#PracticeWhatYouTeach:More Instagram?

I decided this week that I should be trying to post more on Instagram, sharing my personal practice and sharing my passions.  One of my passions when it comes to movement is showing people that Pilates is doable no matter where you are in your body.  Pilates can be such an amazing health tool to make your life happier and healthier! It drives me a little (ok a lot) crazy when I see so many social media posts of instructors doing movements that the average person would find intimidating or impossible.  As a teacher I’ve never really been comfortable posting pictures and videos of me doing exercises because I don’t want potential clients to think that they need to be able to move a certain way or look a certain way to start Pilates.   I think in my head I’ve always thought that me posting pictures of myself would come across as bragging or showing off……. or worse yet people would look at it and criticize my movement or me! Something changed my mind about that theory this month.

Anula Maiberg of Sixth Street Pilates in New York posted a project this month she called the #CropTopChallenge.  For 30 days Anula posted daily pictures of herself in a crop top doing various Pilates exercises and starting conversations about body image, unrealistic expectations about fitness, and body size in the Pilates world. It has definitely inspired me to be a little braver about posting and sharing on Instagram and all of our social media outlets.

https://instagram.com/p/BLizjl-gHO1/

Something about Anula’s project inspired me to want to dive in a little deeper into how I share my passion.  I decided that me not being all in, not sharing the stuff I love about Pilates and movement on social media, is kind of a waste, it’s playing small.  One of my favorite quotes from Marianne Williams says, “Your playing small does not serve the world. …. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Over the last few years I’ve been fortunate enough to have found someone to help me grow my social media presence and we often talk about how to best connect with potential and current clients using our blogs and social media posts. Since I’ve been working with Becky from Farm Girl Marketing Solutions, I’ve learned that the more I share, the more authentic and real I am,the more people feel connected with me. When people feel connected they find the courage to get outside their comfort zone and make that first appointment at my studio or find a studio near them and start a movement practice that might just change their life.  That’s the kind of impact I want to make in people’s lives.

Don’t be too surprised if you see a little more of me and my ideas on social media!  I’m hoping you’ll follow along and share with others anything that might resonate with you!