Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Willingham.
Hi Tamara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Tamara , I am originally from Albany NY. I moved to Norfolk VA in 2012 with my two daughters. I had no idea how’d I make it or what the future looked like for me. I knew after heartbreak and sorrow of loss, for my mental state I could no longer stay in New York State. I just wanted a new life , not only for me but for my daughters. In 2016 on my youngest daughter’s birthday my grandmother passed away we were really close, her prayers are the only thing that has kept me throughout life. I went into a deep depression ,I recall just feeling hopeless ,lost and afraid. I remember waking up one morning crying hysterically as if I was reliving every lost ,and every heartbreak all over again ,I remember getting dressed and going outside and I just begin to run , I ran so fast just crying as if I could run my past away and before I knew it I had ran almost across town. I thought to myself “Look at you they wouldn’t want to see you like this”. I recall a sense of peace coming over me as I wiped my tears. I knew at that moment that I had to not only move with integrity but with purpose. My moves from here on out had to make sense and serve a purpose for my pain. I trained every day ,anytime I’d get to far gone in my head I would work out. That was the beginning of my journey and how “AR’Onelz Naturalz” being my first quest came about. Named after my late grandmother who’s name was “Elnora”. I played around with the letters in her name and came up with AR’Onelz. I remembered how naturally beautiful she was and how she’d use homemade remedies and came up with “Naturalz”. I started out selling stretch mark cream I made myself on Esty, then I moved on to sell “WAIIISTED” waist trainers as well as woman’s sportswear, During this time I was working toward my pursuit in fitness; In remembrance of my brother who passed away from natural causes. I always felt like if I had known how serious it was I could of helped him through health and fitness and for years it took a toll on my mental ,which in turn is how “Coach MaiRa” came about. I had one more goal that I felt I needed to achieve. I wasn’t quite sure what it was but I knew it would require precedence overall, would take much longer and require more of my time. I wanted to now pursue a college degree ,at that particular time I thought I wanted to be a nurse to make a difference even got accepted into the program and completed 2 1/2 semesters before dropping out of the program, it just didn’t feel right. I ended up switching to the Health Administration program , and again dropping out because it just didn’t feel like that was what I had been called to do . I remember crying and praying often just trying to figure out what life looked like for me and what was I supposed to be doing , asking “GOD” what could I do to serve purpose. I prayed about it , i prayed about it a lot actually just asking “GOD” what purpose could I serve and it brought me to the desire to work in rehab, I wasn’t really familiar with OT/PT but one memory I’ve always held dear to my heart was visiting a close loved one in a rehab facility back home in upstate NEW YORK. He had suffered from gunshot wounds and later passed on in life and it was at that moment I felt that is what “GOD” was calling me to pursue. there were signs all along; for time’s sake I won’t dive to much deeper. I knew that would be my way of keeping his memory alive, and serving an overall purpose. After years of ups and downs trying to figure out life before , during , and after COVID. AR’Onelz Naturalz began to take a backseat and situations as well as inflations didn’t help matters much. I continued to pursue my other goals in fitness and preparing to apply for the Occupational Therapy program, praying and working my way through. During this pursuit journey I’ve lost family , friends , missed events , and even important milestones. Having nothing but my faith that it would all come together one day. Here I stand 10 yrs later, Not only did I become a group fitness instructor at a well known gym in Norfolk VA . I have also achieved the goal of becoming a Occupational Therapy Asst. All praise be to the glory ,grace and mercy of “GOD” for carrying me through the trials , tribulations, and adversities.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey by far has not been easy, at times I didn’t know how I was gonna make it or get through, from my car breaking down, business slowing up during and after covid, having to drop my hours at work to focus on studying and school, my grandpa passing away in 2021; one month after I started OT school. My daughters getting into a car accident shortly after , my baby girl getting admitted to the hospital, then finding out that I had to have surgery to learning shortly after my surgery that we had to move. Finding a place only for it not to be ready, we stayed in a hotel preferably close to my clinical site so that I could keep up with school. Doctor’s and my professor’s told me due to the recovery time after my surgery I may or may not finish school, again I was determined and nothing or no one but “GOD” had the last say . I eventually finished school (with my cohort) and now it was board time , I had failed my boards multiple times after all of this , All of the adversities I had endured over the years built up and released causing me to become overwhelmed and depressed, once again with only my faith I prayed myself back to life , I’ve had to keep “GOD” in the forefront of all I do , I had to stand firm in what I wanted to accomplish even at my lowest , with tears streaming from my eyes ,I had to keep my faith and trust in a plan that looked very different from my own. To be totally honest after all I’ve been through I don’t know how I would have made it without my faith, trusting in “GOD” and the hard-work and dedication behind my prayers , I learned the true meaning of “Faith without works is dead”.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I work in a rehab dept as a Certified Occupational Therapy Asst, I’m a group fitness instructor at Crunch fitness. I’m known for my workouts videos on Instagram, juicing , promoting healthy meal intake , “WAIIISTED” waist trainers, and posting motivational quotes on social media . I am most proud of believing in myself and never giving up on my hopes and my dreams even when things got sketchy for me ,Perseveringly through adversity and keeping my faith , without letting it harden my heart . what sets me apart from others is I don’t have a story , but a series of events that shaped the woman that I am today ,built through pain and withstood through faith , turning my pain into purpose
one of my favorite sayings is “There is no limits in life; only the limits we set for ourselves” I truly believe that as long as you don’t give up , you never fail
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
People may not know the back story behind the journey of fitness , the brand, and the career field choice .They may not know that every move is with intent and substance. My plan is to write a book about my life in more dept in hopes of encouraging and motivating individuals to not only follow what they believe but also to know where you begin is not were you end .They may not know the vision they see online was once blind to the fact that she could do any of this .But #GODDID
Contact Info:
- Instagram: aronelznaturalz
- Facebook: aronelznaturalz
