Remember to Sparkle

I'm publishing this a day late thanks to my very stubborn laptop deciding to take a vacation to install updates I didn't even want... but I digress.

Yesterday, July 12th, was Richard Simmons' birthday. Even though he left us in 2024, I wanted to take a moment to honor how this unique, beautiful soul changed the course of my life... not once, but twice.

"You had the munchies? Well now you gotta do the crunchies!"

-Richard Simmons- Disco Sweat

My history with Richard began before I ever even started school. My mom had his Sweatin' to the Oldies 2 VHS tape, and sometimes I would see her put it in and use it. Around the same time, my sisters were constantly calling me fat. As a little kid, body image didn't mean much to me, but it still hurt. Fat was something you shouldn't be in my house. That's all I knew. So, looking for comfort, I found a safe space by using that workout tape.

For Christmas, I'd gotten a My Size Barbie that you could swap clothes with. I remember slipping on her outfit, which fit me like a little leotard, and working out right alongside Richard in the living room.

That made me feel so good and proud of myself. I felt happy. His workout didn't feel like exercise, it felt like I was playing. My favorite part was always the song 'Windy.' When it came on, we'd throw our arms around and shout "Woooah!" As a kid, it was such a silly and fun thing to do.

Suddenly, the words my sisters were saying didn't matter because Richard was telling me he was proud of me. He was saying we got this and we can do this together!

But as I grew up, the tapes were lost, and life got heavier. I fell into a brutal eating disorder and somewhere along the way, I forgot how to move my body for joy. I switched to hardcore punishing workouts like Shaun T's Focus T25 and Insanity. Eventually, I stopped eating. I wasn't happy and I didn't want to see or hear anything about anyone who was.

Years passed. I had kids and began the long, hard road of healing. One day, I randomly stumbled across an old clip of Richard on YouTube, reminding his audience to 'Love Yourself and Win.' I spent hours binge watching so many of his old clips and watching reruns of his 1990's show Dream Maker.

The floodgates of memory opened, and I remembered how great he made Little Sara feel. I went online and found the entire Sweatin' to the Oldies box set, and the moment I started doing them again, something miraculous happened... I could feel the joy returning.

I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I went online and wrote Richard a letter to tell him what he had done for me! To my absolute amazement, he actually replied.

When I was at one of the lowest points of my life, his old videos brought me back to the light. I was so grateful and full of joy. I was watching clips of him on YouTube while I'd get ready for my day. Listening to his motivational talks and watching his talk show and game show appearances. I was genuinely excited to start my day off with my Richard Simmons videos.

Then the news of his death hit, and it felt like a train to the chest. It's still hard to believe he's gone. I didn't know him in person, but Richard was a genuine light in a world that desperately needed one. He brought pure, unfiltered happiness into a world filled with absolute chaos. He never spoke cruelty, he never said anything mean, and his entire life's mission was lifting people up. He was funny, gentle, and pure joy encapsulated in a human body.

Richard once shared how he hoped to be remembered when his time on Earth was done. He said, "When I die, I want people to say, 'He made me smile.' and if there are angels, I hope they say, 'You did good, Richard.'"

He made me smile. His workouts are the only ones in the world that have ever made me laugh out loud. I still do them, and they remain the only workouts that put a real smile on my face. Richard said he didn't consider himself famous or a legend, but that's exactly what he was to me. Not because of his celebrity status, but because of his incredible heart.

He included everyone in his videos: petite bodies, fit bodies, thick bodies, heavy bodies, short, tall, male, female, child, elderly... every shape, every age, every walk of life. Richard embodied acceptance better than anyone I have ever seen. He embodied joy and the idea that movement should feel like a celebration, not a punishment.

Beyond the workouts, Richard was musical! He didn't just dance to the music... he poured himself into it. He released his own pop/rock fitness album Reach in 1982 and later created theatrical music videos like Hair Do. he was a performer in the truest, most loving sense.

Below, I'm sharing a few YouTube links to some of his music and classic moments so we can all throw our arms around, shout a big "Woaaahhh!", and remember the beautiful, irreplaceable legacy of Richard Simmons.

"For my workout, I'm up at 4 A.m. I say my prayers, count my blessings, and I work out right away. I just get it done.

-Richard Simmons

"Everyone in the world is somehow connected, so why not just be nice to everybody?"

-Richard Simmons

In honor of his birthday, I'm going to go sweat the oldies, just like little me in her Barbie leotard. I'll include a video so you can join me, if you'd like, in celebrating the man who made the world smile!

Happy birthday, Richard!

"Count your blessings. You are one of a kind. There's no one in the world like you. You are amazing."

-Richard Simmons