In coaching, I talk with clients a lot about how our thoughts create > our feelings and our feelings > impact our actions.
That means that when I’m teaching an UNMEASURED barre class, my thoughts about bodies > impact how I feel about bodies (mine, yours, all of ours) which > informs how I act while teaching a class.
In my lifetime, I’ve taken many workout classes where the instructor barked at me to work harder, go faster, push farther in order to change my body. Clearly, their thoughts about what was an “ideal” body impacted how they felt, which dictated how they spoke to me in those classes. The cycle is always there!
Those cues about burning off my brunch or earning a holiday meal? Well, those comments were stemming from diet culture beliefs.
And, because exercise is so heavily influenced by diet culture, I think we almost expect to go into a workout class only to have to dodge those comments, try to tune out the shame, and attempt to let the body-judgment roll off our backs.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
When you take barre class with me in UNMEASURED, you should know that this is what I’m thinking about your body…
Your body is SO WISE.
Your body is not a problem to be fixed.
Your body is worth listening to.
Your body deserves to take up space.
Your body is worthy of love, care, and respect.
Your body belongs here.
Your body gets to feel safe and supported.
Your body is on purpose.
Your body is magic in motion.
I’m so grateful your body is here.
All of that is what I’m thinking about your body when you take my barre class.
And, it means the world when members let me know that the intention behind each class is truly felt:“I recently (and reluctantly) signed up for unmeasured. I say reluctantly as I have never had a positive relationship with barre. I am a former dancer, and while I gravitated to the movement when it first gained a following years ago, I always felt this pull to manipulate my body due to the focus on “the shakes” and “long lean muscles”. I would then feel like something bad was going to happen if I didn’t do it all the time. I am in recovery from an eating disorder, so this was not a healthy mentality for me.
I LOVE movement and find “dance” type movement really joyful. I have been looking to add something else to my “menu”, and decided to sign up for unmeasured more because I adore you and the work you are doing in this world than a desire to do barre. I also believe in voting with my dollar. I tried my first class yesterday and OMG I freaking LOVED it. I was honestly not expecting to really like it.
I felt SO tuned into my body while practicing and so strong when I was finished. Additionally, I actually found myself taking intuitive breaks (which is a challenge for me) as you modeled these breaks yourself throughout class. I am super excited to do another class.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the gifts that you have given me and so many other women through the incredible and authentic work you are doing in the world.”
Whether you move with me in UNMEASURED or your intuitive relationship with movement calls you somewhere else, remember these truths:
Your body is SO WISE.
Your body is not a problem to be fixed.
Your body is worth listening to.
Your body deserves to take up space.
Your body is worthy of love, care, and respect.
Your body belongs here.
Your body gets to feel safe and supported.
Your body is on purpose.
Your body is magic in motion.
