Everyone has a story

I’ve had a few requests for my ‘pilates story’ recently – so here it is!

I was in the Marketing and Advertising industry for around 10 years before last year (2015), a friend asked me to do a 30 day challenge with her at Studio Pilates. I agreed as I had always been into health and fitness and wanted to support her getting into shape for her wedding. At that time I was going to the gym nearly every day doing pump classes and also running 10kms a few times a week. I was toned and healthy but I suffered bad lower back pain and had issues with my knees. 

Half way into the challenge I was noticing big changes in my body. My posture had improved and overall I just felt really strong! I was waking up everyday with energy and my neck and back pain was decreasing. By the end of the challenge I was absolutely hooked and I continued reformer classes 2-3 times a week.  

In some down time one day I decided to look into pilates mat courses. I was interested in the  anatomy side of things so I could understand what was going on with my own body and why pilates had worked so well for me. On a bit of a whim I signed up to a matwork course with Studio Pilates on 21 August 2015, and studied afterwork for a few months before taking their 3 day course and graduating on 29 November. During my months of study my little interest in pilates anatomy became an obsession. I was so fascinated with the content, the exercises, and the science behind it all. This was heightened during the practical exams when I discovered I absolutely loved teaching! It’s one thing to know the content and the exercises, but it’s a different thing entirely to be able to effectively communicate them with people.  

The lady who took the exam pulled me aside on our last day and said I was a ‘natural teacher’ and that she could see my passion for pilates and asked me what I was going to do with my qualifications. In that moment I realised I could actually teach and make something of this if I wanted to. 

I left the course not really knowing where to start. Because of my marketing background I started where I knew; branding! I got a logo designed, did a photoshoot, built my own website and printed up some businesses cards…That Pilates Passion was born. I started with some blogging and social media and this brought my first few clients – private one on one sessions held at Kangaroo Point. I took these before and after my full time job and absolutely loved them. It soon became obvious to me that pilates was what I wanted to do full time. I had lost all motivation at my full time job as pilates and my business consumed my thoughts. I decided that if I really wanted to do the whole pilates thing properly, I needed to quit my job and focus on it seriously. Around this time I was separating from my husband so it was very much a ‘what the hell have I got to loose’ decision.

Around December my friends tagged me in an ad for KX Pilates who were looking for instructors for their new reformer studio to be opening in Brisbane in 2016. I remember the ad said they wanted instructors with at least 1 year’s experience. I knew that if I got this job I would have enough guaranteed hours to be able to quit my full time job so I rang up and basically convinced them to meet with me. In the interview I sold myself and told them that even though I didn’t have the experience, I had the passion… I got the job. That gave me so much confidence in myself and my abilities as an instructor. 

I left my full time job on 29 January 2016 and I won’t lie – I was sick with nerves. I started working when I was legally able to and hadn’t been without a full time job since. The prospect of leaving the security of a monthly pay check was very frightening! 

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I graduated from the KX training academy in early Feb and starting teaching straight away. I absolutely loved it and of course, still do! There is so much energy and the workout is incredible. 

It wasn’t long after I had been teaching at KX that a few friends tagged me in a Barre Body post – they were looking for instructors for a new franchised studio in Brisbane. Again there was that initial doubt in my mind as I had no dance or ballet experience, however I pushed that aside and applied…I got the job!

Now I work for two amazing studios, both completely different which provides me with variety and excitement. I also continue with select one on one classes and also some corporate work. 

In the corporate world I was hard working and good at what I did but I didn’t love it. Now I don’t even recognise the person I left behind. I am so much more confident, happy, healthy, strong and passionate. Above all – I LOVE what I do. No but actually – I LOVE what I do. I didn’t think it was possible but it is. 

I remember writing a post after I graduated from KX academy with some learnings:

1. no one can make you happy but you
2. tell yourself you can do something until you believe it
3. quit with the excuses. If you don’t like you job, friends, life, house etc…change it
4. put yourself out there and experience new shit
5. some people can stay in your heart but not in your life
6. it’s hard, but let go of everything and everyone who is hurting you

Reading over these now they 100% resonate. There is absolutely NO reason why you can’t do ANYTHING you want to. In saying that – it’s hard and it’s competitive. You need to be passionate and you need to work HARD. You need to put yourself out there and back yourself 100%. I live and breathe pilates. I do social media, I blog, I teach, I train… it’s my life! I am going back to to do more study and I want to constantly grow and learn and be the best I can possibly be with the overall goal of having my own studio one day. 

If pilates is something you want to do, like anything you need to LOVE it. I attribute all the opportunities and success I have had on my confidence, my personality, my skill, but above all – my PASSION.

So anyway…that’s my little story. I hope you enjoyed. xx