You hear your trainers say it all the time in class: “Why did you decide to show up today?” It’s meant to be motivational, to make you feel inspired by yourself, to keep you in it when you’d rather quit. When you know your why, you don’t focus on the pain or the fatigue. Your focus shifts to how badass it is that you show up to change your body and choose a happy life. And those tiny shifts in perspective during your class bleed into major shifts in your entire life.

For whatever reason, sometimes understanding our why doesn’t come so easily. Maybe you haven’t tried it before or you think you don’t care that much or you’re running through the motions on autopilot. My guess is that no matter what you assume your why is, if you haven’t checked in recently, you don’t actually know. Our bodies and our lives change daily, so we have to stay on top of our internal barometer. Checking in with our why keeps us focused and makes sure we’re headed toward the right goals.

So check in with yourself. Here’s your step-by-step process to find your why and make every single workout better:

• find a quiet space + five minutes: You don’t need lots of space or time. Lock yourself in the bathroom, close your door at work, take the stairs up to the office instead of the elevator, or do this during the cooldown of your classes this week. All you need to do is find a few minutes and some quiet.

• take three deep breaths: Slow down your mind by calming down your breath. Breathe in deeply through the nose and out the mouth. Make your exhale audible as you empty your lungs of every last drop of air.

• envision yourself after class: During the cool down, what are the thoughts that are running through your head when you’re really present? Not your checklist, your happy thoughts. It could be that you surprised yourself, you’re proud of yourself, you’re energized. You could feel calmer, more patient or uplifted. Notice the thoughts that make you feel the best.

• ask yourself why: Why do those thoughts make you feel so good? What are other times those feelings appear in your life? What are they linked to? Why are those thoughts and feelings important to you? How do they improve your life? How do they make you feel about yourself?

• label it + use it: When you’ve answered those questions, you’ve found your why. Distill it down to one word: peace. Or one reason: I’m a better partner. Make it simple and easy to remember when life gets in the way. Then when you come back to class, pull it out as your secret weapon. Second side of your scorpion series: Use your why. Getting to class first thing in the morning: Use your why. Holding your plank four counts longer: Use your why.

Knowing your why is a powerful tool to use in and out of class. It’s what will keep you motivated when you need it the most and train your brain to habitualize the positive, not the negative. Check in with yourself at least once a month and see where you are. Chances are knowing your why will get you further than you could have ever imagined.

photo credit: George Evan Photography

Happy hump day, Tribe! In need of a little mid-week inspiration and positivity? Here’s a round up of the little things that are making us happy this week.

—coast-to-coast bari guest teaching week(s)! This week, bari Tribeca is hosting bari Newport’s (and NYC OG) Kara, and Tribeca trainer Kat is guest teaching at bari Newport! Next up, Courtney is shipping out to Newport Beach for TWO WEEKS of bari butt kicking. East meets west, Tribe meets Tribe — life is good. Don’t miss out on the chance to sweat with these bari all stars; check out your studio’s class schedule and sign up!

—seeing bari triber + supermodel linda vojtova in shape magazine! Check out the January/February issue for the scoop on Linda’s daily bari workouts + an incredible fitness fashion spread (styled by another bari Triber, Audrey Slater!).

—having way too much fun at bari summit’s photoshoot with mikifoto.

—will ferrell lip syncing “drunk in love.” To quote Jimmy Fallon: “There’s no unseeing that.”

—jimmy kimmel’s latest “mean tweets” edition.

December? Already? 2014, you happened really quickly. We always welcome the new year with open arms (who doesn’t love a blank slate?), but as we head into this final chapter of 2014, we’re feeling committed to making it count. We’re determined to make fresh and inspired new year’s resolutions come January, and not simply the same ones we made but didn’t stick to last year.

It’s too easy to blow off the end of the year. We’re busy. We’re laughing at (and in awe of) those superhuman versions of ourselves who used to work out five times a week. We can’t remember the last time we had nothing to do. We’re not sure when exactly we’re going to squeeze in holiday shopping — let alone a 55-minute workout. Oh, and we know that January’s blank slate is just around the corner, making it all too enticing to just give into gluttony/laziness/[insert weakness here] for just one more month… and then turn it all around in 2015. But why? Why wait? Why set ourselves back when we could spend these next 31 days growing, strengthening and really just making it count?

There’s no good reason (lots of excuses, but no logical reason) — so we’re not going to throw in the towel this December. We’re going to make it count. And we’re going to have fun doing so. How? The 12 Days of Fitness. Consider this totally achievable, fun sweat challenge your December to do list. Check each of the 12 items off your checklist by December 31st (yes, you’ve got 31 days to complete 12 actions) — and enter to win a $250 credit to bari by posting your sweaty proof to Instagram. Yep, it’s that simple. And come January? You’ll be so ready to kick 2015’s ass instead of letting it kick yours.

1. Decide to decide. Stop putting off tiny decisions that end up cluttering your life. Respond to the text. Recycle the junk mail. Subscribe or unsubscribe. Decide now.

2. Promote someone else’s work. Anna Deavere Smith has said, “To make your own mark on the world, you must see the mark of others.” Choose to see how others are influencing the world for the better, then throw them your support. Shout their praises from the rooftops. Let yourself be inspired.

3. Stop using the term guilty pleasure. Pleasure is an underrated thing, and there should always be more of it. Don’t cast a shadow on your happy place by feeling guilt. If you love something, own it.

4. Love your mistakes. Mistakes are your best teachers. Allow yourself to be a student of your failure. Appreciate the guts it takes to acknowledge when you were dead wrong, and use those less-than-perfect moments to help you grow.

5. Make family a priority. Call your mother. Hug your kids. Kiss your spouse. Family, for better or worse, is your history. Spending time with the people who know you and love you will keep you grounded. If there is one, bury the hatchet.

6. Build up your friends. Use the extra energy you’re gaining from all these choices to build up your friends. Don’t assume they know how much you respect and love them; tell them.

7. Work out. Endorphins. Duh.

8. Spend time outside. Being out in the sun not only gives you a dose of Vitamin D, it lets your perspective open up. Seeing amazing landscapes or even just being present among others is an immediate mood-booster. Go for a walk. Take the long way home from work. Ride your bike.

9. Put meaning into your work. Choose to make the world a better, brighter place no matter what you’re doing for money.

10. Say no. Building a practice of saying no means you are actually in tune with your mind/body needs. You are giving yourself space and time when you need it. It also gives others permission to slow down, too. Saying no can be uber generous.

11. Say yes. On the other side of that coin, let yourself be open to adventure. Say yes to the unexpected. The basic rule to good improv is saying “Yes, and…” and it’s the basic rule for an adventurous life as well.

12. Connect with your community. Humans are social by nature. We thrive off of community. So connect with yours, whether it’s at home, at school, at bari, wherever. Get to know people’s names, engage in conversation, step out of your bubble to connect.

13. Get a playlist. Music is a huge mood booster. Get the tunes that you love and turn them all the way up.

14. Go to sleep. 7-8 hours every night.

15. Meditate. Can’t quite get to sleep? Turn off the electronics and meditate for 10 minutes before bed. Not only does it help you wind down, it has been proven to decrease stress.

16. Learn how to do something new. Learning something new can be scary, but it can be invigorating. Remember the first time you stepped into bari and how exciting it was? Keep your brain active and happy by being a perpetual student.

17. Get in your flow groove. Flow is that sweet spot where something challenges you just beyond your skill level so you have to rise to meet it. Flow is a natural high. Get in your groove to get happy.

18. Make your commute a mental sabbatical. Our minds race day in and day out, and it’s hard sometimes to slow down. So make your commute your mental break. Decide that when you’re traveling, you’re just going to stay present. You might just show up at your destination with a little more mojo.

19. Drink more water. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: is your pee clear? No? Drink more.

20. Affirm yourself. At the end of the day, the only person who can make you happy is you. So put some love into yourself. Say the kind things that you would say to someone else who needed a boost. Put a smile on your own face, and see how much better you feel.

Why do people bari?

I’ve sat down a thousand times with our team to discuss why people come to bari and what effect bari has on people’s lives. We’ve sent surveys, conducted focus groups and picked your brains informally (there’s nothing like a good post-class lobby chat). I love these conversations because they really inject energy into our team; they uplift us, recharge us and challenge us to always be a better company. It’s one of our favorite topics of discussion because it’s a grounding reminder of the work our clients put in and also what you achieve. Connecting the dots shows us why you bari, how you bari and the impact those daily choices have on your life in and out of the studio.

But it was the last time I sat down to look at this question that I really got to the bottom of the why behind my business.

People who come to bari are happier people. We actually provide a happier life. And it all begins with your choices; every time you choose a healthy body, you choose a happier life.

Yes, it’s a broad statement. But this is how it plays out:

You, our new triber, come into bari usually looking for a better body or a workout you’ll finally love. Fast forward 6 to 12 weeks - which include a lot of sweat and discipline on your part - you find both. You fall in love with your body and your workout. All of a sudden, bari is just part of your life. This is usually what people come for - results and a fun and effective workout they can stick to - so you would think this is where it’s game over. But it’s actually just the beginning of a new chapter in your health journey.

Once you’re comfortable in your body and in your workout, you seriously dive into the bari community. You want more; you want to understand more. Your body starts craving healthy in a whole new way. You read our blog regularly. You start cooking differently, feeding your loved ones differently. You make new friends at bari and outside of bari - people you can share your health cravings and crushes with.

Then you start feeling something different: It’s not just about your body anymore, you command a new sort of confidence when you walk into a room - it doesn’t matter if it’s your kitchen, your bedroom, a bar or a boardroom. You believe in yourself in new ways because you know what you’re capable of achieving when you commit, when you challenge, when you push yourself, when you allow yourself to believe in yourself. You start being in a good mood what seems like all the time, and you feel more inspired, more creative. Your relationships start getting stronger, you’re picking fewer fights and fewer things upset you. You start feeling on top of the world, all the time.

And to think that all started with one small choice trickling into the next small choice. It all started with choosing a healthy body. Without really thinking about all these side effects, you become a happier person. And this doesn’t mean you found happiness in a new place - happiness has been inside of you this entire time. Happiness is actually your true nature. You just allowed yourself to open up and live it. You allowed yourself to be closer to your source. You believed in yourself and opened your mind to your best self.

Sometimes when I receive an email from one of you with your triber tale, and you don’t focus so much on your results I wonder why. I think to myself “this person lost 20 pounds, so many inches, fit into her college jeans and all she’s talking about is how much she loves the bari tribe or how her relationships improved or how she loves her life!” And in a real aha moment, I now realize you might come to bari to look good, but the reason why you come back every day is because you’re a happier person.

This process and journey is a pretty incredible thing to be a part of, and we’re beyond lucky that this is actually our business. I can honestly say 2014 is the year we’ve seen the most transformations, and part of it is because our tribe grew - a lot - but I also feel our commitment to ourselves was a little more serious this year and seriously contagious. You guys stepped up your game, individually and as a tribe. I’m not sure why - maybe the stars aligned or maybe you guys aligned the stars - but bari saw it happen.

It really wouldn’t be fair or accurate of us to encourage you to have “happiness” be your end goal. Because happiness is simply not an “end state” or something you will one day get to and then cross off your to-do list. Happiness is the state you are meant to be in; it’s inside of you at all times.

Happiness, however, is a practice. bari helps you practice your connection to your happiness state, it helps you open your mind, body and spirit to live in that state, it encourages you to open up your flow and your energy so you can experience it and share it.

If you haven’t jumped on this happiness bandwagon yet, it’s not too late. It’s never too late, because we were all born to fulfill this happiness inside of us. We were all born to choose happiness, and maybe your happiness journey starts by choosing a healthy body. It’s not everyone’s first step, but maybe it is yours if you give it a real chance.

Ready to dive in? This week I’ll post some advice on the best way you can take that first step or continue your commitment to your body, your health and your happiness this fall.

Have a great week, tribers! Thanks for always inspiring me and for giving us the opportunity to have the best job in the world. See you in class.