Welcome!

Hello,

My name is Nikki Graybill and I am a Certified Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. I teach several different styles of fitness and love working one on one with my training clients. I've been in this field for 10 years now and feel truly blessed to have my own studio - Sole2Soul - which is located in Historic Downtown Russellville, Arkansas. 

I have been a mover and lover of exercise since I can remember. I started playing soccer and twirling – yes, baton twirling – at the age of five. Anything that allowed me to run, jump and play, I was game for it. After high school I started getting into long distance running and completed my first half marathon at the age of 19. Soon after I bought my first road bike and fell in love with cycling. 

I graduated Arkansas Tech University with a Wellness Science degree in 2007 and began my career at Arkansas Children’s Hospital as a front desk worker, instructor, and trainer and eventually hired as one of their exercise specialist.  ACH is truly an amazing place. I will never forget my time there and the people I met.

Once I moved home back to Russellville in 2010 and started working for the only fitness center and wellness center Russellville had at the time. I soon began to notice how things never really seemed to change. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved working there and grateful for my time and opportunity + growth. For me, as an instructor, someone who is highly creative and loves programming, felt like our town needed something fresh, something new, and somewhere I could truly to do what I wanted and felt passionate about. I've always had the sense of wanting to create positive change with everything I did and everywhere I went. I've never had the mentality that something was too far out of reach. If I wanted to do something and accomplish a goal I worked really hard at it and did it. If things didn't work out, I tried a different route, worked even harder until I succeeded. If I was ever told "Nikki I don't think you can do that, that may not be possible" ... my answer was always, "watch me."

In the last few years I've come to realize that women don't always have the support they need to truly succeed. We live in the era where women are picked apart, judged, and made to feel unworthy if they don't meet a certain number on a scale or wear a size 4. My mission has always been and continues to be a sense of inspiration and motivation, for women especially, through movement and health, so that we as women can begin loving who we are from the inside out. If we do not love ourselves how in the world can we ever love anyone else fully 100%. 

We all have goals and things we are working towards, but if we do not start supporting one another, realizing we are in this together, and start letting go of judgment (within ourselves and others), our younger generation of girls will never have a chance to know how love for oneself truly feels.

Workouts should be fun and leave you feeling proud for what you accomplished, nutrition should keep you feeling strong and satisfied, and your soul should be shining with love from every ounce of your being.

Life is hard enough. Once we let our guards down and live free from judgement, only then we will start seeing what women empowerment and self-love can truly accomplish.

I teach fitness. I am not a writer. Writing and sharing this blog has given me some anxiety, I'll be honest. On a daily basis, I encourage friends and members at Sole2Soul to be brave and step out of their comfort zones. Well it's definitely easier said then done.
As their instructor, trainer, and friend how can I expect them to step up and face their fears and not challenge myself in ways.

So this me stepping out of my comfort zone hoping that this blog helps and inspires even just one person. 

With Love,
Nikki