I am thrilled to award October 2012 graduate Clayton Robinson with the Best in Class Health Leadership Award. Clayton has overcome personal hardship and multiple health problems to become a true wellness leader, and she’s a shining example that if you follow the steps of the Health Coach Training Program and face your fears, anything is possible! Clayton has already been featured on Fox 4 news and has a thriving health coaching practice where she provides support for individuals and families who want to make better choices for their health – and she only graduated one month ago. Clayton’s success is an inspiration to us all!

What inspired you to enroll at IIN?

I was sick on and off for 25 years and then was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease 5 years ago. After being treated alternatively, I was feeling great and then fell very ill a few months after having my daughter. I was sick with Lyme, mono, an unusual parasite and my adrenals had crashed. I barely remember the first two and a half years of my daughter’s life. The minute I started feeling a little better, my best friend from childhood committed suicide and then four months later, one of my best friends from adulthood did the same thing. I hit bottom and didn’t know how to repair.

Something just started tugging at me and I knew I had to jump back into my life and do something that mattered. As I tweaked my diet, changes started happening. I started feeling more positive every day. IIN advertisements started appearing magically on my computer for weeks and finally I just said, “Ok, Ok! I will look into it!” It must have taken two days of thinking about it and I was sold. I remember going for a walk the day my IIN materials showed up and I just simply prayed and said, “Thank you for leading me to IIN” and immediately I heard, “Thank you for listening.” I had chills and walked home with a smile. I knew I was in the right place.

Can you describe your experience at IIN?

I can’t think of a better thing that I could have done for myself or my family. I feel such a strong connection with all of my fellow students. In the beginning I heard myself say, “I don’t know how I will ever be ready to actually start coaching”. Half way through I was thinking, “This is amazing but how do I get started?” and that’s when I was contacted to be on the evening news. I did my first pantry makeover, store tour and cooking demo in front of over a million viewers (and it was their main story for sweeps!) A few months later, I had multiple clients and was just moving right along! I would not trade anything about my experience with IIN. I listened to every piece of advice that Joshua gave us (which is not exactly in my nature to do.) I embraced it and faced my fears and I will always be so thankful to Joshua for changing my life.

How do you feel about being awarded the HLA?

I was in such shock when it was being awarded that I didn’t really “get it” until it was explained a week later by a fellow student. She said, “Clayton, it’s the HLA. That’s the Oscar of IIN!” I cried because I was proud of myself for the first time in so long. The heart of our program hit while my child was home all summer and I didn’t have a babysitter most of the time. I was getting up at 4 a.m. to study, keeping my daughter happy and seeing clients throughout the days. My college graduation 20 years ago did not feel this great!

What was your biggest accomplishment during the program?   

My biggest accomplishment was just throwing myself into something 100%. I did not allow myself to say “no” to any new experiences that I encountered all year. I had an identity crisis when I became a wife and mother. I loved every bit of it but I wasn’t being true to myself when I ignored my need of working with others and helping others heal.

Do you have advice for future health leaders?

We all have a voice inside us. The more present we are in our own lives, the more present we can be for others. If something makes us afraid or uneasy, that is what we have to explore. If it’s too easy, we aren’t growing. The hardest thing for some of us to accept is success. We are not helping the world if we cannot embrace our own gifts and talents.

Connect with Clayton

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