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Ep 36: Our changing industry – Do we fear or embrace change?

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I’m excited to share this podcast with you for a couple of reasons. One, Melissa Kakavas and I met and connected several years ago while in the Balanced Body faculty training. We were thrust together spontaneously to make some videos for their enthusiasts collection, but had never even met. It’s not all that often that you meet someone and you instantly feel like “I get you.” Making videos is not easy, period, but trying to make videos WITH someone you’ve never met is, well…close to delusional. Somehow we just jived and that was that. Since then, we’ve developed a special kindred friendship.

The second reason is because there is a really sweet, and unexpected, connection we make toward the end of the podcast that is going to set you up for the release of episode 37 with Debora Kolwey where we talk about the mind’s habit to compare; the need to see things as black or white, right or wrong, better or worse. This is an important idea and really relevant to the teaching environment. I think you’re going to enjoy the flow from this conversation to the next.

And, there is a third reason, and that’s because the foundation of our conversation (although we don’t get to it for a while) is all about values. In the Skillful Teaching cohort we talk about values as Core Commitments, which is a term I stole from meditation teacher and author Sally Kempton. But no matter what you call them your values, what you’re most committed to is the river you’re floating in. And that river is not only ever-flowing, but it is also ever-changing. It is also the thing that can set you apart, help you stand out, carve out a niche, but above all else it’s literally what buoyies you to a good life worth living. Not an endlessly happy and perfect life, but a good life, one in which you can navigate all the suffering, changes, and ups and downs and still say I’ve grown a lot, learned a lot, and loved a lot.

I don’t want to draw this out too much longer, but I will say that I’ve also been titillated lately by a new book (many of you know I’m a total bibliophile), called “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson, which is all about giving a fuck; it’s all about values. It’s not only super funny, it’s also pretty right on when it comes to why we struggle so much in life and how we might struggle less if we just decided what we value.

This is a lengthy conversation, but well worth it especially if you find yourself struggling with how to navigate the challenges of our industry growing by leaps and bounds and deciphering a way to not only stand out and stay afloat, but stay true to your passion and reasons for teaching.

Enjoy!

About Melissa KakavasScreen Shot 2017-03-14 at 9.25.37 AM

Melissa Kakavas is the Director of Pilates Education and Programming at EVOLVE Movement in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is also a master instructor for Balanced Body and has been teaching and mentoring teachers for the past ten years. Melissa originally found Pilates in the early 90s while living in New York City and has been practicing and teaching ever since. She also teaches Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, and practices Thai Yoga Body Therapy. Melissa”s teaching style is warm and energetic, inspiring a healthy understanding of  the body, and a strong passion for movement.

Learn More

 

Upcoming Workshop w/ Chantill at EVOLVE Movement

 

  • Saturday, April 29th – Fearless Extension
  • Sunday, April 30th – Scoliosis & Osteoporosis Unraveled

For all the details: http://www.evolvemovement.com/events-workshops

 

Sans Heroes and Pro Tips

 

This podcast was a bit of an impromptu project, so we’re keeping it low key. We’re forgoing the Heroes and Pro Tips elements of the podcast this time around, but did want to share a few things we mentioned in the podcast with you.

Links and Resources

Connect With Us

Reach us Individually

  • Chantill – chantill@skillfulteaching.com
    • Phone – (707) 738-7951
  • Debora – dkolwey@gmail.com

Thinking Pilates Podcast - Connect with Us

The Power of Imperfection {Courageous Teaching Part 1}

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Happy belated New Year, dear teacher.

I guess it’s not too late to say that since it’s still January. How’s it going, anyway? How’s 2017 been so far?

My experience is that typically this time of year has us either feeling hopeful, full of renewed energy, or frustrated and a little overwhelmed (and maybe, just maybe, feeling pretty crappy — not impossible). Sometimes all of of these things simultaneously (which happens to have been my experience these past few weeks).

We do this to ourselves though, don’t we? We get jazzed up and excited about fresh starts and big plans, but too often hold ourselves to some unacknowledged and unrealistic expectation that it’s all going to be great (and maybe easier than last time). Deep down we expect that we’ll live up to the demon voice in our heads that’s telling us “you should be able to do this,” or “you’re supposed to be able to do this,” or “you’re supposed to be better than this!” Better than what? Supposed to be able to do what, according to whom?

What it often comes down to is that we think we should be perfect. And maybe “perfect” is not your word exactly. My word is “better” — I’m supposed to be better than this/at this/at this by now… . It’s still a product of expecting something that is out of alignment with our desires, experience, or our history, the situation at hand, and certainly reality. It makes us anxious, worried, agitated, depressed, and turns all of our thoughts inward — not in a good way.

When we don’t meet these expectations of should-ness and better-ness we begin to analyze our every (mis)step, (missed) opportunity, (mis)spoken word, and (ill planned) action. Because we’re concerned that we’re falling short in some way, we don’t have room or attention to spare — not really — for anyone else. We think we’re dedicated to being our best, but really we’re fixated on not failing, on getting it right, on doing exactly what we said we’d do in the way we said we’d do it. In this iteration of our experience striving for “perfection” turns us against ourselves and away from what we really value: making a positive impact.

If you were perfect, did it all right all the time, met every deadline, could do every Pilates exercises just so, knew all the answers and made all the perfect corrections…YOU’D BE BORING. You’d also have very little, if not nothing at all, to offer anyone — especially your students.

Courageous teaching. What is it? It’s the power of imperfection. It’s the key to creativity and the conduit of curiosity. To be courageous is to be curious (when you don’t have the answer or you’re having a shitty day and you decide to show up fully anyway); to be vulnerable, willing to fail, willing to not know and still love what you do. Courageous teaching is bringing your best-self, NOT YOUR PERFECT SELF, to the moment as often as you’re able to and when you’re not able to to love yourself and what you do regardless.

This is the first part in a 3 or 4 part series (I haven’t decided yet — I often have more to say than I realize, which isn’t surprising to many of you who know me) on courageous teaching. My hope is to leave you with some small tool you can use to help you be more able to show up even on the bad days.

I just recently finished Amy Cuddy’s book “Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges.” Amy is the now famed TED Talk presenter and social psychologist who has dedicated her work to exploring (and proving) the connection between the body and confidence. In Presence she explores different ways we can quickly make positive change in our presence especially when we are facing difficult situations.

So, based on Amy’s work and another technique I was exposed to a long time ago, I’ve got two “pro-tips” for you. Check them out below and look for more in this series soon.

Ep 20: So you want to teach teachers? Pilates Education Institute

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Ep 21: Zen and the Art of Teaching with Tom McCook

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Tom McCook is one of my all time favorite teachers not only to study with but to just be near. There are those rare people who you gravitate toward as if they were pulling you into their orbit – that is Tom. Learn how this deeply calm, compassionate and inquisitive teacher builds his teaching foundation.

Apologies in advance for the poor sound quality. It’s totally worth it.

Ep 18: How The Pilates Philosophy Will Help You Not Be Afraid To Ask For Money

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This brief recording is an exploration of how, by knowing, understanding, and integrating the Pilates philosophy we can more easily and authentically guide our students down a direct path to practicing with us. Learn what you can do to get more comfortable with selling what you do simply by getting excited and being honest about the Pilates method.

Ep 16: Bridging The Disconnect – Working With Scoliosis & Osteoporosis

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This interview was one of the BEST I’ve done! I loved Lindy Royer from the moment we met (sounds like the beginning of a love story 😉 at the Balanced Body Faculty training many years ago. She’s got spunk. She’s smart, thoughtful, and no-nonsense. She sees her students as whole and gets straight to the nitty gritty. Talking to her about scoliosis and osteoporosis was one of the best things I could have done, both for myself, and for you.

Not only do we dive into some of the specifics of working with this population, we get down and dirty with what our primary responsibility is as teachers to ALL of our students and how this applies particularly to anyone who has been “diagnosed” with a something or other.

Definitely don’t miss this!

And if you’re into it, I bet you’d love to dig into the Unraveling Scoliosis & Osteoporosis Online Workshop that is available now for 6 PMA CEC’s! Check it out:

Ep 15: The First Conversation With Master Teacher Debora Kolwey

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Listen to an inspiring, intelligent, informative conversation that will spark your desire to be better at what you do and reassure you that you are not alone. Meet master teacher Debora Kolwey of The Pilates Center in Boulder, Co. She’s thoughtful, intelligent, and been in the biz for a freakin’ long time! She has something to say. Check it out.

Ep 14: SPECIAL EPISODE! The Origins of Pilates Part 2 – Don't miss this!

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Ep 13: SPECIAL EPISODE! The Origins of Pilates Part 1 – Don’t miss this!

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The Thinking Pilates Podcast is about providing you with awesome content about Pilates, the method itself and how to teach it, what it’s like to be a teacher and how we can EXCELL at teaching as a craft. That’s why from now on I’m giving you access to TONS of the most awesome interviews, workshops, and education I’ve put together in the past year. AND the podcast will continue to include awesome conversations with industry leaders and explorations of cutting edge topics on teaching with my co-host Debora Kolwey and other guest co-hosts.

Today, what you’re listening to is the first part of the Pilates Origins workshop that I created and hosted in August of 2014 where the Skillful Teaching mentoring group studies, discusses and dives deep into Joe’s original texts “Return to Life” and “Your Health.”

We also take a look at transitions in the advanced work.

If you’re interested in watching the video version of this workshop, you can get it free HERE:

Part 1

Part 2 

Ep 11: Developing Confidence Without Knowing All The Answers

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In this episode of The Thinking Pilates Podcast Chantill and Debora explore creating space within teaching, space to be without all the answers and navigate the myriad challenges of teaching by developing a strong self-practice. Hear about how to cultivate self-reliance, ownership, personal responsibility, a dedication to develop yourself as a human being, to be more comfortable with uncertainty, and to be compassionate with oneself all through SELF-CARE & SELF-PRACTICE. This is the third in a trio of podcasts on this topic…and it just keeps getting more awesome!