Certified Kettlebell, Yoga Therapy, Original Strength Instructor & Coach
Not many of us have the courage to start a new career at the age 50. But that’s exactly what Patricia Olsen, more affectionately known as “PJ,” did when she opened her wellness company Restorative Strength, a tailored approach to fitness designed to help you rediscover the joy of movement, build greater strength, and achieve an improved quality of life!
“I found myself at a crossroads. I was 50 years old and could barely get out of my chair at work. My body ached so badly,” PJ grimaces as she reflects on the pain she endured. For years, she was responsible for the music local listeners heard on the radio in Dallas and Minneapolis. She then moved over to promoting that music, analyzing airplay and sales charts. While she loved her career and loved being active, her steps were slower than they should have been at that age and her shoulders were stuck to her ears.
An avid runner and gym rat, PJ spent years pushing the limits of fitness. But that physical stress coupled with staring at a computer screen with her shoulders hunched over a keyboard for twelve hours a day had taken its toll.
“That’s when I turned to kettlebells,” she laughs. PJ obtained her certification to teach the skill. She then pursued additional wellness certifications, and now serves as a Yoga Therapist and an Original Strength Certified Coach.
“Movement should be joyful, not painful. I wanted to stop being in pain… and I want that for others. That’s why I started my company. It was birthed from an authentic need to feel better,” says PJ.
But don’t try to label Restorative Strength as just “fitness.” “I go a few steps past that, truly embracing the concept of wellness. Through the work I do at Restorative Strength, I help people get their body well, relearn how to breathe, and quiet the mind.”
On becoming a new business owner, PJ admits that it’s overwhelming – there are so many things that you need to know to run a successful business. But she also finds the experience exciting and incredibly rewarding. “I report to myself, “she smiles, “so I have to set goals and continue to do my homework. But the payoff in the form of transformed lives has been great.”
“Clients come to me because I’m not just telling them something that I learned in a course. I’m telling them my life story of how I overcame my health and wellness issues with the help of disciplines like kettlebell and Original Strength training. At 57, I’m living my best life now, and I want people 50 and over to know that so can they.”