At somofit, every member brings something different into the space. Different backgrounds, different paths, and different reasons for showing up.
Chris M. is someone who has lived a lot of life across places, careers, and seasons, and brings that perspective into how she moves, trains, and connects with others today.
She joined somofit before the doors even opened, signing up in November 2024 and becoming part of the community from day one.
What started as a convenient gym close to home quickly became something more.
“I feel so fortunate to have such an extraordinary gym and wellness community so close to home,” she says.
Chris has lived in 27 different places, with roots across New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California. Eventually, she and her husband settled in Rohnert Park, where they have spent more than 30 years raising their family and building a life grounded in connection and community.
Her career reflects that same sense of energy and purpose.
She spent nearly 44 years in the medical field, starting as a CNA and EMT before becoming an RN. Her work took her from ambulance care as a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse to the ER, and later into emergency preparedness and stroke program coordination.
“I truly loved patients and chaos,” she says.
After an injury shifted her path into retirement, Chris embraced a different pace of life, one that still centers around care, just in a new way.
Now, that shows up in time with her family, especially her granddaughter, traveling with friends, taking on home projects, and baking for the people around her.
“Baking cookies is my love language.”
Chris’s perspective on fitness has changed over time and is shaped by everything she has seen and experienced.
After decades in healthcare, she has witnessed firsthand the impact that stress, inactivity, and preventable conditions can have on people’s lives.
That experience has made her “why” very clear.
“I believe that life is not the years that you live, but the amount of life and independence in those years,” she says. “If you can stay moving, balanced, and healthy, you have a much higher likelihood of better brain health and living independently and well.”
What started as a way to maintain strength and manage stress has become something more meaningful.
“Now I see it as fun, mental and physical well-being, brain health, and community.”
When Chris joined somofit, she made a simple promise to herself. Try every class and stay consistent.
She has followed through on that commitment and, along the way, discovered things she never expected to enjoy.
“If you had told me a year ago that I would enjoy participating in a yoga and sound bath, I would have laughed,” she says. “I didn’t think I could sit still for more than an hour.”
Now, she describes it as an incredible gift.
It is a reminder that sometimes the things we think are not for us end up being exactly what we need.
What stands out most to her is the variety.
“Every coach and every class is unique,” she says. “I enjoy each one because of that uniqueness.”
Her consistency has also become something remarkable. One year to the day after somofit opened, Chris completed her 365th class, the most of any member.
Balance is something Chris speaks about with honesty. It is not something she has always had, but something she has learned over time.
“After a complicated history with trying to find balance, I believe I now understand that it is not getting overly stressed, not being sedentary, and not being constantly busy,” she says. “It is truly a balance of everything.”
That perspective shows up in how she moves, how she structures her days, and how she approaches her health.
Her perfect day reflects that same balance. An early morning walk, time in the gym, a trip to the beach, and time spent with family and friends.
Simple and full.
For Chris, community is straightforward.
“Community is a sense of belonging and support.”
It is also what she values most about somofit.
“Somofit welcomes everyone.”
That sense of openness, combined with camaraderie, teamwork, and kindness, is what continues to inspire her to show up. Not just for herself, but as part of something shared.
When asked to finish the sentence “Moving with purpose means…,” Chris keeps it simple.
“Living an independent, healthy life.”
It is a perspective shaped by experience, grounded in reality, and focused on what matters most.
And it is exactly the kind of mindset that defines the somofit community.
