’re not taking care of the people and things around us,” she says. “So, it’s important to start with yourself and know your intentions with yourself and see what your goals and values are.”
Lauren Parker
Parker believes the key to enhancing your natural beauty is to care for your body and mind.
“When you connect health with beauty, I feel like you glow differently. When you take care of your internal self, you radiate confidence and self-love,” she says. “So, I think when you love who you are, you love the person in the mirror first, and then, a whole different world opens up for that relationship between you and yourself.”
She hopes that through her classes and passion for fitness and mindfulness, her love projects not only onto her students but also everyone in her life. She aspires to share the amazing feeling that can be achieved when you work for it.
“I think embracing yourself, taking care of yourself and loving yourself will take you so much farther in life than you could have ever imagined,” Parker says. “Love who you are, and embrace that person first because I think that is the most beautiful self you can be.”
Lauren Parker
