Cassi Goucher

(SISS)  Hi Cassi, where are you from and where are you currently spending your time? (Cassi) Hiiii! I’m from Elizabeth, PA which is right outside of Pittsburgh. (SISS)  What was one of the hardest things that you had to go through? What advice would you give someone going through the same struggle? (Cassi) I went through a situation with my immediate family about 5 years ago when I was 22. I don’t want to go too much into detail, but it was an extremely hard for all of us. Everyone was stressed, everyone was sad, mad, anxiety filled. I know that doesn’t really say much about the situation, but I would say as a family it was rock bottom. The advice I would give to someone going through any type of family issues is to have faith that things are going to get better. Skip to five years later and we’ve never been in a better place. We went on our first family vacation this past summer and it was the BEST time. We’ve all grown as individuals and as a family and looking back, everything happens for a reason. Five years ago I definitely wouldn’t have seen us as a family, all getting along, on vacation, but it happened and now we already planned our family vacation for this summer. So just remember, things will get better and as hard as it seems in the moment, just stay positive. (SISS)  What are you most proud of? (Cassi) I’m most proud of the amount of discipline I have learned to implement into all aspects of my life. (SISS)  How dedicated are you to fitness?  What is your fitness goal?  On your body, what is your favorite body part and what is your least favorite? (Cassi) Fitness is my therapy so the dedication I have to it is pretty immense. It’s proven that exercise releases endorphins and I can tell you that is absolutely the truth because I can honestly say I feel SO much better after training. My ultimate fitness goal would probably be to just be comfortable in my body. I think as humans, self-image is something that a lot of us struggle with, but I remind myself that loving yourself is so important, and that we were all made different, and how beautiful that reality is because it would be SO boring if we all looked exactly the same! My favorite body part is my shoulders and my glutes (the peach lol) because I have made the most progress in both of those areas! My least favorite would be my lower stomach because I haven’t quite seen it lean out like I would like. 2018 goals for sure! (SISS)  What makes you the happiest?

(Cassi) What makes me the happiest is surprising people and just making other people happy and smile. That may sounds cliché, but there is nothing like seeing someone’s face when they realize they have just walked into their own surprise party. Or sending my boyfriend edible arrangements, just to remind him that I appreciate how wonderful he is. Or buying my best friend flowers because she didn’t have the best day. Or seeing a flannel and buying it for my mom on a random Tuesday just because I know how happy she’ll be when she sees it. It’s literally the best feeling knowing you helped make their day a little better. (SISS)  How do you deal with disappointment? (Cassi) The best way I found to deal with disappointment is to just talk it out. Venting to someone I’m close with, telling them how I feel and getting it all out makes me feel, a MILLION times better and then ultimately learning from whatever situation it was and using it as fuel in the next thing I do. (SISS)  In 2017 what was your biggest win and your biggest loss? (Cassi) My biggest win was finishing my first full 8 week program. I workout consistently, but I’ve always made my own workouts or had my boyfriend make them for me. It definitely helped me with realizing the amount of dedication it takes to start something and see it through until it was finished. It was an amazing feeling. What’s pretty crazy is, I honestly can’t think of a big loss. It’s not that I haven’t gone through trials this year, but nothing really stands out to me as being a loss or something I was sad or unhappy about. 2017 was a very happy year for me. (SISS)  What’s your biggest goal for 2018? (Cassi) My biggest fitness goal is to be stronger and better overall than last year and to continue to grow as a person and work towards my goals. (SISS)  Can you tell us four things people don’t know about you? (Cassi) 1. I’m currently learning how to play the piano. I already play guitar, but I’ve wanted to learn the piano for a while now, and since my dad has been playing pretty much his entire life, I figure, why not since I’ll have the best teacher! 2. I’m the person who cries at least once a day. Happy tears that is. A music video that I thought was cute, an instagram video of puppies, seeing that someone got engaged or married. Tears. Immediately lol 3. I work in a mailroom/print shop for the United Steelworkers. I box and ship training materials for all of the locals and districts in America and Canada. 4. I love traveling and going on trips So much. In 2017 I went to Las Vegas, NV, Atlanta, GA, Sebring and Fort Meyers, FL, Outer Banks, NC, New York City, NY, Columbus, OH, and I think a few others that I’m forgetting lol but that’s the most places I’ve ever gone to in one year. I’m hoping to try and beat that this year. (SISS)  Can you tell us where else can our readers follow you and your daily inspiration? (Cassi) Instagram is the best place to find me-- @caihole pronounced: k-AH-hole :) (SISS)  What’s your favorite quote?  (Cassi) “It’s okay to love yourself all the while working to make yourself better.” And “People won’t always believe what you say, but they’ll believe what you do.” (SISS)  At Smart is so sexy we love to see women who are thriving in their career or business.  What are you most passionate about? (Cassi) I am most passionate about spreading my love of fitness. Fitness has helped me SO much with loving myself and feeling good, that I just want to spread that and help others feel the same way! (SISS)  Who was the most influential person in your life and why? (Cassi) Wow, I definitely can’t name just one person, but I would say two of the most influential people in my life would be my parents. They have gone through so much as individuals and as a couple, that most people would never bounce back from, but they came out on top. They always told me growing up that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I worked for it. I always remember my mom especially making me feel like I could have the world if I wanted, and that feeling has stuck with me. (SISS)  Where were you five years ago? What advice would you tell your five years younger self? (Cassi) If you read the second question, you can see kind of where I was five years ago. My family life was messy, I had just got out of a six year relationship that I was in from 16 to 22, and I had no idea who I was as an individual; however, I don’t think I would need to give the 22 year old Cassi any advice because while all of that was happening, and shortly there after, I got to go and live and find myself. Five years ago, I learned what it was like to be alone, and not how scary it was, but how amazing it was. I got to make my own decisions without having to talk to anyone about them before I made them or get “permission”. I definitely made mistakes, but I made them on MY terms and along the way I found myself. Who I was, who I wanted to be, what I wanted out of life, out of a partner, out of friends and family. If I could give the 22 year old Cassi a high five, I would because she did a bomb ass job in finding herself, her confidence and her individualism. (SISS)  Can you take us through a typical day? From Waking up to going to bed, Can you give us a play by play of a typical day for you? (Cassi) I wake up at 5:45am, am out the door by 6:10. I go to the gym until about 7:10. Go home, shower, make breakfast, and then out the door by 8:10. Then I go to work Mon-Fri 9-5, and then after that I have free time, to work on workouts for people, to relax, to do laundry, to clean, to see friends and family. And then I’m in bed by 10:30. The weekends are usually up I the air, I still go to the gym in the morning, but the rest of the day is free to do whatever. (SISS)  What is your favorite meal? What is your favorite book and/or the latest one you’ve read?  What is your favorite song? When do you feel the sexiest? (Cassi) My favorite meal is anything with steak and shrimp. I just started eating shrimp a couple months ago, I didn’t like it before, but now I can’t get enough of it! My favorite book is The Law of Attraction by Michael J. Losier. That book alone has helped me grow mentally more than any other book I’ve read thus far. I don’t have one favorite song but anything and everything Taylor Swift. I’ve loved her since her first album and the album she just released, Reputation, is EVERYTHING to me lol I also currently LOVE Cardi B, Bodak Yellow, it’s the best song to work out to. I feel sexiest when I get dressed up in a cute dress and heels. There’s something about wearing heels that just makes me immediately feel sexy. (SISS)  Can you name someone on social media that inspires you and is a great follow? (Cassi) Ahhhh! This one’s tough because there’s honestly so many. Heide Somers, @buffbunny, would be my biggest/most well known, I would say, inspiration. She’s young, smart, an entrepreneur, CEO of @buffbunny_collection , which is the company she started, a YouTuber, literally the list goes on and on. The dedication and love she has for what she does is SO incredibly inspiring and makes me feel like I, too, can do whatever it is I set my mind to. Also @maria.layton, @cassysanderson and @taaaayyb are three of my best friends who motivate me, push me and always make me want to be the best version of myself that I possibly can. The positive nature of those three and the vibe they give is the most amazing feeling. I love them and appreciate them so much. (SISS)  What does Smart is so Sexy mean to you?  (Cassi) Smart is so Sexy to me is a reminder that beauty is within. The connection you make with people through conversation means so much more than the way someone looks. With the internet, celebrities and social media taking over, the perception that looks are more important is prominent; however, the intellectual mind of someone, who is constantly growing and learning, is a billion times more important and attractive. (SISS) Thank you so much Cassi for sharing with us, please follow her on Instagram @Caihole