Be the Change you want to see in your clients.
My friend, Ann McMillian (Canadian and Pilates Blonde Genius) just left Asheville after filming a phenomenal Online Workshop. We were talking about the Teaching from the Heart series and caring for ourselves as teachers. She immediately said “ Yes, all of us in this profession are Directive. We want to help and we give and we encourage. This is what we do but sometimes we do too much.” We don’t understand where we end and another begins and we develop negative outcomes for ourselves and those we are trying to help. When we are wired a certain way—Type A , always wanting to give our 2 cents and constantly thinking about how others should move, eat, act and think…Well, we lose perspective. We become less in touch and lose our ability to be intuitive and truly compassionate. Basically our Interoceptive abilities and mirror neurons are dampened down because we are not connecting back to ourselves and looking at how we can change and grow for the better. Instead the Beast ( Our inner super busy body personality) cannot be consoled. And left unchecked, we go on autopilot and will be an unsolicited mouthpiece of should and should not to our clients and loved ones.And we rarely have those brave enough around us to point out to us what is missing in our own life as far as balanced movement, nutrition, stress relief and downtime…Until we crash and then it becomes clear as day!
It is so important for us as teachers/influencers/leaders and first person experts of US to take a few moments each day to look inward and take inventory. This will all be explored in a bigger workshop ( be on the lookout!) but here is a teaser:
We all need an Emotional Strength, Flexibility and Balance Training program that we practice at least once a day. Here are a few things to consider and think about when you are taking the time for Emotional Fitness Training:
**Creating and Nurturing Self Belief : This is treating ourselves like someone we love very, very much. It is believing beyond a doubt that we are precious and worth taking care of in the best way.
**Finding and Honing the strength to face unforeseen situations and circumstances : We all need this one because Change will happen always. There are many strategies that I will share with you for work in the studio and in private life but number one is to keep your sense of humor, play and kindness.
**Stay Curious: This should not just be about movement. It should be in all parts of our lives with no age limit. Any teacher ( doesn’t matter what you teach) will have a richer and broader understanding of their specialty when they are living life to its fullest and really enjoying people. As movement teachers our fuel is innovation and creativity. Without these we are stale and close to death. Without these there will be little joy and laughter in the studio.
From my perspective movement and ease in the body is basically about finding the Joy. I really like that word. It is about finding the laughter, being playful and letting go. Dogma, rigidity, the wrong and the right way have no place in the studio or the life of a teacher.
Be the Change.
Love
Jen
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AMEN! Well said…and thank you..❤️
Hi Jen,
this post came in the right moment. All my clients are gone for the day, ..I had a moment for myself in the studio. But instead of taking a moment and talk to my inner self – I thought about a client tomorrow and tried out something..and closed the door with a little anxiety already because the tomorrow-client is a difficult one.. Then I read your post and the sentence after the first two ** made me think about loving myself very, very much.. and I realized that I was all of a sudden breathing in a different way, – deep and wide..
So that is my discovery for tonight – it opens and deepens the breath to think loving about myself!!
Thank you so much!
warmly – Silke
We love you Ginger!
Hi Silke,
I smiled BIG when I read your post. So happy that this could bring some good stuff your way. We as teachers give so much and we are so hard on ourselves. We need the TLC too and in really big doses. We love hearing from you.
Jen
Well said and so true! Thank you!
Hi Bonnie,
It is great to hear from you. I am happy that the article spoke to you.
Love
Jen
What you say is so true Jenn!
”It is so important for us as teachers/influencers/leaders and first person experts of US to take a few moments each day to look inward and take inventory.”
But as controlling high achieving worry bugs we don’t always manage to do this. Let me share my old timer trick!
The way I manage to do this is by embracing my type A inner beast in the process. How does that happen? With a plan of course!!! I select a simple series of exercises related to a specific body objective, lets take thoracic mobility as an example. My type A inner controlling beast is satisfied by knowing I am ‘working’ consistantly towards the important goal of thoracic mobility in my body with a well planned series.
Then as I execute this series during my daily moment I can shut off the worry bug and concentrate on looking inward and taking inventory. I leave myself room to let myself explore other moves if it feels appropriate. Pure bliss is often found in the process. Body function improvement is also achieved. I know it keeps me vital, focused and ready to feel joy.
Then after a few weeks or months when I see results are achieved, I modify the objective and the series according to my bodies needs.
I hope this is helpful,
Ann McMillan
ANN!!! It is such an honor to hear from you. Thank you for sharing how you go about your Emotional Fitness Training. Beautiful. Please watch the Pilates Show titled FISHTAIL FOOTWORK. I do a similar application specifically for my body. Pilates Blond Geniuses Unite!
Love and miss you,
Jen