By Bella Portaro-Kueber

What chapter of life are you in? Is it your first, or is it your second? Lifestyle coach Stephanie Wheeler explains it’s our first chapter that usually ends with a turbulent experience, leaving us with the options to pick ourselves up and put together a life that we want, or let the experience defeat us and be stuck in a chapter that never progresses.

Stephanie chose the first path and moved onto a second chapter.

When her second chapter began, she was a stay-at-home mom with two small children. She didn’t know exactly where she was going, but she knew that doing yoga and lifting weights were two things she could control. The life events that placed her in her second chapter weren’t healthy and conversely placed her onto the path of living a life with a healthy mind, body, and spirit.

Stephanie stands with Rob Auerbach, owner of Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets and Wellness Center, in St. Matthews. Photo by Aubrey Hillis

“My baby steps were to get my physical training certification, yoga certification, and Precision Nutrition training,” Stephanie says. “There’s been a continuation into the second chapter that stems from my desire to live a well-rounded life. I have been supported by the people I work with — my clients, my kids, and [boyfriend] James. It’s all about where I can grow. I’m working toward my goals and planning to have an intentional life while building upon the knowledge I have.

Stephanie started the work world by going to hair school with a focus on skincare. “I wanted to help people look and feel their best, which wasn’t far off from where I am now with my clients. I help them with their wellness goals. It’s a well-rounded inclusion of my areas of interest and knowledge that I’ve built from the things I learned during my first chapter.”

Stephanie is a massage therapist at Core Chiropractic Center in St. Matthews, a CrossFit instructor at CrossFit the Ville, and a consultant for doTERRA Essential Oils. She also works with clients in the privacy of their own home as an independent wellness coach, yoga instructor, massage therapist, and as mentioned above, a Precision Nutrition coach.

“In our day-to-day life it’s so easy for us to overlook the milestones we’ve accomplished when our to-do list is never-ending. But when you pause to look at where you started and where you are now, it’s astonishing. We’re capable of doing anything in our lives regardless of which chapter we’re in. We just have to set our intention and go. The universe truly does have our back.”