Confession Time

Sometimes I feel a little... icky about being in the wellness industry.

While the industry intends to do good - to help others is a wonderful thing! - it has morphed into this strange Insta-driven world of unicorns + rainbows, crystals + affirmations, morning rituals + oracle cards. If that’s your jam, we’re cool! No disrespect! But, it does beg the question, if you don’t journal, drink golden-milk-matcha lattes, brew your own ‘booch + have a fondness for dream catchers, then are you really ‘doing it right?’ And, like the metaphysical ‘if a tree falls in a forest’ riddle, if you don’t post about your self-care routine on your preferred social media platform, did it even really happen?

My beef is that the current wellness landscape has a touch of... first world privilege about it. Just a thought! If you disagree, again, we’re cool. But maybe you rent a small flat, work modest hours + have neither the space nor the funds to live an ‘authentic life’. You still deserve a shot at ‘wellness’! (And you’re still ‘authentic.’)

I don’t really know what do about this dilemma (+ my overuse of inverted commas). I want to help others + I truly - fiercely! - believe in what I do + in movement as medicine (motion is lotion!) but it does get a little exasperating floating about in the glitter-filled, crystal infused waters of wellness.

So! I put my head down, bum up (literally, that’s the Standing Roll Down Pilates exercise right there) + quietly work away at designing interesting classes, improving my teaching method + creating an open + inclusive space for people to connect, feel + explore movement. No hype. No bells + whistles. No fancy fitness wear required. Just people - regular people - moving because it feels good + helps them in everyday life. Fortunately, like attracts like + I’m so humbled (+ grateful!) that I have a group of devoted students who attend classes each week for all different reasons but ultimately because doing so helps them to live well (that’s ‘wellness’ right there!)

I also love the fact that I’m teaching something that students can use outside the classroom. Pilates is portable + available to everyone, you just need yourself + a mat (heck, you don’t even need a mat!) Pilates is a practice that transcends time, trends + budgets. It is open, inclusive + can transform lives.

Really!