Hidden Gems: Meet Jill Barghelame of Arete Warriors

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jill Barghelame.

Hi Jill, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am the 4th of 5 children born & raised in a small Idaho town. When I wasn’t riding my horse or helping around the 3 acres I was raised on, I was playing sports. Years of gymnastics, skiing, volleyball, basketball & track & field led me to love & appreciate all things athletics.

Today, I have tried to foster a love of movement in my kids. I enjoy watching them win & lose. I love watching them overcome the mental struggles as well as the physical. There is so much to be gained from trying to become better at something, even as adults.

I teach workout classes online that are fun but challenging. In my weekly newsletter for moms, I cover all aspects of vibrant health & reaching our full potential. Our tagline is “Spirit, mind, body strong.”

Too often, women switch to survival mode when they become mothers. I am trying to remind moms they are worth the effort to become better, to improve, to have vibrant energy & health.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life looks, & is amazing. But those who have known me for years have watched & helped me cope with varying degrees of tragedies & upset. I think every great human has endured struggle. My kids know that. They also understand they have it easy & why we are hard on them sometimes.

They were raised with consequences (often 50 burpees) & we look for opportunities to show them the results of their effort (or lack thereof). We try to let life be our teacher. It is hard for parents not to shelter their children from every disaster we see coming. But I firmly believe in the lessons we were meant to learn the way nature intended. My kids don’t get to see a lot of what nature taught me growing up on a ranch, but hopefully, they are learning the important basics…

1. Life is not fair. We’ve endured some awful, terrible, no good, very bad things, & as I list them in my head, none of them were due to any mistakes we made. Sometimes, horrible things just happen. But we get to choose what we do about it. We have to choose how we will let it ruin or improve us.

2. Hard work usually produces better results, & at the very least, more satisfaction. Izak was waking up at 6 am to work out before school when he was 9. He learned young the joy that comes from discipline & hard work.

3. If you want something, you have to go get it. It’s not going to be handed to you. Both kids have worked hard to become better at their individual sports, & to get good grades. They’ve set goals & done what it takes to achieve them. They love to earn money. Izak (15) has had a lawn care business for years & Nadia (11) helps him shovel walks every snowstorm we get.

Whenever she makes money, she gives it to her dad & asks him to put it in her college fund. This is likely due to the unsolicited education she’s gotten from her financial planner dad.

We’ve been impressed with Arete Warriors, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Arete is a Greek word meaning to reach one’s full potential or excellence in mind, body & spirit.

When I started Arete Warriors, it was geared toward kids. Let’s be honest: kids sometimes need to hear life advice from someone other than mom & dad for it to stick. Arete Warriors is a 10-week program with a daily journal & weekly homework. The homework encourages self-awareness, respect & discipline. They learn about all aspects of health (from how much sugar they ate for breakfast to why sleep is important to what words they want others to use to describe them).

Who are you? And who do you want to become?

Moms need to ask these questions as well. Moms I know are also looking to improve. I work out with many motivated moms in the morning online classes I teach. We now have a free weekly newsletter covering these topics for moms.

How do you think about luck?
I do believe in luck. But I think many people use it as an excuse.

My dad used to say he didn’t believe in “repeated bad luck.” Sure, things outside of our control happen all the time. But he taught us to take personal responsibility for ourselves & our results. Playing victim was not a role my parents allowed.

My 6-figure business went away abruptly a few years ago.

Some would call this “bad luck.”

My husband had planned for it. He is a financial planner & has always been managing our money like either stream of income could just disappear someday.

Some would call this “good luck”.

I think if everyone spent a little more time looking at the possibilities, even those outside of our control, we would all report having “better luck.” Working out, eating right, journaling, and practicing meditation are all investments to have “better luck” down the road. They are not guarantees, of course, but insurance of sorts. Taking personal responsibility, & doing the hard things/planning will usually lead to “better luck.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aretewarriors.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MyTrainerJill
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/MyTrainerJill
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-barghelame-32005a23/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyTrainerJill