When I started my fitness coaching business in 2019, I had a lot of ambitious plans. And then, in the interceding years, I developed more plans and ideas as my business grew, I picked up suggestions from clients, attended workshops and seminars, and observed what other people were doing successfully. Not all of those ideas were practical or appropriate for my business. Many of them never happened, or happened on a much slower timeline than planned. One example is the monthly newsletter, an idea I had more than a year ago–but only just got around to making a reality–releasing my first monthly newsletter at the end of October, 2023. I believe this was one of the worthy ideas, one that was important to make happen, and one that I will continue with consistently from now on.
The Smart Fit & Clean October newsletter is reproduced below. You can also read it in it’s original version here. If you’d like to subscribe for future newsletters, please sign-up using this form.
Monthly Newsletter for October 2023
Whoa! How the time flies. Another month is gone and I’m still here by the grace of JAH. The time goes faster as I get older, but thanks to habits of mental fitness, physical fitness, and spiritual fitness, things in my life keep getting better. I am making an effort these days to practice more authenticity, honesty, and integrity in the words that I say and the actions that follow. I am trying to be transparent about why I do what I do, and be consistent with that message across my various platforms and endeavors. I am building my coaching business this way, through sharing my own unique point of view. I am also doing more writing, continuing to make my documentaries, and engaging in educational and community development work. All of this you will read about in this month’s newsletter. I hope it provides you some inspiration and fuel for your own journey.
Keep rising!
Nicholas John Nakis Amha Selassie
“Coach Nic”
Now Accepting New Local & Remote Clients
I don’t sell gym memberships. I don’t teach group classes. I help my clients design & follow their own personalized healthy lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise programs. My clients follow these programs on their own, at their homes, outside in nature, or at the gyms of their choice. We meet for consults, assessments, or 1-on-1 sessions here at my home gym in Sedro-Woolley, or online via Zoom. This allows me to work with with clients local to the Skagit Valley, as well as remote clients anywhere in the world.
If you’re interested in learning more, sign up for your complimentary consultation today.
CrossFit History Lessons
20 years ago, in the autumn of 2003, I discovered CrossFit.com and it was life-changing. I became one of the first 100 CrossFitters and an early competitor at the birth of the Sport of Fitness. In the days before the CrossFit Games, I helped spread CrossFit around the world and was one many early adopters who influenced the development of a movement that would go on to transform the fitness landscape.
After 15 years of participating in CrossFit as a training methodology, casually competing in the growing sport, working at some excellent gyms from Seattle to Phuket, and running a CrossFit affiliate myself, I made the decision to depart from CrossFit entirely. Read what I learned through this experience, what I still believe in from CrossFit, and what I’ve changed my mind about, in my new free ebook “CrossFit History Lessons”.
“Reach For The Rings” Documentary Franchise
In late 2018, I began work on what would become my second feature-length documentary film. Released in 2021, “Reach For The Rings” tells the story of the 2019 iF3 World Championships, as the team from the USA attempts to sweep the podiums, and the International Functional Fitness Federation strives to bring the sport of Functional Fitness to the Olympic Games. Reach For The Rings is now available on most major platforms, including VOD, streaming, cable, dish, DVD, & Blu-ray.
I am happy to announce there is now a sequel in the works! “Reach For The Rings 2” portrays the efforts of the iF3 over a 2-year period (2020 & 2021), as the COVID pandemic and government-imposed lockdowns put new hurdles in front of the burgeoning sport. This film includes 4 competitions: the online 2020 iF3 World Cup, online 2020 iF3 Continental Cup, in-person 2021 iF3 Worlds in Sweden, and in-person 2021 iF3 Masters Worlds in Egypt. I’ve recently completed some preview clips for the film and I’m actively searching for sponsors to help it reach completion.
New Travel Blogs
Late last year, I revived my travel blog on travelblog.org, revisiting the pure joy of travel writing. I recently went to Vancouver for the iF3 Masters & Juniors World Championships, where I presented previews of my upcoming documentary to fans, supporters, and potential sponsors. When the sports were over for the day, we went out and enjoyed that Van City nightlife. I wrote about the Vancouver trip on my blog.
Rastafari Community Development
The first two decades of my life were very traumatic and tumultuous, but through a natural connection with the Almighty, I found my moral compass. In the livity of Rastafari and the inspiration of Haile Selassie I, I learned what kind of man I wanted to be and discovered the hope I needed to become that man. Now I am working to pay that energy forward.
My original feature documentary “True Born African” tells the story of Winston Jarrett, a pioneering Reggae musician, Nyahbinghi Ancient, and an Elder to our Seattle Rastafari family. This film is now available on Amazon.
In 2021, I helped some brethren in Mombasa, Kenya establish the Rastafari Community Development Office, home to a library, community shop, and connections center. Now we are raising funds to pay rent there for the next year.
In recent months, I have been reading audio books for Wisemind Publications, and organizing more readers to help bring this catalog of 85+ testimonies of Rastafari Ancients to a wider audience on YouTube.
SW RISE Coalition
At home here in the Skagit Valley, I have become involved with the SW RISE Coalition (Rallying to Inspire Safe Environments), a program aimed at preventing drug & alcohol abuse amongst teens & youth. The Coalition recently sponsored my attendance at a full day training for Meeting Facilitators, and again for another full-day training on Motivational Interviewing. RISE is now surveying area residents about substance abuse and mental health concerns in our community.
Skagit TV21
This year I have been helping Brian Young create broadcast television programs for the Skagit County Commissioners. These broadcasts of important presentations, proclamations, and meetings can be seen on Channel 21 in the Skagit Valley, or viewed online.
Nic Nakis 