Courtney Babilya of West Valley on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Courtney Babilya. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I start the morning by taking our new puppy outside, then making breakfasts and school lunches. We’re out the door for school drop off by 7:15, and then it’s home for a walk and coffee. If it’s not a gymnastics day, I’ll do a strength training workout in my garage. I get to my home office by 9 or 10am, answer emails, talk to my clients, and go over my social media + Substack content. This quarter I have several launches, so I’m also tackling my to-do list for those. After I get my son from school, we spend quality time together and have dinner at home. A few times a week I have gymnastics at night, so I’ll leave around 7pm and return from practice at 10pm. I’ll refuel, undwind, and hit the hay.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Courtney Babilya! I’m an emergency room nurse turned fitness nurse, and I’m passionate about brining realistic strength solutions to the modern woman. My fitness app, Keeping Balance Method, provides sustainable strength training programs that are actually designed for women’s physiology and lives.

I’m currently working on a gymnastics comeback – a dream that slipped away as a teenager and always left an empty space in my heart. I realized that age only holds us back if we decide that it does. Now, as a 32 year old mom, I’m training to compete again and tend to the unfinished business of my past.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was at age three. I watched The Magnificent Seven – 1996’s American Olympic gymnastics team – on VHS nonstop. Kerri Strug’s one-legged finish to clinch the gold shaped my perception of grit from such a young age, and I would sit in my carseat and shout “I am Courtney the Magnificent!” Looking up to strong women meant everything to me.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wound of my life formed when I left gymnastics at 17. After dedicating my entire life to the sport, the mental, physical, and emotional toll was too great. I walked away for my health, but the echos of what could have been have haunted me ever since. When I returned as a coach, I patched a part of that wound by being the coach I wished I had to others. Spreading the joy of gymnastics to the next generation was profoundly rewarding – but there was still something missing. Now, at 32, I’m returning as an athlete – but on my terms. I get to experience the best parts of gymnastics and have complete autonomy over my body, which allows me to honor the little girl who fell in love with the sport and discover things I didn’t know I was capable of.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that my body was broken. It felt that way for the few years following my departure from gymnastics, and I held onto that belief so tightly that it became my identity. My joints were shot, I was always in pain, and I never thought that I could do gymnastics again. I was wrong. The body desperately wants to heal – but only if you allow it to.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I only had ten years left on earth, I would immediately stop consuming and start creating. We have a finite amount of time to leave our mark on humanity, but in order to do that, we have to be brave enough to show ourselves. We can’t do that if we’re constantly consumed by others’ perceptions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://app.keepingbalancemethod.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneykeepingbalance/

Image Credits
Larry Babilya
Danielle Phillips