Jaclyn Goman is giving back to her community by speaking up on mental health and fitness.

Mental illness can affect anyone at any time, but when listening to role models such as Jaclyn Goman, mental illness becomes a bit easier to deal with. Goman is a personal trainer who works at Bolo Inc. gym, located in downtown Toronto. Having gone through her own battle with mental illness and addiction, and having been sober for three years now, she has decided to share her success story with her followers, readers and clients.

This super upbeat and inspirational woman turned to fitness as a way to put her mind and body first. Once she became a certified trainer and a mental health advocate, she created her own website: www.drfitlife.com. There, she openly talks about her battle with mental illness and how she became sober. Goman’s blog section on the site provides techniques on how to deal with your mental health every single day.

After speaking with Goman, one matter is very clear: she is just trying to appreciate all the little aspects of life in order to enjoy it to the fullest. More people like Goman are needed in our society, so that anyone dealing with mental health issues has someone to relate to, in the hopes that others will be inspired to open up as well.

Q. “Progress not perfection” is your quote on Instagram — can you explain where that came from, and what it means to you?

A. For me, I could never see myself as perfect, and even when things might seem good in life, I always strive for self-improvement. I am never going to be comfortable with the status quo for myself. I am always looking to accomplish more and more. And it’s important for your own self-growth to never feel satisfied because there are ways for improvement and ways to surpass yourself. And it’s also a reminder for yourself that you’re a work in progress and that you shouldn’t get down on yourself when things aren’t going your way.

‘It’s important to have at least one person you trust to open up to’

Q. What is a personality trait that you hold in high regard, either within yourself or another person?

A. I think honesty is super important. I used to live a way where I wasn’t totally honest, and now it’s my code. I tell the truth no matter how bad the situation is. Having honesty in all forms of relationships is super important.

Q. How can we continue to fight against the stigma of people not believing in mental illness?

A. I think it’s important for people to look around at everyone in their life. It’s very rare not to find someone close to you who is struggling or suffering in silence. And I think for people to be so harsh to those around them without even knowing what’s going on behind closed doors, it’s pretty sad. I think in order to get past that, it just takes more open dialogue for people being honest with others around them — about what they’ve been going through. It’s a compromise on both sides, but it’s important to have at least one person you trust to open up to. No one should feel burdened by dealing with life all on their own. Finding people to lean on is wonderful.

@dr_fit__