Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Bishop.
Hi Courtney, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The beauty of witnessing something be exactly as it’s meant to be. A mountain does not try to be a mountain. It’s not loud; it doesn’t chase, beg for attention, nor long for validation. It just is.
And the same beauty holds true for us humans, journeying our unique Paths – there’s no need to force. Nature has already bestowed upon us our own individual gifts. We simply get to notice the whispers that resonate with us along the way, and gently grow toward that light; that aliveness & wellbeing – as the call becomes steadier, clearer, more refined – and, leads us home.
From a very early age, athletics were a language that spoke to me – admiring their beauty and excellence. Being somewhat sensitive, I often found myself doing more listening than speaking in situations growing up. At the age of four, I discovered the quick & gritty sport of Softball. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I loved being able to express myself through sport & fitness – communicating in a language beyond words; power, strength, speed, elegance and grace. A playful, challenging, yet fun practice.
That quiet, yet eager little girl would go on to grow a big love for Sport over the years – and all it gave me; Playing on various travel softball teams, getting to be immersed in & challenge myself within ultra-competitive environments, and learning what comes from hard work, dedication, and commitment. Eventually, that young lady – after some deep reflection for a teen on what most served me – would go on to follow my dream of playing Softball at the Collegiate level, as well as participate in other lively & energetic sports along the way, like gymnastics and cheerleading. Post College, and being an innate go-getter, there was a looming sense of underwhelm, and, thus, a powerful drive to continue a competitive pursuit. As such, Powerlifting slowly started to reveal itself to me and, naturally, became my next expansive endeavor.
Being involved in Sports throughout childhood & early adulthood has given me more than I ever imagined it could. It afforded me the understanding of how daily performance is directly affected by multiple factors; the way you train, eat, recover, who you surround yourself with, and how you take care of yourself, overall. This understanding laid the perfect foundation & stepping stone for that next venture, Powerlifting – competing at the Local, State, and National levels – while continually teaching the lesson: you’re so much stronger than you think. This sport has gifted me sponsorship opportunities, chances to travel to various gyms & venues to compete and judge at, the fortune to attend the extravagant weekend experience that is The Arnold, badass lifting friends & some really down to Earth people, and, even, the responsibility, knowledge & skillset to host the most fun Powerlifting meets at our own gym. Everything it has and continues to provide me will forever be eternal gifts. It’s truly amazing where following what you love can take you.
Though faced with an injury & setback from Powerlifting, a labral tear in my hip, the resilience it taught me, in retrospect, was a blessing in disguise. While injuries typically call for rehabilitation to restore physical function, more major ones from Sport can also bring about a level of identity crisis. This introspective, deep soul searching can be quite uncomfortable and was really dark for me to experience – having never traversed something like that before – yet, it was also extremely foundational and healing. I realized injury and adversity are, actually, not a regression, but, rather, incredible educators that are part of your progression to keep learning, honoring & respecting the process, growing & remembering your infinite strength within.
While navigating rehab and recovery, there was a very spacious curiosity, and the gift of time, to stretch wider in vision. Being so deep into the world of Powerlifting and feeling stuck & lost without it, part of healing asked of me to zoom out and come back to gratitude – for everything; the beauty of life. I took time to explore grounding, embodiment practices, like Pilates, Yoga, Reading and Drawing, and slowly built back up to Dance, Aerial, Gymnastics Strength Training, and Olympic Weightlifting. After a prolonged period of being hyper focused on one thing, and rigid about the methods, this variety and flexibility gave me life! – coming back to the playful nature that the fascination with sport originally stemmed from. Eventually, this journey would come back full circle to my love for heavier strength training once again – only after having regained confidence, trust, and strength within the body, and developing a newfound love & appreciation for the process. Broadening my horizons brought incredible bliss & joy back into my life, and ignited my light again after a very dark chapter. It was a deep lesson that rest & balance is, indeed, part of the work, and that white space absolutely gives more meaning to the focal point.
And so, given the opportunity to try again – but, this time, with a wiser, more pleasure-filled approach – I learned the importance of creating structure, while allowing enough flexibility to ensure sustainability, beauty, and joy in the journey. Peace to the soul in each step. Gratitude, savoring; each breath, each rep, each day, and moving with intuition, wisdom, and well-being as my compass, rather than relying on pure hustle and white knuckling.
Throughout this journey, so far, I’ve had the pleasure of working with such lovely humans across various backgrounds. The most resonant being the driven, female athletes & soulful students. They help me more deeply understand my Path as I get to teach my gifts. They help me remove the noise, return to my roots to be in my body, and build a vibrant, balanced, and sustainable life using these timeless practices. They help me listen, connect, and stay grounded. They help me remember my duty to live in reciprocity with the Earth & Universe, to embody a regenerative practice, to choose materiality that feels like home, and to witness interior as it so perfectly matches exterior. They help me embrace myself as I learn to move and communicate in a way only I can – in a way that makes me come alive – to be & become exactly.. who I was created to be.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It certainly has not. It has come with more ease, with time, but that’s due to becoming more certain of who I am.
Feeling like I was going down too many unrelated paths in my twenties was a common point of contention. While I enjoyed being multi-passionate and could connect the dots amongst different areas I chose to study, I would often experience doubt, feel down on myself, and get frustrated for not just sticking to one thing. Because of studying in what seemed like such contrasting industries at the time, Strength & Conditioning and Yoga, plus a wide blend of other specialties, I sometimes felt I didn’t quite fit in with different subgroups. I would feel too soft & whimsy among my more logical, rigid, strength & conditioning focused friends. And, at the same time, being surrounded by my intuitive, flexible, Yoga-loving friends, I would feel like I didn’t exactly flow with their understanding, either. Pair that with growing up during a time where I was taught specializing in one specific area was important for capitalizing on that skill and being able to make a living off it, I was concerned if I didn’t just choose one thing I would not be able to build the quality of work I desired and/or be taken seriously.
In hindsight, I realized my winding path actually did all share a common thread of connection – and that if I looked beneath the surface of everything I was studying, it was all leading me right back home – to me. One pure act of creation. That was what I get to specialize in, and make a living off of. Being myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
POA is a strength and wellness brand dedicated to devoted & soulful students, athletes, & new and aspiring strength and wellness coaches. We’re on a mission to help you pursue your passions, live with purpose, and elevate your everyday. We specialize in offering in-person and online strength and conditioning coaching, meditation + yoga classes, and mindfulness mentorship. We see movement & mindfulness as tools for deep listening, grounding, connection to self, and homecoming. These timeless disciplines are mirrors that reveal each of our own very unique essence. We are known for our inquisitive, quiet, encouraging, and inspiring approach that draws forth the natural brilliance of our athletes, students, and coaches. And while staying true to our path has been the most challenging part of this journey so far, it is equally what we’re most proud of – creating something completely original, even when it has not made sense to others. Readers should know, our brand, offerings, and services stretch across a very vast range, and we take pride in the cumulative work that’s allowed for that reality to exist. A constant expansion of our thresholds. And, we encourage prospective clients to follow that nudge of what you feel most drawn to explore, based off the visuals, wording, sonics, feeling & more, of our offerings. There’s nothing we love more than helping you find the perfect fit.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, to me, is feeling an ineffable sense of gratitude for being here & having that feeling reciprocated back to you. It’s like a feeling of medicine, nourishment, feeling like you’re exactly where you’re meant to be, and feeling fully taken care of. It’s the natural fire starter that gently awakens you in the morning, with a deep sense of awe & appreciation – feeling so lucky for this journey. And then, it’s the ripple of that joy within your soul as it echoes into the universe to make the world a more vibrant and harmonious place. It’s feeling the reverberations of love within your body from all those who’ve come before & shaped you, and all those who’ll come after, as it all impacts your timeless craft. Success, at one point, meant certain achievements to strive for in the future and, once arrived, would bring great happiness – but time is a tender teacher, reminding us that the most important thing is loving the gift of the moment before you; to be here, and fully alive. That alone, is an incredible miracle.
Pricing:
- Yoga Classes, $13-$15 for punchcard or drop-in students
- Personal Training, $58-$72/hour for single, 5, 10, or 20 pack sessions
- Online Fitness Coaching, $500-$1620 for 3-6 mo
- Mindfulness Mentorship, $2k-10k for 3 mo
- Mindfulness Programs, $45-$88/mo
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepursuitofauthenticity.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepursuitofauthenticity_
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepursuitofauthenticity
