These tear sheets are from a lifetime ago. I'm not as buff as I used to be. Though, I like to think that I'm still pretty strong and an "off-season in-shape". I know that I could really use a strong kick to my butt to get more fit (and a solid spray tan, I'm a little pale these days), but frankly, I'm kind of enjoying this time in my life when I am learning how to appreciate little moments. I'm quite the busy body and always ready to go, go, go and do, do, do, but I'm finding that it's important to also know how to be still. I can be quite obsessive, so I think I'm on the other side of training - learning how to "just be".
Even though this is no longer my world, I share these photo shoots because I hope it shows the discipline and focus that I have as a person. When I set my mind to something, I work diligently to make it happen. I originally started fitness training because I wanted to be physically qualified for action roles in film and television. My dream has been to play Wasp Woman, or Janet van Dyne, from Ultimate Marvel because she's of Asian descent in that universe. Who doesn't want to be a super hero!
Every time I would get an audition for a martial artist, I was so excited. I have yet to book that role, but one day... !! However, in 2013, three years after becoming a single mom to a young boy and working a full-time job, I had to make the difficult choice to put acting and fitness modelling on pause. Working full-time at a company I felt a real dedication to was already a lot of work, but investing in my other passions on the side, while raising a young child, was a very difficult balancing act. Plus, being an American citizen trying to remain in Canada, to give my son stability, was something I couldn't compromise. I was having immigration issues with my work permit and I knew that I needed to focus on my family. Flying away to photo shoots or shuttling on the ferry for auditions became too great a risk. Raising my son as a single mother is the greatest joy of my life and I didn't want to miss a single moment. I always believed that once my son grew up, I could return to acting and fitness, but I didn't want to pay the opportunity cost of trying to have it all. No regrets.
This was my first shoot for Oxygen Magazine.
This is the last performance I ever did in fitness. I loved picking my music, creating poses (though there were strict guidelines), but I still felt like I could be creative with the majority of the routine. I loved creating my costumes, which were usually pretty basic relative to others, and the excitement of being on stage performing. Our bodies are amazing works of art, no matter what shape. The sheer mechanics of what we can achieve continues to fascinate me.
It was kind of an ironic song choice for me. Little did I know that just a short couple of months after this competition that my marriage would fall apart. Life got hard, real quick. I became a single mom over night with no practical job. I lost my mind a bit and frankly, it took more than just a few years to finally feel like I was back on track with life again. But I can look back at all those hard seasons and absolutely be in love with every one of them. I have learned so darn much about myself and the world around me. My ex and I had a lot of reparation in the fallout of our divorce. We're no longer contentious, even though I feel like it requires me to take the high road on many issues, but I know all will be right in His perfect timing. Changes come and I continue to learn how to take it.
Wake up, son of mine
Momma got something to tell you
Changes come
Life will have its way
With your pride, son
Take it like a man
Hang on, son of mine
A storm is blowing up your horizon
Changes come
Keep your dignity
Take the high road
Take it like a man
Listen up, son of mine
Momma got something to tell you
All about growing pains
Life will pound away
Where the light don't shine, son
Take it like a man
Suck it up, son of mine
Thunder blowing up your horizon
Changes come (Changes come)
Keep your dignity (Keep your dignity)
Take the high road (Take the high road)
Take it like a man (Take it like a man)
Momma said like the rain (This, too, shall pass)
Like a kidney stone (This, too, shall pass)
It's just a broken heart, son
This pain will pass away
This NPC show is the last show I competed in and my first one in California, my home state. I had only competed in Canada and since I wanted to get serious in fitness, I knew I needed to get into the NPC or IFBB route. So I entered this show with the hope that it would be the beginning of something great.
I couldn't train at a gym because my son had a hard time in the child-minding area and my mo
Copyright © Linda Minard - All Rights Reserved.