We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Irish Nagel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Irish, thanks for joining us today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

I have been an instructor & personal trainer for 20 years. I’ve managed to build this incredible tribe of people who root for each, cry with each other & excel at over sharing. That has lead to this close knit group of folks who are invested not only in their own wellness journeys, but helping each other succeed. Due to moves & life in general, sometimes the only way to stay in contact is through the glory of the internet. During the pandemic I taught classes online from my basement and was so happy to see how many people tuned in. I got a hug from a previous client when I took my kids for their dental check up because their dentist has the happiest memories of that helping her sanity during a tough time. She told me that I helped reshape her love of fitness to one that works well for her body and she enjoys.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

When I first started in the fitness industry, I wanted to help people create a healthy relationship with exercise, a love of movement & an understanding of what they can safely do. Due to my own health issues, I have tried to create a space where people feel empowered to give their bodies grace, their brains understanding & their souls love. It’s about being strong, and capable. The goal is not “no pain no gain”, but a curated experience that speaks to your nervous system. We all have different needs & learning to honor them is a journey. I teach my clients that life is all about seasons- we change the way we eat as different foods come in season, why not take the same approach with our bodies? I try to build a community throughout my clients so they have as big of a base of support as possible to help them keep moving towards their goals, and navigate life’s ever changing tide.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe that being genuine has been my biggest strength in building my clientele. My clients never feel the need to sugar coat or be f*ke with me- they know I want them to let me know when they’re having a tough day because maybe it will change how we move. Toxic positivity is strong in my line of work- I teach my clients how to sit with their emotions & move forward as stronger people. Having a better outlook on life is learned not forced.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

After 20 years in my industry, I have begun to shift into planning larger events that include more than fitness- walk & talk book groups, yoga followed by flower arranging, sweat/sip/shop events- because our world is yearning for more community. Finding ways to bring fitness into daily life so it fits with your other interests will only serve to help people to be consistent.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @happydonutdreams
• Facebook: Wellness by Irish

Image Credits

Danny Marchewka