I Was a walking Dead Girl

I’ve lost control of my Jeep. I’m less than a second away from smashing into the wall at high speeds. It’s noon. I hear my own voice as a little girl, “No, no! Not like this!”

And then, another voice. A more angelic voice…

“Sylvia, you’re about to hit the wall. Just relax. Let go.”

Against every natural human instinct I watch my hands let go of the steering wheel in slow motion, willed into action by “something” outside of myself.

I smash into the freeway wall. The airbags explode scraping pieces of skin off my face – as if my identity were being ripped away.

I’m 40. I’ve spent the last decade building myself into a fitness badass – a Women’s Tri-Fitness Hall of Famer with two world champions under my belt, along with an arsenal of accolades in an attempt to prove my “worth”.

I work as an elite master trainer at one of the top gyms in South Florida. My clients have been pro athletes, celebrities and high achievers all striving for “success”.

I’m living with an incredible partner in a cool beach house fifty steps from the sand.

I've created "my dream life" on paper... yet, I haven't been happy for years.

Most of my 30s were spent chasing trophies and podiums, unknowingly as a means to escape trauma, addiction, nightmares and pain.

As an adult I’d fallen into relationships with super abusive guys. One put a gun to my head. Another put my head through a wall.

I became hardened on the outside and numb on the inside.

At my lowest point, the pain
became unbearable.

I locked eyes with the driver of an 18 wheeler that I’d resolved to step in front of. It was an officer and my partner who pulled me away from the highway just seconds before I made that fateful move.

I was saved by two angels that night.

Yet I remained a walking dead girl desperate to come alive but feeling trapped in my own skin.

Disillusioned by the mainstream pill-popping approach to healing I went on a mission to reclaim my physical and mental health. On my terms.

I decided to take on the very attitude I’d mastered as a high-performance athlete:

Extraordinary

results

show up when I do. When I'm 'all in'.
Totally committed.

During my fitness career, I’d watched an inexplicable power be evoked whenever I fully focused my Mind on a vision…

I’d experienced how serendipitous opportunities would be sparked out of thin air when I set purposeful intentions that lit up my Heart…

I’d witnessed how quantum shifts were generated when I took consistent, incremental actions that were in service to my Higher Self.

So over the next two years I challenged every conditioned belief I had about my body and brain.

I questioned everything, awakening to the
realization of just how many ideologies I’d
unconsciously adopted as my own.

I had been constructing my life build on the beliefs, opinions, values and ideals of others.

While work colleagues, clients and even friends (and especially family) gossiped behind my back about my “midlife crisis” and how “insane” I was, I chose to channel my attention towards reclaiming my power; to unapologetically trust myself.

Minutes after crashing my Jeep I had been loaded into an ambulance. During transport I had a supersensory experience that to this day is still hard to comprehend, let alone explain…

As I’m looking up at the paramedics the roof of the ambulance seems to open up. Suddenly I’m standing on a translucent white line.

To my left is every moment I’ve ever lived. To my right, a black void.

Then I hear another voice: “Sylvia, you walked right up to that line in the crash. If you’d crossed over, would you be okay with that?”

Flashes of images revealed of my entire life in one heartbeat.

I witnessed how I’d spend most days of my existence saying “yes” to things I actually wanted to say ‘no’ to – out of guilt and obligation.

I saw how too often I’d said “no,” to things my heart yearned to say ‘yes’ to – out of fear for what others might think.

I heard myself answer the question: “I’d rather be dead.”

I turned to my right and let the darkness swallow me.

I woke up at the hospital. My first thought:

“My life does NOT have to be this
way. It’s up to me to change this.”

3 months later I took one of
the scariest leaps of my life:

I ended my relationship, packed up whatever I could fit into my tiny car and moved to Boulder, Colorado – without knowing a soul there or a plan.

People told me I was running away. But I knew in my heart that if I stayed in that life, I’d be running away from what was true for me.

The next few years ushered me down a rabbit hole of deep inner transformation and unimaginable adventures.

I lived summers in the Rockies, winters in the jungles of Costa Rica. I befriended and joined forces with prolific entrepreneurs who role modeled authentic, courageous living.

I surrounded myself with curious individuals committed to an existence less zombie-esque and more rooted in wonder.

I softened.

I’d awakened to how most of my life I’d unknowingly been using my body as armor, so I decided it was time to explore how to utilize it as a courageous, creative instrument instead.

I discovered how to tap into my own Life Force energy by exploring whole-istic fitness and wellness practices as sacred gateways into my unique cellular Body Wisdom.

One day at a time I carved my own path towards self-healing and boundless ALIVENESS.

Today one of my greatest joys is showing Community Leaders, Courageous Innovators and Creators how to utilize their body as a guiding compass towards freedom, ease and real-life magic; so they can manifest those wild imaginings they’re excited to bring forth into our world – WITHOUT sacrificing their wellbeing or their soul.

Most importantly, I help them trust their body’s intuitive God-given superpowers so they can let go and love life.

ABOUT

Sylvia

Sylvia has been recognized amongst clients as “a Jedi Princess of pleasurable fitness and nourishment for increased manifestation and lifestyle magic”.

She gently guides clients towards total body, whole self well-being via her signature Path of Possibility" approach – empowering them to unearth the untapped potential of what they are truly capable of.

Through the power of grace and sheer grit Sylvia has courageously overcome abuse, trauma, debilitating depression, addiction, homelessness, attempted suicide and multiple mental health challenges over the course of her lifetime.

She is the survivor of two near-fatal car accidents, a near-death experience, life-threatening health diagnoses, several debilitating concussions and grueling struggles with PTSD.

Although challenging, her life experiences blessed her with the rare fortune of embarking on a profound exploration into the astounding regenerative capabilities of the Body, Mind and resilient Human Spirit.

Through the power of grace and sheer grit Sylvia has courageously overcome abuse, trauma, debilitating depression, addiction, homelessness, attempted suicide and multiple mental health challenges over the course of her lifetime.

She is the survivor of two near-fatal car accidents, a near-death experience, life-threatening health diagnoses, several debilitating concussions and grueling struggles with PTSD.

Although challenging, her life experiences blessed her with the rare fortune of embarking on a profound exploration into the astounding regenerative capabilities of the Body, Mind and resilient Human Spirit.

Today, this modern day movement-as-medicine woman specializes in teaching ambitious creatives and innovative leaders how to access the powerful, self-healing pharmacy embedded within their very cells… so they can contribute to humanity as their brighter, boldest self.

Sylvia is a 2-time World Champion Fitness Athlete and a Women’s Tri-Fitness Hall of Fame inductee.

She’s traversed the terrain of elite athlete, fitness host, celebrity personal trainer and wellness coach to sports pros, top-level executives, entrepreneurs, conscious leaders and passionate fitness enthusiasts worldwide for over two decades.

These experiences enabled her to build an arsenal of leading edge know-how on how to hardwire results quickly - with a more holistic heart-centered approach.

Sylvia has made dozens of media appearances, including a nation-wide infomercial, eHow, Oxygen Fitness Magazine, Natural Muscle Magazine and NBC Miami’s “Get Moving Mondays” with CNN reporter Joe Carter and Tony Robbins’ Celebrity Trainer, Billy Beck III.

She has been featured as the weight loss mentor on Discovery Channel’s reality TV show “10 Years Younger” and worked in a National Lampoon’s film as the stunt-double for award-winning actor, Sofia Vergara.

A natural born community catalyst and devoted believer in the healing power of the collective Heart of Humanity, Sylvia’s journey ignited opportunities for her to walk closely alongside some of our world’s most brilliant present-day visionaries and changemakers through transformational collaborations such as The Bold Academy, Success 3.0 Summit, DO Lectures, ECHO and the We RiseUP movie.

Fast forward to present day, one of Sylvia’s greatest joys is guiding walking shoulder-to-shoulder with the awesome humans she serves – learning out loud with them as she gently guides them down the very self-healing path she continues to walk herself, to this day.

Her body of work promotes a more meaningful approach
to fitness and wellness through a fusion of science-backed practices and ancient alchemy rituals that actualize holistic, lasting transformation at the cellular and soul level.

She teaches practical, purposeful ‘weight loss’ designed to bring harmony to the nervous system, organs, muscles and fascia in order to activate the mind-body’s innate primal intelligence and intuitive gut-sense

Sylvia empowers the innovative wayshowers, the forward-focused Earth keepers and the dream chasing trail blazers of our world with micro-mindset and habit shifts that evoke the inner transformation needed to breathe life into the great visions they feel called to bring forth into our world as a Force for Good.

Fun Stuff

I’ve DOne

Professional Certifications & Creds

Ignite The Woman Within
Costa Rica

Co-founder and co-facilitator of an intimate, 8-day transformational retreat that empowers women through nature and “adventure workshops” as the platforms for connection to their body, personal reflection and deep self-discovery.

ECHO
Costa Rica

Head of Production, Speaker and Workshop Leader for a 72-hour jungle experience that brings together some of the world’s most revolutionary activists, artists, cultural pioneers and life enthusiasts to challenge their comfort zones, catalyze paradigm shifts, and build bridges towards their best individual and collective versions.

The Bold Academy
Boulder, CO

Fitness & Wellness Mentor for a 1-month incubator program for 30+ entrepreneurs and high potentials developing their nutritional program alongside the head chef, as well as leading bootcamps and off-site flow state-based adventure workouts.

Wholistic Kinesiology
Albuquerque, NM

Mentored by and worked side-by-side world renowned genetic researcher and holistic healer to pro athletes and Hollywood A-listers, Dr. J Dunn, to generate her pilot fitness trainer and wellness coach-focused muscle testing program.

Revolution Gratitude
Costa Rica

Founder and Chief Creatrix of a growing environmental and social impact project, educating and empowering women in a small developing mountain town by turning trash into “treasure” — eco-bracelets made from used plastic bags and recycled glass.

Body Soul Reboot
Boulder, CO

Founder and Fitness Trainer of an outdoor fitness and peak performance boot camp that gets entrepreneurs away from their laptops in fluorescent-filled workspaces and into nature to optimize mind/body coherence, productivity and creativity.

Billy Beck III Personal Training & Performance Center
Miami, FL

Master Trainer working closely alongside Tony Robbins’ celebrity trainer, Billy Beck III, to co-create his special events and Super Trainer U team trainings, as well as coaching private clients, athletic conditioning and leading transformational bootcamps.

Epiphany Concepts
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Obstacle Course Skills & Conditioning Coach for fitness athletes and enthusiasts via one-on-one training, group classes and online coaching.

Success 3.0 Summit
Boulder, CO

Masterminding and creating closely alongside CEO and Founder, Kate Maloney, to bring together some of the world’s greatest minds in the wellness, personal development, environmental and social impact world, inspiring a new model of success that incites personal, social & global change (Pilot event to the ‘We Rise Up’ Movie)

Club Med (Columbus Isle)
Bahamas

Bike Tour Adventure Guide of an award winning, all-inclusive resort tucked away on the remote, pristine beaches of San Salvador Island, Bahamas.

Muscle Activation Techniques
Miami, FL

Initiated the launch of Greg Roskopf's first ‘Jumpstart Certification Course’ offered in Florida, paving the way for dozens of trainers, therapists, movement specialists, healers, and professional sport team coaches to up-level their results with a revolutionary muscle testing protocol.

Tony Robbins’ Firewalk Team for “Unleash The Power Within”
Chicago, IL

Crewed a powerful 3000+ person fire walk designed to help people conquer their fears and access their inner strength to create the lives they want.

CERTS & CREDS

Landmark

The Forum

Landmark

Advanced Course

Resistance Training Specialist

Certification Course

Muscle Activation Techniques

Jumpstart Certification Course

International Society Of Sports Nutrition

Sports Nutrition Certification Course

Perfect Competition Athletic Training Facility

Internship Program

Hoffman Institute

The Hoffman
Quadrinity Process

National Academy of Sports Medicine

Certified Personal Trainer

The University of Western Ontario (Canada)

Bachelors in
Kinesiology

ACHIEVEMENTS

NBC Miami
“Get Moving Monday’s”

Featured Fitness Athlete with CNN reporter Joe Carter & Tony Robbins’ Celebrity Trainer Billy Beck III

eHow

Featured Fitness Professional
for 50+ videos

Billy Beck IIIs Physical
Mastery Coaching

Featured Fitness Athlete for video coaching program

National Lampoon’s
“Pledge This”

Stunt Double for Sofia Vergara

Women's Tri-Fitness World
Championship MC

Host alongside fitness celebrities Katie Uter & Lia Montelongo

Discovery Channel’s
“10 Year Younger”

Weight Loss Mentor for Season 1

Oxygen Women’s
Fitness Magazine

Cover Model
& Featured Athlete

Natural Muscle Magazine

Cover Model
& Featured Athlete