Soriana has more than 10 years' experience in fitness. From barre to circuit training, group classes to personal training, Soriana has helped dozens of men and women move to live with intention. She is a NASM certified personal trainer and currently coaches at Equinox Lincoln Park.
![SHE IN THE KITCHEN 👩🏻🍳
Chicago, I am so excited to officially bring my personal training to this city through a career with Equinox.
—
I took a big bet on myself to leave corporate marketing, and I am beyond grateful that Equinox took a chance on me too. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to make my dream job come true… but [as much as it seemed that way sometimes] I never gave up and never backed down.
In 2020, I launched the Body By Sors group fitness experience in the DMV with plans of hosting quarterly events showcasing local businesses, DJs, and photographers/producers all in pursuit of winning Equinox’s group fitness competition—and the prize was residency at any Equinox in the country. Where was I planning on hosting my residency? CHICAGO. But, as we all remember, 2020 had different plans for all of us.
Fast forward through the pandemic, gym closures, reinvented relocations, working my way up the corporate ladder, to November 2024. After one of the most tumultuous years in my entire life, I was blessed to be given the opportunity to take a break.
I realized that the corporate marketing and advertising world was a grind that I was very skilled at, but left me [just me—this is so different for everyone!] burnt out, under-appreciated, and in a state of stress that was so severe I almost couldn’t see a way out of it.
But here I am ◡̈
LIVE WITH INTENTION
#ITSNOTFITNESSITSLIFE](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/479176289_18485625076019816_5948065004271732051_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=nsUhtQX4zfEQ7kNvgFweDzw&_nc_oc=Adg2Oaxxm8nx2tmrGUKT0KkdzHyvnk1onMG9e9wSZVEK3_tdEhkQalw5wDUc2cvTjsI&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=AtA7mfgSAz9-3mXm1PH0XbY&oh=00_AYFw10vPeMNRVejNrvKFffwcv4XbWggn9N6lgRul7H2olg&oe=67D7FA5F)
![It hit me tonight that the reason I’m telling my story so publicly now is because I owe it to me… to stand up for me. Without shame, without fear, without doubt. I’m telling my story for me, Soriana.
I’m haunted by the severity of depression I’ve had since I was 4 years old. I’m haunted that I even knew things were off when I was only 4 years old. I’m haunted that there were things that happened to me before I was 4 years old that even led me to the conclusion that I needed to give up. I’m haunted I made the conscious decision to “turn off” when I was 4 years old because I realized that the only one that was coming to save me was me…
When I was 4 YEARS OLD.
I gaslit myself into completely disassociating for over 25 years from the parts of me that allowed emotion. I’m recognizing how much it backfired, and how close it drove me to the end.
I owe it to 4-year-old me to let her [and everyone] know: she deserved so much better.
✨
#mentalhealthmatters #onemoreday #youmatter
•••
📸: Iceland, 2016; one month before my second marathon](https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/468500118_565652989446846_830000057360797801_n.heic?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=uLyFH648MHAQ7kNvgG0y2N_&_nc_oc=AdjbEiqjst1U72RStuCSzMAcTKrVWc8EjAT1RqbPGANu5VQLKBEJwodiDh6UbqXwePQ&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=AtA7mfgSAz9-3mXm1PH0XbY&oh=00_AYEaPS9HuWr-YMaF55zyPUy1q37VRYeZ6hTVaAxRIuoGew&oe=67D7CD67)
![lolz so how many selfies does it take to fall out of love…. asking for a friend
[it’s me, i’m the friend]
#ifimbeinghonest #slowlydyinginside](https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/463927783_18463585954019816_6952201630615658070_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=JwRuyb3laKAQ7kNvgEWsFe7&_nc_oc=AdjrBkjO0KOaTVPLlTq05WBr6RHdb_obtsO35iu0TBYBez2F5DT12sWNFL5etRY9sdE&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=AtA7mfgSAz9-3mXm1PH0XbY&oh=00_AYHU_rPFf1xE4KLo_Zatct9tpbXDkJ3t0RF_5lBNxEGDgA&oe=67D7D575)
![‼️ TRIGGER WARNING POST‼️
It’s getting harder and harder facing the darkness I’ve been living with my whole life ever since I decided to open the hood up earlier this year.
What I found was that I was shattered to pieces, and the only one who could put it all back together was [is] me. And I think that’s why it’s getting so hard – the more I try to make sense of all my broken pieces, the more I realize my parents are the ones who made this mess of me. Yet, it’s my responsibility to fix.
I’ve regarded my life as normal pretty much until this year. It wasn’t though. The irony of survival is that you trick yourself into thinking you can handle it on your own, but [honestly] it’s like I’ve created an illusion of smoke and mirrors to hide me from what my reality always was.
I’ve been a high performer in all the places in life society expects you to be. It now feels like I’ve been putting on a show to prove that I’ve been a-okay all my life. I’m getting tired of pretending, though. It’s time for me to start sharing the real me.
It’s easy for others to look at the things I’ve overcome and continued to persevere through as “being so strong.” It doesn’t feel like strength though. All it is is trying to escape the pain, hurt, and heartache that the abuse I’ve endured in my life left me with.
If you are ever dealing with a pit in your gut, and something feels off, please talk to someone. No one is meant to live with life without help. I wish I was able to succumb to my own advice decades ago.
You matter. #onemoreday #suicideawareness #mentalhealthmatters #peaceofmind](https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/460170030_18457028629019816_8646167223837391509_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=YuNT32lTE1MQ7kNvgFzhVG6&_nc_oc=Adjek5u2NROR2E5ZIUVQEtnT9ZZeybC4TvcA04DLjc6YxNjDZiFzhTLg65X7p_86e1s&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=AtA7mfgSAz9-3mXm1PH0XbY&oh=00_AYEHvgWUPw4_MDzC4bZIMohcbdBXtPsZFTQZijnXfbI9yA&oe=67D7CB0B)
