As teachers, how do we stay grounded? How do we manage distractions? We must focus on changing the rhythm of our teaching style and hone in on centering our intention, relaxing our energy and focusing on self care.

Delivering our best when we feel our worst.

• You know, those days when our body feels wrecked:
• When the mornings feel rushed,
• Our schedule is scattered,
• We become impatient,
• We’re hungry, dehydrated and overly sensitive.
• The days when we wake up anticipating our first chance at a fifteen-minute catnap.

Or those weeks when the world is against us:

• Others are unpleasant,
• Ungrateful,
• And nothing we do meets their expectations,
• The seven-day stretches that are barely survived with hardly anything to show for,
• Those weeks that instead of celebrating we’d rather drink to.

Then there are entire seasons of life we must endure…

• Failures, losses and trials,
• Seasons when our spirit is broken, uninspired,
• When our work lacks clarity and purpose,
• When we over-extend our time and energy to satisfy the needs of family and friends,
• Long moments in time when we lose our sense of Self,
• The seasons where peace and happiness have become emotional strangers.

How do we stay grounded?

How do we manage distractions?

IN THESE MOMENTS WE MUST CENTER OUR INTENTION.

• Who are we teaching for, us or ‘them’?
• What is their body’s biggest limitation?
• What movement principle offers the biggest opportunity?

WE MUST RELAX OUR ENERGY TO ALIGN OUR EFFORTS.

• What is the client paying (a premium!) for?
• What have we learned that they value most?
• How can we empower them with awareness and confidence?

And when self-doubt grabs us the tightest –

WE MUST CHANGE THE RHYTHM OF OUR TEACHING STYLE.

Organically, we evolve beyond Pilates Instructor. They see us as leaders, influencers and role-models.

Healthy reminders & some healing perspective:

• Self-care, first. Self-care, always!
• One session at a time, 60-minutes at a time.
• Stay patient; Every repeated cue, adjustment and movement sequence is the next hour’s ‘first time.’
• Our responsibility is to teach movement – anything more is optional – we’re not obligated to become their bestie.
• The client isn’t judging us; They are simply navigating their own insecurities (and they have many!) – so don’t take reactions and facial expressions personally.
• Clients like to praise ‘instructor personality’ – but price & convenience ultimately dictate their long-term commitment and purchase decisions.
• Our studio/environment is often their escape, it’s their ‘me time’ – we serve them just by showing up.

Our worst should never discount the knowledge/ability of our craft. We must honor our emotions and embrace new challenges. We have permission to sometimes ‘not feel like teaching.’ As we preach to our clients, “It’s about progress, not perfection.” Because lessons learned through personal growth leverage professionalism.

Delivering our BEST doesn’t always call for creativity,

Not always about problem-solving,

Nor a demand to magically heal their pain.

When you feel your worst, do your best to respect the principles. Communicate with curiosity and empathy. Revisit the fundamentals. Just like our student-teaching days…you got this!