Who predicted that over a year ago we would still be stuck at home here in Ontario?
Not me!
But yet here we are. Over a year of a confusing, on again, off again carousel ride of closures, information, misinformation, and struggles across the country.
I guess I should toss a disclaimer here: This is a rapid-fire opinion-based piece of writing through my experiences of the lockdown in Ontario. I am not here to pick sides, debate evidence, or argue about COVID. These are my experiences.
Oh, virtual school. I loathe the hell out of you. If any of my fellow parents are reading this, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.
I love Nico to death, but man does he become a different version of himself after hours of screen time. Anyone else face the same thing?
Kids are not meant to be on screens for that long, I don’t care what the content is on the other side. They need physical activity, social interaction, and not trying to focus on a small screen all day while fidgeting because all they want to do is move.
One of the hardest things about lockdown was ensuring Nico was paying attention in class. He’s 4. Hell, I’m nearly 32 and I can’t sit on a screen all day and pay attention either. But what made it worse was that I had to work 10 feet away from him doing virtual school. So if he was loud, getting in trouble, or motoring around – I would be distracted. Any of the clients that I had in 2020 that came on calls would know I had a shower curtain for an office door. Seriously.
In all seriousness, I feel really bad for the kids who are affected by all of this – less social time with friends, less outside activities/travelling with family, less connection with extended family.
I mean I guess it’s not all bad. There was more time spent with Nico and watching him learn and grow was incredible. I also feel for any educators that have had to, and still are, teaching kids through Zoom/Google Classroom/etc. It cannot be easy trying to keep 4-10-year-olds engaged on a screen.
Sadly, I see no end in sight for this school year as kids likely won’t go back in person until September. The positive for us now is we have moved and I now have my gym and office space on a completely different floor.
Nico has his school space, I have mine. Win-win! (Thanks Laura for spear-heading the school stuff)
Despite everything that was going on, 2020 was my highest income in 5 years of running a business. I had a ton of people not invest in my program for various reasons (COVID lead to unemployment, not the right time, waiting for gyms to open, the uncertainty of the future) and I totally understand. Not everyone is ready to invest in their health and fitness during a pandemic, but a ton of people did – and continue to.
I have had a mission since I started this business and that is to coach people to their most fit and help them create a lifestyle that would last.
2020 was not an easy year by any stretch. I had one of my worst months last April (assuming due to COVID and the uncertainty surrounding what the hell was going on). I had to run a business (video, writing, coaching) all while I shared a basement apartment with my wife and son (I love them to death, but it’s not an ideal work set up)
Did I quit? Hell no. I doubled down and worked my ass off. I jumped into OTA Level 2 last May because I believed in myself and knew with the guidance I could take my business to the next level
I had goals, and I knew that I would find people who needed my help to get in great shape, regardless of the current situation we’re all facing.
Even right now, I am in the process of future planning and building some new things for Strong Jon Fitness. It’s scary at times but I have not gotten anywhere in life or business by shying away from an opportunity.
A colleague of mine, Andrew Coates, had said late last year that any personal trainers or online coaching that are doing well or surviving through this pandemic will be successful long term. That stuck with me big time. I know too many people who have suffered at the hands of COVID shutdowns. I am grateful to not be one of them.
2021 and beyond shows major promise, I just have to keep showing up.
As you know by now, unless you don’t live in Ontario or live under a rock in Ontario, gyms are and have been closed for nearly 13 months straight. That means there was no training for me (and a ton of clients/fellow trainers and gym-goers) during the early stages of the lockdown. That is unless you were one of the smart/lucky ones who bought home gym equipment last March-May.
Knowing this, Laura and I wanted to make sure we were active throughout the lockdown and when the weather was nice enough to walk – we took full advantage. 2-3 walks around our neighbourhood every day (was good for my weight, kept laura healthy during pregnancy, definitely important for Nico and all of our mental health).
Home workouts with dumbells and bands are not my favourite but I’m not going to just completely stop lifting. I missed the gym.
Early on, I was lucky enough to train with some pretty heavy dumbbells and a bench my brother and his girlfriend brought home.
The gym opened up again – for about 2 weeks before it was really shut down for good and here we are in 2021 with no signs of it re-opening (as if it isn’t one of the cleanest places to visit – that’s an argument for another day)
So many people did not prioritize their activity or their health during the pandemic and it has to lead to more unwanted weight gain – but on the flip side, I know a ton of people who took the opportunity to take back control of their health and fitness because of the time they now had.
When we were planning our move to Barrie, COVID was not as bad here at the time (still isn’t) but I could not justify putting my fitness and health in the hands of government regulations again. So, I invested in a home gym. A major shout out to Iron Monkey TO & Afterburn Fitness for having quality equipment for amazing prices while others were taking advantage of people’s desperation and price gouging the hell out of them.
Now, I control my fitness regardless of what measures come out. Laura and I can train consistently in the comfort of our home without worry about if gyms open up again or not.
The old me would have been scared to spend the amount I did on all of the equipment I bought, but honestly, I didn’t even hesitate. An investment in your health and fitness is never a bad one. The return is always greater than the price tag.
The majority of my marketing is done on social media. I am on Facebook and Instagram daily, sometimes TikTok although I never really post. I have learned 2 things since the lockdown:
On some grounds there was unity but for the most part, I just found myself muting a whole bunch of people on my Facebook and Instagram feeds – I don’t have time for garbage and keyboard warrior arguments.
Unfortunately for some, people’s true colours came out. Friendships strained, relationships dissolved, it felt like there was a ton of division.
I want to say that I’m lucky Laura and I have honestly never been stronger through all of this, but it’s not luck. Relationships take work, and while we’ve been together for over 12 years – we’re not perfect. I’m incredibly grateful for what we have.
If you have suffered from being with stuck someone throughout the pandemic, I really truly am sorry and am in no way playing down a situation like that. I hope things work out for you.
A ton of people are still talking about waiting until life gets back to normal. There’s no such thing. Life as we knew it will be different from here on out whether we want to believe it or not.
I miss the movies. I miss going to hockey games. I miss taking Nico to various activities around the city. Nico has mentioned on numerous occasions how he wants to go sit down in a restaurant to eat. I can’t sit here and sulk about it. I can only focus on what I can control, and that is working to build a future for my family and enjoying the time I have with them.
The best thing we can do now is: take life day by day, be grateful for what we have and never take anything for granted moving forward. It’s clear that it can be ripped away from us in an instant.
Whether or not you agree with what’s going on, you’re still here. What you do with your time here is up to you. The truth is, no one is coming to save you. Everything you do from here on out has to come from within. You control your destiny. People may help from time to time, but you are the one who lives your life. Every day you wake up and choose who you want to be.
Your health is always, and has always, been in your hands.
-Jon
*For anyone really suffering through the pandemic and lockdown, this was by no means an attempt to belittle how you feel. This is my experience and insight into everything. I am not a mental health professional, but if you ever need to chat, I’m here for you. It’s been a rough go, to say the least.*