The Universe has your back. The title of my favorite book and a cliche that I am currently experiencing in full force.
I thought I would share a little story with you. It’s nothing crazy, but it’s about the little things right?
I have always wanted to help people. For a long time it was through music and over time it shifted to movement. When I first jumped into teaching classes, I had no idea that it would be my vessel of reaching people on a daily basis. I knew I wanted to create change, but I had no idea that this would be the way I would do it. When I graduated from college I started teaching and training full time. I was terrified. Is it possible for me to make a living doing something that I love so much and working such odd hours? I had spent most of my college life interning and working 9-5’s at music corporations (and loving it too) but I knew before I jumped back into that world I needed to see if I could make it in fitness, which was my true passion. I racked up a whole bunch of classes and started training more clients. This was the moment I had been waiting for. I was done with school and I finally had the time to devote to my work. I was so happy to finally be doing what I loved full time without any essays and finals to work on. I showed up to work everyday glowing and beyond happy to be doing what I was doing.
Then my first pay check came. It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t what I needed. It was actually a great deal less than what I was going to need if I were going to make a serious living doing this dream job. I worked a few more months, taking on more classes and clients, but still not being able to fully make it. I was discouraged. I was tired. I was confused. Why did I feel so drawn to this passion that I had for teaching if I wasn’t meant to do it?
At this moment I knew that I had to chase this dream in a different way. I started looking into studios that I wanted to teach at. The biggest studios in the business and the ones down the street. I let my heart guide me with what the right ones would be. As I was building up at other studios I had a harsh realization that for right now, even though my ego didn’t want to admit it, I needed a side job. So even though I wasn’t crazy about the idea, I knew that I had to continue to chase this dream, no matter what it took. So I found the perfect side job. I began nannying again like I did before college. It allowed me to continue to teach as much as I needed to and make a living as well. I doubted myself. I told myself if I was really meant to do this as a career I wouldn’t need a side job. Yet every podcast, inspiration speaker, and friend had told me that it was just part of the process. It wasn’t for a little while that I truly started to believe them.
In the next six months I had worked 6 days a week, many many hours, and reached out to every and any studio that I felt drawn to. I hustled. Some offered me jobs, some didn’t. I accepted, and others I did not. I knew that no matter what I had to go where my heart was.
Fast forward 6 months later. I have been waiting and waiting to leave my side job, knowing that it wasn’t what I was meant to be doing, but knowing also that I needed it for the moment. I had been putting it out into the universe that I was ready to leave. I really wanted to be able to teach full time to give my body and my heart the time to recharge and really focus in on my classes and open up the time and energy to open myself up to other opportunities in this field. I was speaking to the founder of one of my studios (shoutout to Xavier Quimbo at Speedplay) and he was talking about the concept that there is never a good time to be “ready”. We will never necessarily feel ready. We have to take the leap.
So a few weeks later I decided to take the risk. A few opportunities had come into my path and I just felt that this was the time. It was a risk that I knew I was finally ready to take. I had made a plan. And now I have executed it.
So I sit here writing this, finally as a full time fitness instructor, living out my passion. As I set out to leave my nannying position there was fear, doubt, question if this was truly the right time for me to take this leap. And that was when I truly realized that the universe had my back. My last week at that job I was asked to be an Athleta ambassador (literally a dream). I had a rider come to all of my classes (doubled in one day). Another express to me that I had made an impact on her due to my teaching style. I received multiple messages from members or clients that had expressed their appreciation for what I do. Now if that’s not proof that the Universe was literally showing me that I didn’t need to doubt myself then I don’t know what is. I felt so inspired on that last day. I just knew that I was doing the right thing. I knew that I was being taken care of. And I knew that I was on the right path. Living my purpose. And doing exactly what I wanted to do. What I felt called to do.
I took the leap. I’m happier for it. And all of those fears have been taken care of. Opportunities have come into my path that I would have never dreamt of.
So take that leap. Make a plan. And do it. If you feel called to do something. Just do it. Don’t wait. The time will never feel perfect. Find your purpose. However that journey looks for you. And just go do it. The Universe will have your back.
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