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Meet Paula Henderson of FAB50 Focus in Mesa

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Henderson.

Paula, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m the Owner/CEO of FAB50Focus, Personal Fitness Strategist, Motivational Coach, and Speaker. My passion/purpose is helping women [whether they are in their first season headed to being 50, or walking into the next season at 50+] by developing their own personalized strategic fitness plan. The plan is founded on three principles and consists of three components that I believe are necessary not only to becoming healthy but more importantly to sustainability of a healthy lifestyle.

Principle 1: We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) – thus Component 1 is Spiritual Fitness.

Principle 2: Where our mind goes, our body will follow (Isaiah 26:3) – thus Component 2 is Mental/Emotional Fitness.

Principle 3: You are much stronger than you think or give yourself credit (Ephesians 6:10) – thus Component 3 is Physical Fitness (which includes diet and exercise).

By using these as the foundation to developing your plan and continuously monitoring/updating them women will be on the path to being empowered, self-confident, full of energy, and healthy to live their best life while looking FABulous!

I was born July 7, 1965 – weighing in at 3lbs 4ozs in Greenville, Mississippi, a small rural town north of the capital of Jackson the second child of a single mother. So, from the beginning I entered the world with the odds against me but determined to be an overcomer!

A healthy diet and exercising was not the norm where I grew up. My family medical history consists of obesity, high blood pressure, diabediets, strokes, and heart disease/attacks. As a result, when I became an adult, I was always conscious of my health. I lost my grandmother at the age of 65 (stroke), my mother at the age of 64 (stroke), and older sister at the age of 43 (heart disease). I vowed that that would not be me and I would be around to see my grandchildren grow up.

But my journey to fabulously walking into my next season really began a few years prior to my 50th birthday. I decided that when I turned half a century that I would have completed my first marathon (challenge goal) and would be walking on the beaches of Maui in a two-piece bikini (yes, a totally vain/egotistical goal). However, what these goals did were allow me to FOCUS on what results I wanted and develop a partial strategic fitness plan to get there. Yes, I finished my first marathon two months prior to my 50th birthday in May 2015 in under 5 hours (which was my race goal). I celebrated my FAB50 (as I named it) birthday in July 2015 on the beach in Maui with my husband James doing my first professional photoshoot (yes, bikini and all) AND on the beach in Cancun (women only trip) doing my second professional photoshoot (2nd bikini too).

Following my vain/egotistical accomplishments at 50, I set my focus on a little deeper more meaningful chapter – FIT51. This time I began to focus on sustainability by understanding what I was putting into my body, understanding my hormonal changes, and learning how my body uses foods for fuel. I also focused on modifying my workout plan to improve my results and be able to sustain what I had accomplished at 50. I celebrated my 51st birthday (July 2016) on a cruise ship in Chicago’s harbor feeling energetic and still sustaining my physical fitness goals…but something was still missing.

On my journey to my next chapter FIERCE52, I realized that the most important component area for a comprehensive healthy lifestyle I had neglected, my Spiritual Fitness! I needed to realign myself back to a closer more personal relationship again with Christ. I realized this was why I kept “roller coasting” in my journey, lacked clarity on what my purpose in life was, and couldn’t organize my thoughts on what I wanted to do with my business or my life. So, I began my journey to RESET my life and FOCUS on my spiritual fitness. I celebrated my 52nd birthday (July 2017) by jumping out of an airplane – yes skydiving. If I truly wanted God’s guidance I had to fully depend on Him – well at 13,000 feet above ground guess you could say that’s all I could depend on to bring me back safely (not the parachute). But even then, I wasn’t where I wanted to be or needed to be in my journey.

True to form, the only thing we can count on is change and I experienced a number of changes over the next year (relationships, career, relocation, financial, retirement planning, building our home, etc.). Through those changes, God began to show me that although I had mastered some lessons on my journey, I needed to learn how to separate good from fantastic. He began to show me that there were areas in my life where good was not enough and I needed to let go of them, this even included my “good” efforts at fulling my purpose through FAB50Focus!

My FANTASTIC53 chapter, I celebrated my 53rd birthday (July 2018) in New Orleans with some fantastic women in my life that have enriched me in each a different way. I began to realize that God wanted fantastic from me not just good enough…thus my quest in this chapter was to level-up to fantastic in all I do to honor Him. In order for me to move to the next level of blessings, I had to shift from good to fantastic!

In November 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer which had spread to my lymph nodes and my shift moved from fantastic to faithful! I had to be faithful in my trust in God to believe that even my diagnosis was part of His plan for my life and my journey to my purpose. Over the next nine months of aggressive chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, radiation, physical therapy and adjusting to a new normal my trust in God brought me through it all. I completed my treatments in July 2019 as I headed into my FAITHFUL54 chapter, but this time with no lavish vacations or celebrations or fitness goals – just thankful for life and His grace to bring me through to be alive for another year. As I moved from fantastic to faithful, I heard God tell me to relaunch FAB50Focus.

God said ALL women are FABulous, whether we are walking in our first season of 50 or walking into our next season of 50+, and your purpose is to help them live life empowered, self-confident, full of energy, healthy (spiritually, emotionally and physically) while looking FABulous!

I am thankful that my journey has evolved from FAB to FIT to FIERCE to FANTASTIC to FAITHFUL heading to FRUITION55 (July 2020). Although I had planned to not only celebrate my 55th birthday but also my victory as a breast cancer survivor (#2019Survivor) in Paris at the Eiffel Tower…well, we all know what has happened to travel in 2020 due to COVID-19. But I am thankful – not only for my original purpose for FAB50 but also my expanded purpose which includes my passion to share my story and my journey of faith through breast cancer.

Once I began resetting my life, spending dedicated devotional time in strategic and intentional prayer, refocusing on the will of God for my purpose in life, and putting my faith into action when He said it’s your season – I am stepping out of my comfort zone. I want to share my story as a motivational speaker and help women (especially my pink breast cancer sisters) empower themselves from the inside and know that there is absolutely nothing that they can’t overcome with faith in God, a positive attitude/outlook and tapping into their power within.

Has it been a smooth road?
My road absolutely has NOT been smooth!

There are things in my childhood which definitely helped shape who I am, although I’ve never talked about them to anyone (no, I’ve never been raped but I was bullied).

Failure of my first marriage and divorce after 20+ years together was devastating but I now see how it was also necessary for me to become who I am today.

I had to learn how to “let go and let God” and walk away from my son to allow him to lean and depend on God for himself…little did I know that God was preparing me for my the biggest battle of my life with breast cancer! I still struggle with that choice, especially given COVID-19 and I don’t know where my son is today – I haven’t heard from him since a text on January 8, 2020 and haven’t seen him since September 2018.

Being diagnosed with breast cancer with no warning signs has been my greatest battle – but from the beginning, I have trusted God and never once said or felt “why me”? I trust God and He does not make mistakes, ALL things work together for my good – so part of my purpose now is sharing my story and testimony as a #2019Survivor.

Adjusting to my “new normal” going from someone that was physically active every day (running, exercising, weight lifting, hiking, marathon running, etc.) to now living with side effects from chemo/radiation, not having full range of motion on my right side, can’t jog around the block without stopping, high altitude hiking is difficult and on top of all that…I have a compromised immune system that I have to protect. But I’m thankful everyday that I wake up with another chance to live my best life.

Now COVID-19 as a cherry on top….while I am concerned I’m not afraid or stressed because I know who is in control and it’s not the government, scientist or medical professionals! #Stayhome #Staysafe

Please tell us about FAB50 Focus.
FAB50Focus at its foundation is a faith-based health and fitness company.

I provide personal fitness consultation and coaching to women. I also offer motivational speaker bookings.

I specialize in strategic fitness planning – but I’m known for my motivational coaching and ability to help women see “the light at the end of the tunnel”.

I’m most proud of being able to share my journey and help at least one women know that she is not alone in her walk and she can overcome! Through making sure the entire woman is healthy (spiritual fitness, emotional fitness and physical fitness) there is nothing she can’t conquer.

I think what sets me apart for others is that although I designed a personalized strategic fitness plan and started the company to make income (and still would like to)… that has become secondary to me helping women overcome and provide a place to share their stories.

I think what sets me apart is that I’m more interested in the soul of the person than the profit, which is why I don’t push the strategic fitness plans and honestly not making money (yet). I’ve shifting to wanting to do more motivational coaching and speaking.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes. Yes, I feel Phoenix is a good place for startup businesses and has numerous opportunities to make connections. For me, I relocated back to Phoenix (I’ve lived here before) in January 2018 but due to health issues have not been focused on my business.

I do feel that the weather, climate and abundance of outdoor activities/things to do are excellent to help develop and/or maintain a positive attitude and outlook on life.

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