Do what you love

And you'll never work a day in your life

Are you familiar with the quote, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”? I was walking home with one of my twin boys today and he asked me, “Mom what will you do for work?” We are in the process of relocating and I just left my job of six years at Peloton. I have been teaching yoga for over twenty-five years; in my mind leaving Peloton really didn’t mean I wouldn’t teach yoga again. Peloton was just the place where I had been teaching most recently. Teaching is a part of me. I truly love to share my insights and lessons I’ve learned over the years. I’ve been studying yoga and Pilates and meditation ever since I landed in New York for acting school at NYU.

So back to my son. It was so cute. He said, “You’re no longer at Peloton right?”, I said, “Yes I’ve stopped working there.” He said, “Well maybe you could sell candy! You could open up a candy store and all of the kids will want to come to our house.” I smiled so big. I love his way of thinking. Why not open a candy store? In his mind doing something that makes him happy: candy; and others happy: candy, makes total sense. I feel the same way with my yoga practice. Getting on my mat makes me happy. Seeing others have that "aha” moment on their mat or in their practice makes me (and them) happy too.

It’s not always easy to follow your heart and do what you love. It’s obvious we need to pay the bills and make ends meet. I’m fortunate enough to have found a career that never really feels like work. Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely times when it is hard. I remember the days when I first started teaching, waking up so early and running all over the city teaching in gyms, yoga studios, private clients and wherever I had an opportunity. I would make maybe $10 to $20 a class. My privates paid around $60 at the time. I was still waiting tables to pay my rent; but I knew that if I kept at it, I could eventually just teach to support myself. I was always taking workshops and learning as much as I could to gain more knowledge. I volunteered to teach inner city kids and school kids. I also volunteered at elderly centers. I taught every age and many demographics and it helped me understand how to work with each person individually to meet their needs. I also taught large groups and had to figure out how to show many variations to fit all of the students’ various levels.

Some days I’d come home flat out exhausted; but I was always content. I felt an inner peace as well as an excitement about how many cool people I’d get to encounter all day long and share yoga, Pilates, fitness, meditation with. It’s never too late to find something you’re passionate about. I really admire people who pivot and make career changes when they aren’t happy where they are. I also admire those who’ve found something they’re good at and continue to put in the effort to stay relevant in their field.

Our jobs don’t define us; but let’s face it, we spend a majority of our time doing our job. Whether we are a parent, a doctor, a lawyer or an educator, to name a few, it’s a lot of hours we put into our professions. Some of us are working more than one job as well. I think one of the hardest times for me in my career is when I became a mom. I wanted to be home when I was teaching and sometimes teaching when I was home. It was such a weird situation to be in. I noticed the best thing I could do was be fully present wherever I was at the time. When I was with a client or teaching, I really focused on being there. When I’d get home, I’d funnel my energy on my son (and more sons later).

Life can be pretty mundane sometimes. We get up, we eat breakfast, we brush our teeth, we do our jobs, we come home, go to bed to wake up and do it all over again. The goal in my opinion is to find the magic in the mundane. Loading dishes can become fun when we are fully invested in organizing them. Our day to day tasks at our job can be really fascinating when we fully show up for them. Being a stay at home mom or dad can be rewarding when we stop and look around at just how much we have to get done each day. I absolutely loved my days at Peloton and teaching on camera. I love teaching in a school room or a gym or a yoga studio. I love teaching a small group or a large group or an individual. I just love to share my passion for movement and mindfulness. I consider myself very lucky to have a skill set that makes me excited about each day. I’ll keep sharing my gift for as long as I possibly can because it certainly doesn’t feel like work; and I’ll let you know when we open our candy store too.