Hannah Payton

My life before I became involved in fitness was ordinary. I was a skinny, depressed, over-anxious girl with no self-esteem. The way I revolutionized my life was through fitness. I could see a change in my body yes, but the most dramatic change came in the form of confidence and drive. It is so much more than a physical change! I feel so strongly about how fitness changed my life that I want to share it with others and help change their lives too. When I became a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, it was like my world suddenly fell into orbit. I found my thing!

   I have been honored to have the opportunity to get involved with Campus Recreation and Intramurals or otherwise known as the RAC. The department leaders there have invested in me since I was a freshman. When I am not teaching a group fitness class or working with my clients, I am in the office doing my other duties as Group Fitness Program Assistant. In this role I lead a staff of 25 group fitness instructors and am responsible for their training and continued development.

            Alongside my job at the RAC, I do my best to remain involved with Georgia Southern’s campus as well. I was a 2013 Southern Orientation Advisement and Registration Leader. My experience in that position taught me a lot about the definition of hard work. We worked twelve-hour days with a down to the minute schedule that constantly kept us moving. I also participated in our Alternative Break program where I learned I could have a positive impact on people’s lives beyond fitness. My contribution to this program has changed the way I think about my connections with other people, and this is why I continue to attend these Alternative Break trips.

            My mission is to help people recognize their own strength inside and out and to empower them to take charge of their lives through fitness and positive action. The only person that can help you reach your personal goals is yourself, and that is what I want to challenge to people who were just like me. Fitness and a healthy lifestyle are my passions without a doubt, but the thing that touches me the most is the chance to change someone’s life for the better.