Four couples tell their story of how they fell in love and give their take and advice on relationships, connection and intimacy.
Lifting Love up
Ellana and CF had both noticed each other at the gym but they were both very serious with their workouts and didn’t want to disrupt each other. But one day Ellana and CF were both outside of the gym entrance. CF made a nice comment on her pullups and asked if she wanted to do a workout together one day.
Ellana said “At first I wasn’t sure if he liked me or just wanted to do a workout with me. Generally I don’t like working out with someone else. I prefer working out alone and be in my zone but CF is the only person I enjoy working out with. We became friends and workout buddies. We grew closer and closer just as friends. One weekend I had to watch a friends dog and had to go to Jersey and I didn’t know anyone there so I asked him if he wanted to join me not knowing if he would say yes or not. It was a super chaotic day. Everything went wrong. The dog was a big golden retriever and her leash broke, the trains weren’t running so we had to take a ferry. The first ferry station was closed so we had to go to another ferry station and find a pet shop on the way to buy a new leash for the dog.
CF added, “It was such an adventure to get from Manhattan to Jersey but in all of it we kept each other calm and laughing at the ridiculousness we had to go through to get there. Then when we got there I confessed that I am scared of and allergic to dogs.”
Ellana said, “I knew then he really wanted to spend time with me regardless of the dangers haha. So we grew together organically and it was our Jersey trip that solidified our relationship. My friends have said this about CF and I feel the same, that he is a male version of me. Being together is so natural, I have a smile on my face all the time. Everything I’m thinking or feeling is reflected in him. It's almost unreal this bond we share, it’s so unlike any other bond I have had. Anything we do together is a joyful experience. We complement each other and feel that everything we do we are on the same page.”
CF adds, “ Every little moment I share with Ellana is never boring. I am always having fun. Even a mundane trip to Trader Joe’s is fun. She inspires me to grow more each day. I always have a support system that keeps me accountable especially going to the gym and working out. Even in other areas of my life, she makes me more productive, determined and disciplined.
Ellana had just moved to NYC Financial District for work and was not looking to get involved with anyone seriously because she had just ended a long time relationship. She said, “I thought this time after my breakup was all about me. That I could spend time on me but I realized I can still do that and be with someone. So my advice on love is know yourself. Be more confident and comfortable with who you are, what you want, what your boundaries are. It's not a matter of searching for someone to make you complete but find someone who is a good fit for your wants, desires and passions in life. For us definitely the fitness journey is what we both have a passion for.”
