Business casual turned athleisure

Leaving the Classroom, Betting on Myself, and Building a Body of Work That Fits My Life

The last six months have been… a lot.

The kind of a lot that rearranges your priorities, your identity, and your tolerance for pretending something still fits when it doesn’t.

Over winter break of 2024, I made a decision I had been circling for a while:
This would be my last year in education.

Thirteen years in.
Two out of three master’s degrees in the field.
And a quiet, steady knowing that it was time to be done.

Not because I failed.
Because I was ready for something more aligned.

I didn’t tell many people right away.
I needed time to sit with the decision before explaining it.

And let me be clear: knowing it’s the right decision doesn’t mean the doubt disappears.

Comfort, it turns out, is relative.

I still have moments where I question every life choice I’ve ever made.
That’s not a red flag.
That’s what change feels like when it actually matters.

I formed an LLC in March. And then didn’t touch it for months.

Not because I wasn’t serious.
But, because I was investing where it counted: deepening my Pilates practice, expanding my personal training knowledge, and learning what it actually takes to make this work.

I spent time in big-box gyms.
I did the “full-time” shuffle between roles.

And eventually, the answer became clear:

If I’m going to work this hard, I’d rather build something that belongs to me.

I grew up around self-made people.

My dad owned his own firm.
My grandfather built a business from the ground up with barely a high school degree.
My mom still works as an independent contractor to this day.

Independence wasn’t romanticized—>it was modeled.

So while this leap feels terrifying, it’s not unfamiliar.
It’s in my bones.

So, here we are.

What used to be “side work” is now the work.
Pilates and personal training aren’t supplemental anymore—>they’re the backbone.

The thing keeping a roof over our heads.
Food on the table.
Life moving forward.

Is it scary?
Absolutely.

Have I lost my mind?
Debatable. (And, yes, you know the real word I’m thinking.)

But, this is the direction I’m choosing.
On purpose.

I don’t know what next month looks like.
Or next year.

All I can do is show up for today: learn what I can, adjust when needed, and keep moving toward a life that feels grounded, strong, and joyful.

That’s the same thing I ask of my clients.

Which brings me to this:

At the end of every class, I ask people to thank their bodies for showing up.
Even if it wasn’t perfect.
Even if it was messy.

Showing up today matters.

It’s time I practiced that myself.

So I’ll say it here and invite you to say it with me:

Thank yourself for being exceptional.
Thank yourself for showing up in whatever way you could today.

Even if that meant reading this and smiling for half a second.

Because you are exceptional.
And this, right here, is me choosing to live like I believe that.

If this shift resonates—if you’re navigating your own transition, rebuilding, or redefining what strength looks like—I share more of that work on my email list.

That’s where I’m building this next chapter with intention.

👉 Join the list to follow along.