Today, for the 24th day of the Women's History Month Celebration, I am introducing to you this sweet, strong and amazing young woman
Meet Katie Mercier, 31, wife, mother of one beautiful girl, music educator, small business owner..
Katie Mercier is 31 years old, wife to Andre Mercier, and the mother of one daughter. She is a music education major who is now the owner of a successful gym in southern Maine.
Katie was born on August 30, 1989 and grew up in the rural town of Buxton, Maine. She was raised by two hard working parents who both held full time jobs while simultaneously bringing up four kids. Katie watched her parents work long hours and yet they still made time for their children, bringing them to many sporting and music events, attending church and community functions, and most importantly teaching them to give back to their community. Katie’s parents modelled going above and beyond for others, big or small, whenever there was a need. They thrived in helping people and this virtue has been passed on to Katie, as she finds great satisfaction in supporting and encouraging the people around her.
Katie grew up with a love of music and knew from a young age she wanted to teach and share that passion with others. Upon graduation from UMO in 2011, she accepted a teaching position at Sacopee Valley Middle and High School, and there was no doubt that it was the right career for her. In 2014 she accepted a job at Wells Junior High School as the choral teacher, which would be closer to their home in Kennebunk. It was a constant thrill to work with the junior high students. Her students’ capacity to have fun, to try new things, and to grow into young adults, all while sharing a passion for music was a daily inspiration to her.
In March 2018 Katie gave birth to a perfect, sassy, fun little girl named Evie. It was the hardest decision of her life to leave her job as a music teacher and stay home with her new little one, but she knew deep down that it was the best choice for their family. She has never regretted that decision, but looks forward to the day when she gets back to teaching in the classroom with her students. In the meantime, full time parenting has presented its own challenges and thrills, and raising Evie is inspiring in its own way.
Opening a business together isn’t anything that Katie or her husband Andre would have planned for their future. However, it seemed that a career change for Andre was inevitable, and all possibilities and even big dreams were tossed around. Any sort of change seemed years away, but a very specific property in Wells went on the market in January 2020, and they had to consider this dream a reality. After viewing the property, it was clear that a leap of faith was the only answer. Katie and Andre went under contract in March 2020, just before COVID was about to bring small businesses to an immediate standstill.
On July 7, 2020 CrossOver Fitness officially opened for business in Wells, Maine, in the middle of a pandemic. Every day was scary, as new restrictions or even a total shutdown was possible at any given moment. Thankfully they made it through by limiting classes, masking, and a lot of sanitizing, and so far have avoided any shutdowns or outbreaks. They continue to work with the same restrictions and safety procedures, and nevertheless, week after week the gym community grows stronger and larger.
The phrase “keep moving forward” rings true for Katie now more than ever. So much has changed in her life in the past three years, but it’s only possible to press on by taking one step at a time. When faced with a task that seems so great, or overwhelming, we just take one step forward and before we know it, the challenge will be behind us. The reality of owning a business does seem overwhelming and unattainable but one step at a time, one obstacle at a time, the perseverance pays off. She applies this to her workouts as well. Even in the gym, some days the physical work ahead can seem so daunting, and she says the same thing to herself and to her athletes, “just keep moving forward, one rep at a time.” Take a breath, tighten your ponytail, and keep moving forward.
Katie gets great satisfaction from empowering people. Whether it be with music or with fitness, or anything in between, it is her goal and joy to help people realize their potential and go after their dreams. Whether it's watching a student nail a solo they have prepared for and rehearsed, or watching an athlete successfully perform their first hand-stand push-up after months of training, the satisfaction in their success is the greatest joy for her. Sometimes people just need someone to give them a little push to try something new, to believe in themselves, to brave the unknown.
Still at the beginning of her journey, Katie is excited to see what the future holds. There are years of adventures, challenges, obstacles, and joys ahead. It is our supportive community around us, the strong women who have come before us, and the dreams for our daughters that help us move forward and follow our path, one step at a time.
Another one of Katie's favorite quotes is:
“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
***
You can follow Katie @CrossOverFitnessMaine
www.crossoverfitnessmaine.com
*****
Thank you, Katie, for sharing your inspiring journey with us all!
#whm #womenshistorymonthproject #womansupportingwomen #womemempowerment
0 Comments