Career Moves

I’m planning some big career moves in the coming years and I couldn’t be more excited about it! I’ll talk more about why I look forward to putting my nursing practice on hold in a few years at some point (contrary to what Senator Walsh implied, nursing isn’t easy!) but for now let us focus on the good stuff.

Career Moves: RN to Certified Pilates Instructor

Over the next two years, while continuing to work as a nurse, I am going to study/train to become a certified Pilates instructor.

I’ve honestly been contemplating a career move like this for quite some time but had to get past so many pesky limiting beliefs. Anybody with me?! From giving myself permission to start over just because I want to, to believing that I am capable of doing the hard work that this will take (hello nursing school and motherhood, haha!) it has been a long road to get to this decision.

Gotta Start Somewhere

Here’s the thing, I am starting from absolutely nothing. Literally I have maybe 2 months total of consistent at home matwork under my belt. I still have so much to gain in my personal practice of pilates not to mention the strength to lead a pilates class or multiple pilates classes in a row.

It’s so easy to see people on social media in the height of their come up and not see what it took for them to get there, so I thought I would document the journey here.

I’ve dabbled in Pilates but really started my journey with the practice last fall through The Balanced Life Sisterhood. I quickly fell in love with the practice but had so many mental hurdles that I wasn’t able to be consistent (thank you disordered eating/fitness of my whole life – NOT!) Now that I am breaking away at those mental blocks I so enjoy my time on the mat. I find it to be so holistic in nature. It is centering both physically and mentally. My FAVORITE thing so far about the practice is the improvement in my posture.

If any of you have had tall girl slouching problems you know what I mean. I have slouched my entire life but I had no clue how to fix it. Pilates is the answer for me. My posture is so much improved even in my short time of consistent practice!

I’m so excited to be stronger in my 30s than I was in my 20s, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Merging the old with the new…

Becoming an instructor is a LONG process. The education has a heavy anatomy focus and I am kind of geeking out over relearning all the muscles in the body. Haha! Haven’t needed much of that info since nursing school. But the connection between the two caring practices is not lost on me.

Some other things I look forward to are working with people that are well, empowering people to reconnect with their bodies, and incorporating HAES principles into my practice.

Pilates might be for you if…

You hate working out.

I used to try to force myself to do HIIT workouts or strength training but I realized that I hated moving my body in those ways. Not only did it feel like a punishment throughout the workout, I felt so much shame when I couldn’t get myself to do it or finish a workout once I had started.

Most pilates routines have a calming transition from the busyness of life to your practice on the mat. The focus is on caring for the body, strengthening, and correcting alignment rather than making your body a different shape than it is. There are always modifications and they are ENCOURAGED. It is all about trusting your body, it knows best what is good for it and what is pushing too far.

I’ve vowed to never do another burpee again – or any other type of movement that doesn’t feel good just for the sake of getting a workout in or “being able to eat something I want” later.

You want your workout to relieve stress rather than adding it.

Pilates is so grounding. With the goal of focusing solely on the muscles you are working and pushing everything else out of your mind, Pilates can be a meditation of sorts. I always leave the mat feeling less frazzled and more centered.

You have bad posture.

Incorrect posture causes a host of problems including back pain and stress on the spinal cord. Pilates emphasizes the strengthening of the core in ways that are unmatched by any other workout I’ve tried. A strengthened core supports the spine, making correct posture more comfortable and easier to maintain throughout the day.

You need a workout for dummies.

Haha no I’m not calling you a dummy! I’m just saying that once I started pilates I realized I had poor form in just about every other workout I had tried. Likely even with walking considering my posture issues. Pilates instructors give the best cues and comments on how a movement should feel. With these small corrections to form you end up working muscles you didn’t know you had and getting the most out of your time on the mat.

Have you tried Pilates?

I’m so curious who else has done pilates? I wish I had discovered it sooner! Pilates has been around since the forties and seems to only be gaining traction as more people learn its benefits. If you are already an instructor, I would love to hear your education experience!

Would also love to hear your thoughts on career moves?

When I started in the pediatric ER I knew I wouldn’t be there forever. I naively thought I would just hop on into a different field of nursing at some point. Now I know that nurses eat their young and I’m not sure they can help it haha! If I’m basically starting over anyway, why not do something new?!