I Signed Up for Pilates Teacher Training Just Because I Wanted To

Hi friends, today is May 1, which is Labor Day in Germany (we celebrate it in spring, not September). It fits, because I recently got to thinking about work, choosing a career, and continuing education. For me, it was always clear I'd become a journalist. I've loved writing for as long as I can remember. When I was sad, I confided in my diary. I'd fill page after page with my thoughts and notice how good it felt to sort out my tangle of emotions on paper. With every letter, my heart felt a little lighter.

I've always loved telling stories, too. Made-up ones from my imagination, sure, but at least as much, other people's stories. What had they been through? What made them who they are today? What do they dream about? As a reporter, I wrote down exactly those life stories for big newspapers – and I still do it here on the blog.

Whenever I hit a rough patch at work and someone told me I should just reinvent myself, I thought: But I can't do anything else. And I don't want to, either.

I signed up for the training

And yet times have changed. I already wrote in my year-in-review that we've been through some tough times professionally, and in some ways we still are. So I've been looking for something that might also be fun for me.

Pretty much on a gut feeling, I signed up for Pilates instructor training. Without knowing whether or what I'd do with it. With big doubts about whether I'm even athletic enough. With a nasty little voice on my shoulder asking if this was my midlife crisis. What bothered me most was not knowing whether anything would come of it, or what. Because until now, everything I'd taken on professionally had a goal or a purpose.

“What if you just do it because you want to?” a friend asked me. And that one sentence helped. Yes, I don't know exactly what will come of it, or if anything will. I'm definitely not the most athletic person on the planet – but it makes me happy. I've been doing yoga for over 15 years and Pilates for three, so I'm not a total beginner, and I know how good this kind of exercise is for me.

So last week I got through the first module of the training – and realized that a lot of my fears and self-doubts were unfounded. “I'm doing this because it makes me happy,” I kept telling myself out loud. The group was nice, the teacher was great, I learned a lot of new things – what more could I want? I never want to give up writing, but maybe a little side gig will come out of this. Work that involves actual face-to-face contact with people, because working from home can get pretty lonely sometimes…

Why am I telling you all this? Because I think it's important to stay open to new things. Lisa is my absolute role model here. She's always taking classes and learning new things, she stays curious, she steps out of her comfort zone. Not everything has to make sense right away. Sometimes it's enough that it brings you joy and that it interests you.

Maybe you've wanted to learn Spanish forever, or try yoga, or sign up for a tango class with your partner – and something keeps holding you back. Go for it, because it's truly never a waste. Tell me: When was the last time you tried something new, or thought about getting some extra training? I'd love to hear from you…