Twenty-Year Milestone for InsideOut…
On set at CityTV, Citypulse and CP24 with a beloved original, Hon. Lt Gov. David Onley.
MEETING YOU - SEEING PAST THE PHYSICAL
InsideOut’s very first day of spark in “meeting you where you are at” was all the way back at the beginning of 2005. It was when we officially opened and welcomed the community into our space and began going out to see you on-site, as well. After all this time, I can say what a thrill its been to have had a front row seat to witness so many remarkable life highs.
As we now embark on yet another season, we do it reflecting on a significant Twenty-year Milestone - lifting you up by empowering Physical and Mental success and affecting profound life change for individuals as the overarching objective. Today, ISO continues serving individuals’ health, fitness, and, critical life skills to become aware of one's own inner GPS. This is all still true and paramount today just as it was back in year one. The mission has always been to provide excellence in guidance, care to make a difference in order for you to grow, become stronger and reach your potential - from inside out.
It does feel like anything is possible when you dare dream big goals yet my own truth is a backstory that led to the germination of InsideOut Health + Fitness and was a fire that was ignited from a deep hole of lived, personal experience. More precisely, it had been a battle with anxiety, panic and self-regulation. I readily share this because it led to a rescue of my life. From that trying time, leading up to what would ultimately become well beyond 10K hours in professional practice, today. I have been gratefully sharing on a everyday basis to try and provide steady direction with these seemingly evolving, infinite lessons. It’s hard to fathom how much things for ISO have developed upon looking back. The lessons are many great ones to be sure. Firstly, that we are all going to have setbacks.
ISO was a mere 2-3 person team back in those early days. The reality is that we struggled in getting our roots at the outset. However, there was no disputing there was the unwavering ingredients of passion and dedication as the foundation for a whole-hearted commitment of skill sets. We would also need to discover how to lean into resilience in order to press on which was a core lesson in perseverance. Even now, reflecting on these first two decades worth of impacting lives that would include a (mental and physical) health pandemic, it didn’t always feel like it was flying by.
Annual Team Involvement in Terry Fox Run Event
MAKING A BRIEF HISTORY BEING READY TO DIVE IN
But there was no denying things were going to launch even at the risk of flopping within that first period of time. Being able to plan and envision into the short or long-term doesn’t happen unless you take the first step with its inherent excitement into the abyss of that unknown. I can say that we are deeply grateful for those precious relationship touch points and the shared bonds that have been sewn along the way.
The following list of ‘key moments’ remind us of how far we’ve come, to never forget what we emerged from and that there always exists more service that can be done.
InsideOut 20-Years Timeline:
- Awarded Top Health + Fitness Educators in Toronto 2x
- Queen’s Park Media Studio Speech Delivery
- Industry Representative on Media Outlets and Platforms
- Guinness Record for Indoor Cycle Relay
- Active Community Involvement since 2006
- Voice for Youth Mental Health (InsideOut’s Annual SIA Youth Mental Health Day)
- A Place in the local Hall of Fame
THEN, NOW AND THE MAGIC THREE
As we step into what will be a new decade, I playfully imagine the number three dancing around in my head. It’s done with the realization of knowing that it’s merely the end of the beginning for us. Since planting those early seeds right up to the current timeline, ISO has tried to remain squarely focused on cultivating trust in all relationships and currently the symbolism the number three stands for...
As we proudly step into our Third Decade, we cast a gaze upon an exciting new season that figures to be our biggest plan thus far for our community! Expanding and evolving more in areas of Fitness, Nutrition, Rehab and Setting Growth Goals. As we enter this new chapter, we embrace the idea that good things truly do happen in threes. InsideOut’s philosophy remains grounded in the belief that growth starts from within—when you’re ready and willing to take the first step. This mindset that personally helped me on more than one occasion, and has lifted countless others over the years and still guides our mission, today. To mark the start of this fresh, new decade we’re thrilled to introduce an exciting line-up featuring three exciting new initiatives:
I. Women-Only Private Times: Ladies Mid-Life and Mom’s Program (including Mom + Baby Classes), II. The InsideOut 14-Day Nutrition Reset Guide and 10-Day Home Fitness Guide, and, III. The 30-Day Transform Habits Challenge! (Plus, “Meeting You Where Are” that takes on literal, on-site meaning in that we continue to be able to offer a COME TO YOU direct, on-site service through Home/Work visits or through Virtual and Online willingness in order to provide extended support)
Good things CAN happen in threes. Fittingly, we are launching these three first-time initiatives as we embark on 2025 and beyond. We are only as strong as our achievements. In fact, I feel we’re just hitting our stride which makes for being on the verge of another period to shine on this journey, together.
2025 Staff Smiles: (L to R) Sheshank, Barry, Dana and Michael!
GROWTH CYCLE
As we celebrate our 20th year in 2025, we look ahead with a new excitement and purpose. Entering our next chapter is a chance to embrace new challenges, expand our vision, and continue making a difference in people’s lives. Growth depends on a plan then pushing limits to explore - it evolves through a beginning, middle and a finish.
At InsideOut, we know great things can happen in such a planned out cycle, and as we prepare for this next step, we carry forward the lessons of the past. The journey so far has been remarkable, but the future holds even greater promise. Together, we'll uncover new opportunities, build stronger connections, and keep up the inspiring stories of lives transformed - one step at a time. It’s just the end of the beginning from ISO! We now know anything can be possible when you try.
- Barry Samuel (CSCS + NCCP I, BA Psych) Director of InsideOut Health, Performance and Leadership