WE asked. YOU answered! The #REVtribe submitted stories on how REV inspired them to step out of their comfort zones. Turns out, the #REVtribe is what makes REV so freaking badass. Tune in each Monday as we share one of YOUR stories in hopes to inspire the entire tribe to dig a little deeper and most of all to give you the courage to live the life you love!

As we sweat, we become. We become: One Team. One Heart. One Tribe.

REV has been a big part of my life ever since I was brought to the studio by a friend in 2014. I continued coming to REV through the ups and downs of life, big celebrations (my pre-wedding spin class!), half marathon training, and with new and old friends. I fell in love with the community and family feeling at REV. REV helps me feel empowered in my daily life and as an athlete. REV helped me train for my first half marathon as well as many races thereafter. REV is my happy, REV is my yoga, and REV is my sweat therapy.

The most important thing REV has helped me with is learning how to embrace failure. The first time REV had instructor tryouts, I saw the email and my curiosity was awakened. I thought to myself: I love REV, I love to spin, I can do this! But I let fear take over and I did not sign up to take part in the first instructor tryouts. After the first round of tryouts were over, I was disappointed in myself that I hadn’t tried out, but I knew I wanted to sign up the next time REV held instructor tryouts.

A few months went by and another instructor tryout email reached my inbox. My first thought was, I’ve got this! After all, I am a teacher, how different could it be teaching a spin class? I submitted the instructor tryout information and signed up for my audition. I was so nervous, but excited at the same time. I imagined myself teaching classes and being a part of the REV team. I imagined how great it would feel to empower other people while working out and building a positive community. One thing I never feared was failure. I knew in the back of my head it was a possibility, but my excitement about the audition pulled me through. I planned my five minute playlist, I repeatedly practiced my routine, and I planned my outfit for the audition. Before I knew it, my husband was driving me to the REV studio for the audition. I wasn't sure how the audition would go, but I knew in the end everything would be alright, I would be alright. I walked into the studio for my audition and there were already few others there. I got really nervous! Soon I was getting onto the instructor’s bike, putting on the headset, adjusting my gears, plugging in my iPod, and trying to get my mindset right. Next thing I knew, Justin Timberlake was playing throughout the room and I was spinning and instructing (the best I could!). My heart was pounding, my voice was shaky, but I was doing it! I knew right away it wasn't the best audition, but I gave it my all and I tried my best. That was all I could ask of myself. I walked out of my audition happy with myself, excited I had tried something new and difficult outside my comfort zone, and also proud for allowing myself to put myself in a position to fail.

I found out later that day I did not make the final cut for spin instructors at REV. At first I was really upset and disappointed with myself, thinking of how I could have done things differently. It suddenly sunk in that I had failed. I had failed my spin instructor audition, I failed. It stuck with me. As a person who struggles with perfection, and has a hard time of letting go of imperfections, I failed. It was the most humbling (and perfect) lesson for a perfectionist like me. I failed and I was still okay. After all it's okay to fail, no growth comes from a fear of failure and staying in your comfort zone. REV (and the church of EC) has taught me in many ways the power of failure in the spin studio and in life. I'm forever thankful for that lesson and I think of it often as a reminder, no growth ever comes from a fear of failure.