Coach Jenn Mac has been with Industrial Athletics since 2016 and has been a coach since 2022. You can find her pushing members to be their best and helping them unlock parts of themselves they didn’t know they had. Always with a smile and happy to talk to anyone, Coach Jenn shows confidence in and outside the gym. That was not always case and she shows us this month how she discovered her anxiety and overcame it.
Learning About Herself
Ten years ago, I would have insisted that I didn’t experience anxiety. In recent years, I’ve come to realize that while it doesn’t stop me from doing things, it still affects me physically and mentally in certain situations. I’ve always said, “I’m quiet until you get to know me,” but the truth is, I’m quiet because I feel discomfort and uncertainty in new situations, especially with people I don’t know. This is where I have realized that it shows up. The first time that I took a CrossFit class at Industrial Athletics is one of those times.
Walking into Industrial Athletics for the first time was terrifying for me. You might not know this about me, but I struggle with trying new things in unfamiliar environments. New people, new conversations, and the uncertainty of not knowing what to expect—those things make my stomach twist into knots, and I become socially awkward. Sure, there was some excitement about starting something new, but that excitement was quickly overshadowed when the anxiety of being in a structured class with people who had been doing this much longer than me tried to show up.
Starting Something New Can Be Intimidating
At first, everything about the gym felt like a battlefield for my nerves. The energy in the air, the people moving confidently through their workouts, the clanging of weights, the variety of exercises—it all felt so overwhelming. And then there was the language. Acronyms like WOD, AMRAP, EMOM, RFT, DU, C&J… What in the world was this new code? Every part of the gym made me feel small and out of place.
When I first started, I’d always find a spot in the back corner of the gym, far from the center of attention. The corner where no one would notice me—the one that offered me some comfort. But even in that far-off corner, the anxiety followed. It wasn’t just the gym that was overwhelming. It was the fear of being judged for not being capable, of being new, of not knowing what I was doing. Every step I took, every movement I attempted, my mind was racing with a hundred possible scenarios. What if I mess up? What if I look ridiculous? What if I can’t keep up? The inner monologue would replay again and again, like a broken record.
Confidence on the Outside, Nervous on the Inside
There’s something deeply vulnerable about putting yourself in a situation where you’re actively doing something that challenges you—both physically and mentally. My body would react without me even realizing it. My face and chest would flush, like a sign that I was too self-aware, too embarrassed. It was a battle just to keep a straight face and not let the discomfort show…especially because I see myself and want others to see me as a pillar of strength. The fear of being watched or perceived would creep in, but I had to put on a mask of confidence to shield myself from the vulnerability I was feeling inside.
Inside, it wasn’t confidence at all—it felt more like the butterflies before a big test, the fear of failing in front of others. But here’s the thing about anxiety: it’s often a liar. Every time I told myself I couldn’t do something, I had to remind myself that I could. Even if I wasn’t perfect, even if I wasn’t fast, even if I didn’t lift the heaviest weights, I was still doing it. I was showing up. And that, in itself, was a victory. This mindset—one that’s been instilled in me since I was young, the belief that giving up is never an option—is what helped me push through. It’s also why I didn’t recognize anxiety for what it was until I was older.
Push Through Discomfort
I had to continuously reassure myself, quietly, under my breath: You can do this. You are capable. It gets easier the more you come back. Slowly but surely, I started to believe it. It wasn’t instant. The fear didn’t disappear overnight, but with every class I completed, every rep I pushed through, my confidence grew just a little bit more.
It wasn’t about becoming the strongest or the fastest—it was about pushing through the discomfort, facing the anxiety head-on, and continuing anyway. Each time I walked in, it became just a bit easier. The anxiety didn’t have as much power over me. I learned how to sit with it, how to calm myself, and how to remind myself that my progress wasn’t about perfection, but about persistence.
You Are Not Alone
If you’re reading this and find yourself feeling that same anxiety when stepping into a gym (or any new situation), I want you to know that you’re not alone. Every person in that gym, no matter how confident they look, has struggled in some way. Every time you show up, you’re winning—no matter what. The more you come back, the less that anxiety will control you. And one day, you’ll realize that the butterflies are no longer a source of fear, but a sign of growth.
So, here’s to facing those fears, to pushing through the anxiety, and to proving to ourselves that we can do it. Step by step, rep by rep, the gym becomes less about the weights we lift and more about the strength we build inside. Keep going—you’ve got this.
