Master the Tools of your Trade

I find it incredibly inspirational to witness someone working with the tools of their trade. A chef, for example, wielding a knife adeptly while slashing away at a pile of vegetables destined for a stew. Ditto when I watch my husband, Robert, brandishing his paintbrushes to emerge with a breathtaking image. I married a classically trained artist and am blessed to have a house bursting with his canvases. There is something powerful about the moment when a tool is used skillfully to create. It gets me every time.

My love for the gym stems partly from the joy of handling the tools of my body-building trade – iron weights. Weights are the implements I have used to reshape my entire life. I exchanged spoonfuls of ice cream and peanut butter for dumbbells and weight plates. My work today is about shaping a healthy body and helping others do the same. 

A friend once told me that you know you are passionate about something when, as you are doing it, you become completely unaware of anything that is going on in your universe. That is what happens to me when I am working in the gym. The phone might ring, the kids may call, but don’t bug me because I am busy working on my fitness.

You can see this intense focus when you talk to any artist who is passionate about their craft. I got a chance to interview make-up artist Valeria Nova and photographer Paul Buceta during my photo shoot for my Raise the Bar column. Check out what they have to say about the tools of their trade and watch some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the fun we had working together!