Faith's story:
My name is Faith. I started Jazzercise in February of 2005. My husband of 19 ½ years took his life on June 9, 2003. I have four sons so let me tell you that was a really rough time for us. My sons and I still struggle with the after affects of that death. I spent all my life taking the bus and walking and depending on people for rides. I did not know how to drive.
After my husband died, I took to eating chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and watching lifetime movies. Every night I would sit on the couch and eat a whole tub of ice cream and watch TV.
One day a very good friend of mine came over and told me that I was going to learn how to drive. I did not believe her. I gave her every reason in the book why I shouldn't. She finally talked me into it. It took me one month to learn how to drive and take the test to get my license. I couldn't believe it. I actually knew how to drive and I was legal. When the guy from the DMV handed me my license, I looked at my picture and thought, No, that's not me…Where did that triple chin come from???
That depressed me so much, I just kinda gave up and ate more ice cream and watched more TV. One day I found an Inlander on the couch. I skimmed through it and I saw an ad for Jazzercise. So, I called the number and reached a lady named Carol. I asked her what this Jazzercise was all about. I was imagining some weird saxophone music for some reason. She told me that it was fun and I should come and try it out. I went to work and told all my co-workers about this and lots of them wanted to come with me. So I showed up with a crowd.
I'll never forget my first time there. I was in the very back. Carol went through two songs and I was out of breath and very tired. But I thought this is cool. I can do this. Then she said, "all right is everyone ready to start?" I couldn't believe it. I thought I was going to die of exhaustion. I didn't want to ever come back, but I did. My inspiration was my Drivers License. Every time I looked at that picture, it made me sick to my stomach. So I went to Jazzercise twice a week. I was always in the back of the room. I established this little square on the floor to be mine and I stayed in that square for a long time. I had to force myself to go to Jazzercise. I was never a people person. I pretty much kept to myself. My self esteem was pretty much shot. I went to Jazzercise faithfully, twice a week. Every time I felt like quitting, I would just look at my drivers license.
 Pretty soon I started noticing that I had more energy than normal. I would get right up out of bed in the morning and zip through the house. Go to work early. I couldn't wait to go to Jazzercise. You know, when a person falls into a deep depression and doesn't know how to get out, it makes a world of difference when someone gives you a big smile and says "Hello, How are you? Welcome. We are glad you are here." After a while, people started to talk to me during class. They seemed like they really cared how I was doing. All of a sudden I felt like I wanted to go to more classes. I started going to the Friday step classes. I was really feeling good.
The next thing I knew, my jeans were hanging on me. People were telling me that I look good. Today, there is a Jazzercise Fitness Center. I can go to as many classes as I want. And I do. About a year ago, Jazzercise introduced another type of class called personal touch. Of course I went to that, "Just to see what it was like". Wow, I could not believe the difference in just a few short weeks. I am standing up straight and tall now. I hold my head up high. People are really noticing the difference. They ask me what I am doing differently. I tell them about personal touch. When I first started Jazzercise I weighed a little over 180 lbs. I was pushing a size 12 in jeans. My self esteem was shot. I found it really hard to talk to any one. Now, three years later, I am weighing in at about 140. I am easily fitting into a size 8 in jeans. I am a class manager. I am the one that meets people at the door with a smile and a kind word. Because I know that sometimes that's all it takes. Needless to say, I don't eat ice cream any more and I don't watch television. I devote most of my time to Jazzercise and I proudly advertise their name on my car, because Jazzercise has saved my life and gave me back the self esteem that I once had.
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