Hey Everyone!

My name is Tarisha Shirley. I grew up in Hallsville, Texas and still live in the East Texas area. I have 3 kids ages 17, 14 & 10. My whole story is ridiculously long. I’ve had the opportunity to change directions and paths countless times and so it feels like I’ve lived many lives in my 36 years. If you follow me on social media you may catch glimpses of my past and my journey, but if you ever want to know more just ask. I have no problem sharing. For the time being, here is the short & sweet version. 

I started using drugs and alcohol when I was 11. I was in and out of rehabs, institutions, jail and counseling throughout my teenage years. By the time I reached my early 20’s, I was considered a lost cause. Doctors told me I would never function in society normally. Fast forward to 25. I was in an abusive marriage ( a relationship I had been in since I was 14), had been homeless and had 2 young children. I wanted to get clean but was unsure of how. In May 2011, I decided I was done trying. Luckily, what I had decided wasn’t part of the plan. I had a very brief moment of clarity as I was just about to end it all. (Literally, gun in hand) Something told me to “just leave”. For the first time I felt like I actually could. I left in the middle of the night with my kids and a trash bag of our belongings. I had no idea what I was doing, I just knew I had to go. For the next couple weeks, I moved around a couple times trying to keep myself and the kids safe. I wasn’t using drugs anymore but was still drinking thinking I was controlling my addiction. A month later, on June 8, 2011, I made my first NA meeting and have been clean ever since.

For years, even clean, I had no idea who I was. Dealing with years of buried emotions, physical, mental and sexual abuse and broken coping mechanisms left me still feeling lost, less than and not worthy. I let myself use food and isolation to “bandaid” those feelings.

January 2016 I was almost 200 lbs. and size 16/18. I was miserable and had no energy. I decided to make some changes to my diet and by January 2017, I had lost down to around 165. Still the embarrassed, shy, overweight girl, I decided to get a gym membership. I was too scared to make eye contact or speak to anyone at the gym (even if they tried to talk to me LOL). I wore a hoodie and ducked into the cardio/movie room to try and hide. I thought I would be in there forever! Two men that worked the front desk saw me, saw potential and decided to engage with me. I am forever grateful for those two. They taught me that all the fear and uncertainty could be used as a source of strength. They taught me about compassion, unconditional love and the importance of developing relationships to lift others up. They taught me that I had the power to change so many things I thought I was powerless over.

I found my love for yoga in that gym and was offered a teaching position because I was at EVERY CLASS. That led me to also teaching at Longview Yoga studio for a while. I am forever grateful to the women I encountered there. Because of that position, I was offered an instructor position at Kilgore College in 2018 to lead chair yoga, power yoga and barre. I also have had the privilege of working directly with the Rangerettes as their core strength trainer & yoga instructor. In addition to teaching yoga, I wanted to be a personal trainer and  started working towards that certification in 2018. Due to work, kids and life, that took a back burner until COVID shut everything down. I decided to use the time I wasn’t able to work to finish that certification and now train full time at my home gym, Raw Iron in Kilgore. I love my job and helping people. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. 

Fitness completely transformed my life in every way possible. It helped me start healing my fractured persona and be confident in who I was and still am becoming.

If you are ready for a change...

Even if you aren't ready...

I’ve been there…

Let me help you take control.