Beachbody was a blessing, even if I don’t like how it closed.

I would do it all over again.

3 weeks ago, I found out from a social media post, that the business I had built with Beachbody (Million Dollar Body, Team Beachbody, then BODi) spanning nearly 2 decades, was done. It took me a couple of days of shock and disbelief before I could even say the words out loud to my husband, followed by days of reaching out to people who were in my team, people who had mentored me and had been mentored by me, to check in and help process.

You’ve heard me say this before, but nothing on this earth is permanent.

It stinks and was like a punch to the gut. If you read this whole post, don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Pollyanna. I was angry and frustrated. I hurt for all my friends. But, I’m making the choice to not let bitterness take hold. I’ve had reasons and opportunities to lead elsewhere off and on over the years. But my people were here, deep relationships were here.

During all the presentations I did from stage, in living rooms, and in coffee shops, I always shared, ‘I’m taking this across the goal line, and you can come with me.’ I never knew how far ahead the goal line was, but now I can see it, now I can cross it and know that I kept my promise to myself, my family and the team of people who became like family.

Even though the last 3 weeks have been a little rough, and I don’t like how this chapter was cut short, I would do it all again, because it was never just about a product. We built relationships. We led with passion and purpose. We loved, worked and played hard.

In the beginning, I had to grow myself before I could grow a team and then an income. And, God’s hands were all over this journey. I didn’t always like it that I was the income earner in our family, I even complained once in awhile, but 5 years ago it became clear why God had led us down this path, why he had put the people where he did in my life to help me be successful. [How young Alzheimer’s took my husband.]

I’m so grateful for the company and for the opportunity I was given nearly 20 years ago. I’m grateful for the incredible friends, the corporate staff, the friends who have come and gone, and those who stuck in with us, as we navigated all the change over the years.

I understand the stigma of network marketing so well. But, it was a huge blessing for me and my family. One of the greatest personal assets coming out of Beachbody, was that I had been given the gift of a safe space to learn leadership. The lessons I learned, the opportunities that came my way because of what we built, and the skills I practiced, will all stay with me, will help me lead going forward.

I’m staying in the network marketing space, even after the traumatic way our company ended our BODi careers. I know I could get a lot of traffic if I went onto tiktok or instagram and slammed my prior company, or slammed network marketing. But the truth is, it changed my life. I’m looking forward to working on some more personal projects, including a couple books and some creative pursuits.

I know it sounds crazy, but I really would do it all over again, even if you told me 18 years ago, that it would end this way. I’m proud that I didn’t quit. I’m proud of the people I called my team. Beachbody coaching was my vocation, but not my identity!

So, I choose to bless and release Beachbody, known as BODi, and see what the next chapter has in store, without harboring any resentment. And, that’s not a Pollyanna viewpoint. That’s a decision to lead with integrity and say goodbye to something that was good, that had many great things come out of it, and not carry any bitterness with me into my next chapter!

Your friend,

Anne Dovel Morris

Ann Wood Stitch Book begins January 19, 2024

I followed along and did the daily stitching to make a stitch book in 2021 with Ann Wood Handmade. It was such a great experience for me, to have 15 minutes of stitching every day for 100 days.

As a caregiver for my husband with early onset Alzheimer’s, I could keep supplies by my chair and stitch. The reason I joined was to make myself do something. But, in the end, one of the things I learned from the 100 days of stitching was that it was an idea factory. When I would sit down to stitch, I would grab some perle cotton #8, which is my favorite, and thread a needle and just start stitching. Some days my stitching was simply running stitch or “taking my needle for a walk,” as I would call it on social media.

I am joining the Ann Wood stitch book sew along again, on January 19, 2024. You can read all about it on Ann Wood’s blog or do a search in Instagram.

I’ll post some of my “pages” from 2021. To be honest, I am missing 1 page and hadn’t sewn my first book together yet because caregiving and taking care of our acreage at the same time, got pretty busy in April 2021 and I set the pages aside, but that’s on my list to finish before I start the 2024 sew along. It’s an even busier time now, as my husband passed and I’m getting my acreage ready to list for sale in the spring. But, that’s why I chose this project. I’m packing up my bigger projects and sewing stash so it’s ready when I have to move. Small projects, that require little time but make me pick up a needle and thread help me feel more alive.

Join me on Instagram or on my Prairie Woman Arts Facebook page, where I’ll be posting my daily stitch in my story with the hashtag #annwoodstitchbook2024 .

Thank you for visiting my blog, friend.

Anne

How Long are you Really going to “Do That Thing?”

“How long are you really going to do THAT thing,” my mom asked me one day.

She was referring to something that I started 20 years ago, that I had no idea would lead me to where it has today. It was not a traditional job, it was not what I went to college for. It was difficult and made me grow in ways I didn’t know I could, and it was rewarding.

I was 38 years old. My youngest of 3 boys was 16 months old and I was still carrying around some of the 70+ pounds that I gained during my pregnancy. I never experienced morning sickness, (don’t hate me,) and I gained 80 pounds or so with each pregnancy. Last time around, I didn’t lose the weight. Oh well, right? I was told by others that that’s just what happens after you have babies, along with less energy, the aching joints, the tiredness.

We had friends who ordered an exercise VHS (google it if you don’t know.) They loved it and my husband Dave wanted to order it too.

Friends! First of all, we hadn’t ever ordered anything from a website! “You mean to tell me, you would order and pay shipping?” I agreed to look, though, because while I had resigned myself to my post-pregnant mom bod, Dave certainly could use some exercise and I was glad he was considering it! :) Secondly, we didn’t have $50 to spend on something like that. In my very supportive wife way, I told him…(sad but true..story) “There’s a street right outside the house, and it’s free to walk on it.” Did I mention this was at Christmas time, when money was tighter than usual anyway?

{Audience understands that from now on, when wife is mentioned it is underscored as “supportive.”}

My husband convinced me to look at the website and showed me that a couple we knew really well, were on the website with their before and after photos. I told him, “Well, you know, they have to have at least one real person on these sites….” But, I eventually gave in and ordered the exercise VHS and it would be “our Christmas present.” Oh boy…yay. What every mom carrying around excess baby weight wants from her husband for Christmas. Why not a box of paper plates or a toilet lid cover. But, I digress.

The box came in the mail, and even though I had planned to just wrap it up, I opened it first and took a look. It seemed legit. And, because I figured some exercise was better than none, I tried out the first VHS tape. Then, I wrapped it, put it under the tree.

After Christmas, we decided to take before pictures. There might have been an eye roll or two from one of us. The instructions said to do it. “Whatever,” I commented. I didn’t have any exercise clothes, so I put on a pair of Dave’s shorts and a tank top. I still have that picture somewhere. In a non-committal way, I started doing the workouts. I had never lifted any sort of weights, and during the first couple of months, I didn’t have to, because just lifting my arms was weight enough. I didn’t have a goal, I didn’t think it would change anything, but, (supportive wife) I didn’t want to waste the money that we had spent.

Let me tell you friends, that one decision 20 years ago, just a tiny step in a new direction, changed the trajectory of my life. I know it sounds cliche. But, in the 3-9 months that followed the start of that VHS exercise program, I changed my body composition, posture, mental health, creativity, confidence, bone density, energy and general outlook on life.

I felt so good, almost unstoppable. I got on the same website that I had been brave enough to order from, and started encouraging others in the company message boards, to stick with it…it would be worth it…don’t quit today.

I did that for years, during the boys’ nap times, on dial-up internet. I was not a trainer or nutritionist, I was just an active example and an encourager for that company’s customers for about 8 years, for free. It encouraged me to keep exercising because I’d get so excited when someone else would have a transformation because they didn’t give up on themselves.

I wore that VHS out and would have to rewind it by hand when it got stuck. Good times.

Years passed, and a harder exercise program came out. Same company, same trainer. Again, we couldn’t afford it. But, I kept wondering, “what if?” and then I’d talk myself out of it. Right before my birthday, one year, I finally said to a friend, “But why would a mom want to be in THAT kind of shape?” All she said was, “Why not?”

Yea. Why not me? It hurt my stomach a little to spend that much money on me. But, I knew for sure, I wasn’t going to waste a cent of it.

And that story is for another day.

But, how long ARE you going to do that thing? My answer was and still is, “I’m taking it across the goal line. And that line is still out in front of me.”

Thanks for joining me on this blog journey, friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with the next part of this story.

Anne Dovel