Happy Birthday Joe and Thank You!

Today is Joseph Pilates Birthday and I thought it would be nice to write a thank you to the man who has influenced my life in a very profound way and the lives of so many others.  This year when I was at the Pilates Method Alliance Annual Conference I was listening to Mary Bowen(Pilates elder) speak about Joe to a crowd full of Pilates instructors and she said,” Just think about it, what would your life be like without the influences of Joe and Clara?  Where would you be without your Pilates friends?”

I remember thinking to myself,” Wow, she’s right- I can’t even imagine my life without Pilates!”  So today in honor of Joe I wrote a quick list of things I’ve learned and things I’m grateful for that all started with Joseph Pilates!

1. Thanks Joe for the inspiration to make my love of movement into a career.  Movement has always been an important part of my life. I’ve always loved to play and move, but it wasn’t until I was introduced to Pilates that I realized I could actually spend my days moving, playing and inspiring others as a career!

2. Thanks Joe for connecting me with so many amazing, inspiring people.  I can’t even begin to list all of the amazing people I’ve connected with because of my Pilates practice.  The mentors I’ve had, the friends I’ve made and the amazing clients I work with on a day to day basis all have enriched my life beyond words.

3. Thanks Joe for all of the empowering life experiences.  It hard for me to even think about pieces of my life that are not influenced by Pilates in some way.  My family, my career, my friends, and my experiences have so many ties back to my Pilates practice. Pilates is part of me that is infused into most things I do and into the many great experiences that continue to shape who I am and how I live my life.

4. Thank you Joe for my health.  When I found Pilates it was a new way of moving and exercising and staying fit that intrigued me.  Over the years it has become a lifelong health plan.  It has taught me to take care of my body physically and spiritually.  It has taught me to follow my instincts and listen to myself and my body above all. It has shown me how amazingly powerful I am in creating health and happiness in my life.

Joseph Pilates spent his lifetime developing his methods and trying to inspire others with his amazing work, but sadly didn’t ever see the influence on the world of his efforts. It’s inspiring to me to reflect on how much he has shaped and influenced my life and the lives of millions of others across the globe.

Happy Birthday Joe and thank you!

[tweetthis]Happy Birthday Joe and Thank You! #JosephPilates [/tweetthis]