November Member of the Month: Rosanna C.
Who am I?
My name is Rosanna Catapano. I’ve been coming to SPENGA since January of 2020 and you can usually find me in the studio in the early morning! I’m sarcastic, loyal, and love to cook.
Although I began my career as a high school English teacher, I now own and operate a small event planning and wedding coordination business. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Jordan, for 14 years. Together, with our four kids, we’ve been living in Bloomingdale for the past 10 years.
Why I SPENGA?
After having never consistently exercised in my life, I decided to start working out about six months after the birth of my second son. Feeling insecure and self-conscious about my appearance, it was hard for me to feel comfortable going to gyms when I didn't feel confident about who I was. Despite trying fitness centers, park district classes, etc., I never really stayed with anything long enough to see the results I was looking for. Then, after the birth of my daughter, I committed to working out at home, setting a goal of getting in to shape and choosing to commit to a healthier and more active lifestyle. Consistency, a little personal training, and tons of hard work later, I found great success. I was the strongest and healthiest version of myself that I had ever been. Fast forward another few years after the birth of baby #4...working out at home was getting a little more challenging, and to be quite honest, mama needed some time out of the house for good behavior! ;)
After five years, I decided I was ready to start working-out somewhere other than our home. Still leery about group fitness and a boutique studio—I called a friend and asked her to take a free class with me at SPENGA.
I was pretty sure I’d hate it and never go back, but I am so glad I was wrong. I’ve never felt so at home, so challenged and so inspired to set goals, push the limits, and be me! The incredible staff, the gorgeous facility, and the challenging workouts and formats help me to relentlessly pursue my goals and inspire me to know and love who I am.
After having “friended” Carrie and Michelle on Facebook, they both saw that my husband and I were launching a podcast and we chatted about it briefly. I was so flattered when a few weeks in to us releasing our episodes, Carrie shared that she was listening and told me what she loved about some of the episodes. I mean, usually I am secretly fan-girling Carrie, and here SHE was listening to our podcast! Her support, and the support of Michelle, are testaments to the REAL relationships and the camaraderie of what is happening at SPENGA Bloomingdale! Thanks ladies for this opportunity!
Why did we start a podcast?
About ten years ago, my husband Jordan and I decided that we were interested in being the best versions of ourselves. We wanted our life and our story to be characterized by movement and pursuit, even if that meant going scared and taking chances. We decided that we didn’t want to wake up one day years from now having done the same thing day after day and not being satisfied. We realized that our lives could be filled with many stories and many experiences.
We've taken on a few different projects over the last several years (in addition to our four kids)-- working side-hustles, starting a business, investing in real-estate, and even flipping a house. But back in December, over a cup of coffee at our local Starbucks right here in Bloomingdale, we did what we always do at the end of each year. We sit together and talk-- we take an inventory of the year that is about to end. We reminisce, laugh, ask each other what worked and what didn't, we evaluate our goals, and then we dream together about the year ahead.
Together, we both admitted that we felt ready to try something new—something that we could do together, something that mattered. That meeting brought us to the idea of starting a podcast. And instead of just writing down the idea and then talking ourselves out of it, we buckled down and decided to really do the damn thing!
We slowly put together a plan and decided that not even COVID could de-rail us from getting it off the ground. Were we scared? Absolutely! But that’s how we knew it would be worth it!
What is the Relentless Pursuit Podcast about?
The Relentless Pursuit Podcast is all about living life on purpose. If you’ve ever found yourself asking “am I doing any of this right?” this podcast might be for you! We want to continue to challenge ourselves and others to “take life off auto-pilot.” What does that mean? Instead of living out the same old narratives we are taught to believe and follow, our podcast is rooted in questions that challenge us to dig-deep as a couple, hustle hard in our own individual careers, pursuits and passions, and make the most of our relationships, dreams, goals and family.
Our mission is to serve people together. Neither of us are perfect, and we don’t pretend to have all the answers. But, we are passionate about wanting to help others find meaning, purpose, and contentment by challenging them to be intentional in the relentless pursuit of what they love. There’s no secret one-size-fits-all approach to life, so what we say or do might not be right for you. It is our modest hope that our unscripted conversations will challenge and inspire you to find the best approach for you, your family, and your life.
Season one contains 12 episodes, and we have two more left to release. Episodes air every Wednesday. You can find our podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, and wherever else podcasts are available. You can also follow us on IG and FB @therelentlesspursuitpodcast or check out our website:therelentlesspursuitpodcast.com. We’d love for you to give it a listen, rate it, write a review and share with your friends and in your circles
