Featured

How I became an Instructor

Student first…

Trying a new “workout” was intimidating at first. All the machines and stuff on the wall, was visually overwhelming. But as with anything brand new, it takes time to become familiar with these new surroundings. My instructors were so supportive and amazing at guiding the class through the routine, my apprehensions melted away. It quickly became clear that although we were in a group setting, I really didn’t need to worry about what anyone else was doing (or not doing). As long as I listened attentively and focused on my body, then I would get the most benefit out of each exercise, it was pretty cool! Learning to feel my body, listen to my body and honor my body is where I really began to fall in LOVE with Pilates. Guided and inspired by these instructors, and the studio owner, I chose to make the leap from member to Teacher Trainer!

Instructor… but always learning

I trained through the Club Pilates 500 hours comprehensive teacher training program. With the full support of my family they really stepped up to allow me to switch into full “student” mode as much as possible. I diligently practiced, studied and started apprentice teaching in 6 months, that was January 8, 2019. Fully certified four months later. I was fortunate to start teaching at a brand new studio, where the clientele was growing with amazing energy! I teach now at all three studios under the same owner. My endless curiosity, and thirst for knowledge has me always wanting more! I hit the books again to study for the National Pilates Certification Program. Starting off the New Year, New Decade with a bang I passed my exam on January 3, 2020 and am now a National Certified Pilates Teacher! But really that’s just the beginning… stay tuned for more of my journey, with inspiration sprinkled on top!

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

December 2020

Buh-bye 2020… don’t let the door hit you on the way out! It still feels so crazy we are talking pandemic while 2021 is right at our doorstep!! Don’t we all desperately want a reset button for January 1st?!? If only… uhg!!! Sure, the option to have a clean slate would have been nice, to make shotty resolutions with no real urgency to keep them would be same-old same-old. But 2020 had other plans am I right?! How will you look back on these past 12 months, and how will that shape the next 12 for you? Yes, we’ve had to learn and practice what the new normal is, but how are you going to build on what we all just went through? Even if building upon, really means taking away. What are some of the “silver lining” affects that you are appreciative for? What good came of your changed circumstances? It’s safe to say if we try to find the positives out of the negatives, we can learn something from this year as a whole. Wrapping up the holiday’s and un-decorating I guess can be my metaphorical “clean slate”. I do very much enjoy the season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Every year, even this one, I didn’t seem prepared for a slowed down season. Maybe it’s the mom in me that always feel busier and more frantic as we cultivate a sense of festiveness along with peace and gratitude, even though as I type that, it sounds like an oxymoron. I suppose it feels the same way it sounds. I did make a strong effort to recognize why we celebrate and align my spirit with Jesus’ miraculous birth. A truth that was prophesied ages ago, actually happened in a manger, and now remembered generations later. What a grounding bible principle that we can re-tell all season long. Turning a new page can be exhilarating for some, but for others it may make them feel a bit timid. Let’s pray it forward and be grateful for all the lessons 2020 made us learn. Having a plan is great but being flexible is necessary too. Somethings will change, some will stay the same. From the chrysalis that 2020 formed and fashioned us all in from the shelter that we were mandated to take. Let us emerge into 2021 as new creatures, better than we once were! More grateful, kind, patient, health-minded and overall better human beings that love God more and love people more.

Cheers to a Happy and healthy 2021,

Carla Bowling

July Blog Post

This month has been blazing, from the fireworks on the 4th, to the sizzling summer here on the East Coast! Energy has been high right along with the heat indexes. I’ve been continuing my beach-side Pilates classes. Although we start at 7:15am by approximately 7:18 everyone is sweating. Not like, “oh she’s glowy and glistening”. More like “how on earth is it THIS hot already?” My forty five minute class can gain about 5 degrees in temperature, but after the first five, there is no going back. Complete outfit change and shower is REQUIRED! But the energy and socially distanced camaraderie has kept us all coming back, and we just call it detoxifying now to make the insufferable heat seem worth it. The scenery is beautiful, when you aren’t wiping sweat from your eyes, and it just gives me a boost to be out of doors! Our riverside landscape does have its perks. It’s no island paradise, but it is basically our backyard, and because of that sometimes it can go unappreciated. No plane ticket required for a lovely trifecta of saltwater, sun and sand.

  Speaking of tropical getaways, my trip to visit my grandmother in Puerto Rico, couldn’t happen as planned. This trip had already been rescheduled once before (at the start of Rona) and was bummed out that it would have to be again. But I’m grateful that my Abuela is doing well, she’s a tough cookie after having a hip replacement a few months ago, turned 89, then this pandemic stuff. I pray when it’s the right time to go, our four generations can enjoy each other’s company without Covid tests and face masks.

  Not trying to glaze over all the uptick in Covid patients around the country. It’s sad, really it is. I find it hard to understand how so many more are getting ill, when we have had such a long time to put measures in place for everyone’s safety. I don’t gamble, and I am averse to risky activities, but I’m not hiding under a rock either. The (not so) common sense approach has been lost on so many, UHG! It’s frustrating, but I get it, we all want to go back to the way things were. None of us saw this coming and weren’t ready to pivot like we’ve needed to. I wish more members would come back to the studio’s! Many are just not ready to, even after all the extra precautions we have put into place. Clean hands, face mask and not touching your face go SUCH A LONG WAY! Why does it seem too hard for some?!? If the masses can’t do that, no wonder we have such a diseased laden society, Covid aside. Personal responsibility is the source of the problem. From learning how to really nourish our bodies from the inside out. Not just robotically picking up brightly colored packages off the shelves and throwing it into your cart. Movement, no matter what modality you choose, just get off the couch and move, play and enjoy the body you have. Close relationships to family (furry family totally counts), friends, neighbors and a higher power. You have a purpose; your life has meaning beyond your comprehension! Not likely that it will come to you from binging on Netflix or YouTube, or Little Debbie cakes for that matter. Explore, stay curious, learn something new every day. That keeps your spirits up, mind sharp, and body active. How have you spent your Rona time this month? Will your future-self look back and be grateful you started that new project, or finished the lingering one? Though the horizon is still unclear, every moment is another opportunity to begin again. Give yourself grace if you need to and press onward and upward!

Blessings,

Carla

My daily intentional movement chart, keeps me accountable.

June 2020

A season of change, figuratively and literally. The US is in tumultuous times as June rolled by. We were all hoping for the light at the end of this Rona “tunnel” with part of the country re-opening. Then mass chaos as an uprising formed in the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic death from police brutality. My family and I have had plenty of tough conversations and have felt many emotions as we wade through these times. We are a patriotic family, if ever there was one. Most members of our family have served in the military, and we take our freedoms seriously. It saddens my heart to see what is happening in cities across this country. I hope and pray that cool heads can come together and productively create the kind of change that makes our country great, and her people deserve. Is it perfect? No, how can it be, when we are all living lives by the flesh, rather than the Holy Spirit. Not to say Christians are holier-than-though. It’s a hard path to walk, when you live in the world, but are not “of the world”. When Godly morals and righteousness are said to be close-minded or judgmental by the masses. Why do so many think that skin color dictates your worth? We are all just shades of brown in the human race, loved by God. Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again so that ALL may be saved. ALL means ALL! I have one small voice in this world, and I’m learning to use it to reach the hearts and souls of those whom I interact with, in real life (IRL) or virtually. You matter, and Jesus will save your soul if you ask him to.

 In June we also transitioned to the official summer season. Days are getting longer, weather getting sticky and everyone wants to be out of doors. And not just because we’ve been told to stay home since March. My in-studio instruction has begun again, with a slow start back that was to be expected, but wished it really wasn’t. Social distancing is do-able, cleaning is at an all-time high, you could practically eat off the mats. Outdoor morning mat sessions at the beach has been fun as well, no masks necessary! More than enough space and fresh air, usually with sunshine to boot. As the days got closer to re-opening I did have to check in with my emotions. They came flooding into my mind from both sides of the coin. Questions swirling in my head, if anyone even wanted to come back to my class? Can we just keep doing virtual a little while longer? Could I catch the virus, or spread it to someone else? I am truly going to miss all this time with my family. Am I going to feel as flustered for time, and tired as pre-covid? Is it even okay or valid for me to be feeling all this? I really am grateful daily, for all my blessings, and I did get to be home safe and healthy. Even when the pile of shoes at the front door would look like a ridiculous mess. But I had an epiphany… about the shoes. How could I be upset by the pile, when the fact that there WAS a pile, meant that we were all home. Our family has spent many occasions apart, especially for my husband’s job. The shoe cubby by the front door would hold very few pairs, because not everyone got to come home everyday. But now, NOW there are too many shoes for all of them to fit. We have the provision for more than one pair for each of us, that’s a blessing for sure! But to look at the silver lining of family being home, as messy as it seems, makes my heart joyful. How has Coivd-19 changed your outlook? Have you had to re-frame your thoughts or emotions for a better perspective? What are your plans now that summer is here? I hope you have been healthy and have felt safe where you are.

Thanks for reading,

Carla Bowling

May 2020

  Annnddd we are still replaying Groundhog Day IRL. May has been filled with so many opportunities to try out new things, revisit old hobbies, and Procrasti-bake all the recipes! Virtual has become everyone’s reality, but that’s not such a bad thing. I’ve always been a homebody so staying in hasn’t had much of an effect on me at all. So much to occupy myself with in my little sanctuary, it’s felt almost odd stepping off of my front porch steps. I continue to pair my daily devotion with my cup of coffee. That sets me up for my movement of the day, that I post with a verse or special thought for that day on my IG feed. We’ve all had this incredible gift of time we always had wished for! I don’t know how many times I’ve said “If only I had a few more hours in the day…” We’ve all gotten a chance to catch up on our beauty sleep, whittle down the inbox, even paint a wall or two. Now some days I do allow myself to take it easy, but for the most part I’m always “working” on something. Why does it feel like it takes three hours to give yourself only a half decent pedicure?!? What have you tackled that you can be grateful for? Sure, many plans have been postponed or cancelled, but that freed up your time or resources for something else right. As the weather has been trying to turn to spring, and the longer daylight, have you been going outside more? Maybe you planted a garden, it counts even if it’s just one pot. I’ve been noticing new birdsongs in the mornings from migratory bird, I just freeze in front of the window and tune my ears to it. Seeking out the good in all things has been how I’ve managed through this Rona shut down. As the month draws to an end my body is craving a rest day, I haven’t been this sore from Pilates ever! My heart also has anticipation towards our local re-opening phases, and knows with each passing day, we are closer to going back “to the new normal”. I’ve temporarily lost my love of grocery shopping, as it’s so much more stressful now. Cooking is my second love-language, and shopping is all part of that feeling of love to me. Sharing dishes with my family brings me joy, and I’m so thankful that there are provisions and supplies more readily available now. Just yesterday I found packets of yeast (limit of two) and was smiling (under my mask) since that means, I can start making homemade pizza crust again. Which pre-Rona, “I didn’t have time to make from scratch”, so I would spend more money for the pre-made stuff.  So, you see my friends, I hope you’ll consider how important mindset it. I do watch a fair bit of news, but I also recharge in silence, move to the music, and whistle back to the birds. I hope you can find balance, even if it takes effort to do so. It will be so worth it each and every day to explore your mind, body and heart. I pray that you are well, both physically and mentally. Hopefully June will allow us to settle into a new routine, while maintaining our self-reflection practices, internal and external with our sanity all together.

Be well,

 Carla

April was a doozy!

So, in 2020 we got an extra day in February, felt like 54 days in March, and April must have had 187 days at least! Wow! Life, plans, and wishes have all been turned upside down this month hasn’t it. Can we turn off the movie Groundhog Day yet?!? How did you manage a semblance of a routine this month? Some days I felt so productive and amazed at this gift of time. Other day were spent glancing out the window to try and figure out what time of the day it was. Spring storms and rainy days just drag the day on and on for me, when I don’t see the sunshine. I have managed to scratch off lots of items on my to-do list, hopefully you have too. It never really ends, but I do try to find the ‘Happiness boost’ from these accomplishments. I got to plant a garden, buy day-old chicks, and filled holes and touched up the paint on the walls. I derive a sparkle of joy from all these completed tasks. What have you checked off lately?

I’ve also been praying for clarity for the coming steps once we get back to a more normal routine. Teaching to a group in real life versus virtually, will take a lot of getting used to. I’ll revel the day I can go grocery shopping without all the masks, one-way aisles, and quantity limitations. I do realize this is a small inconvenience compared to being sick or have a family member or friend struggling with CV-19. But this fear needs to subside at least to the point where we can get back to supporting our families at our jobs. Use common sense measures for the sake of us all!! So much fear and upheaval has crippled our minds, communities, nation and world! I will continue to pray for healing and strength for us all, I hope you can join me with your fervent prayers! Remember when you ask in your prayers what the Lord would have for you to do, make sure to take time to be silent and patiently wait for a tug to your heartstrings from God. Give him a chance to answer. Only He knows what the outcome of all of this will look like. I believe that we all could come out the other side of this better than when we started, but we have to want to. Doing nothing should never be an option! We can all do something positive for our own well-being, ya know that whole mind-body-spirit thing. I’ve really been exploring this trifecta much more lately! Or try doing something kind for someone else. We are all in this together, even though we are apart. The saying goes something like this, “We are not all in the same boat, rather the same storm in our own boats.” Be kind and give yourself and others extra grace as we are all trying to manage the best we can.

Blessings,

Carla Bowling

We made it through March

Welp, this past month has been pretty intense! With lots of opportunities to either cry or pray… I choose the latter. Our country, state, towns and homes have all been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in a meaningful way. Priorities, plans and schedules were suddenly and radically changed, or flat out canceled. My work at the Club Pilates studio was suspended, with no end date to aim for. Time with family increased, although it certainly didn’t feel like a vacation. There was more time for my personal Pilates practice, no better way to de-stress than to focus on your breathing. Meditation and prayer time was expanded, so much to still be grateful for, and yet so many souls that need reaching. Praying for those who are ill, and their recovery. Prayers for those who are well, to stay well. The medical workers, our governments and the world as a whole. It does feel like a heavy weight on my heart, but it’s entirely too easy to get caught up in the extreme news and the stories of the hoarders with all the toilet paper or hand sanitizer…

So just stop and look up, either physically or mentally, up past the ceiling, the roof, the birds, the clouds, the sun and the stars! Life your eyes and heart to the God of the universe. Yes we are small, in the grand scheme of things. No we are not in control of everything we think we are, as these past few weeks have demonstrated. Yes our life is like a vapor in comparison to eternity, but what we do here and now does matters for eternity. In the chaos, noise and drama, how have you held onto kindness, joy, hope and peace?? It is possible! Not by ignoring science and evidence that our governments have provided, but by recognizing who’s actually in control. It’s not the Governor’s, President’s or the World Health Organization, it really is God. The God that created all time, space and matter is the same God who loves you today, right where you are. 

John 3:16-17 King James Version
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

The best way to get through this pandemic is to ask Him to save your soul, and that he might grant you peace in your soul.

Philippians 4:7 King James Version 
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Once the spirit is at ease, the mind and the body follow in suit. Continue with a safe movement practice daily. This keeps the joints mobile and muscles hydrated. Ease the mind by taking some time to disconnect and recharge with some deep breathing, listening to some soothing music, health promoting food and drink, and getting plenty of sleep. All of these pieces form a beautiful and powerful treasure of health and wellness! Proactively combatting dis-ease and additional stress on the immune system to keep your powerhouse running smoothly and efficiently.

Blessings,

Carla B.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions? GraceAndPilates@gmail.com

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

Happy Leap Day!

An extra day every four years to add more living into your life!

  This month flew by, not just because it is the dead of winter, and the shortest month. I’m excited about multiple new projects that landed on my lap at the start of the month, and just buckled down and barreled through with enthusiasm! Opportunities to try new things, learn and experiment excite me. How about you? Had to remember to take lots of deep breathes and keep my focus on what is important, and urgent. My head has been swirling with ideas and found it hard to rest at night sometimes. But I know this is just for a season, and this is the path I’m supposed to be going down.

  I’ve been taking time for reflection and meditation, along with my intentional movements daily. Some days I knocked it out in the morning, and other days it got squeaked in right before bed. I’m just glad I am staying consistent! Have you been working on a goal / resolution in February?? How’s it going?   Every day is another chance for newness, so maybe those promises made to yourself on January 1st need a tweak…

  I like baby steps, because a little adds up to a lot. And keeping those goals reasonable to allow for building layers upon layers helps to keep the progress moving in the right direction. Being scared of something that feels huge, is daunting, and can easily scare you from even starting. But learn to break it down into actionable bits and start to check them off the list.

  I’m hopeful March will bring an early spring for us; my daffodils are almost ready to bloom! Enjoy a refresh in March for clarity and progress, and keep your momentum in line with your 2020 VISION!!!

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with Carla, and get updates with page posts, information and news.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

New Year, Do You!

 We made it through the first month of the new decade…yeah! Hopefully you have kept up your enthusiasm and still feel energized by the newness of the year! Now I’m not one who typically makes resolutions, but I do like to frame January 1 as a clean slate date. You can easily give yourself permission to start a new habit or two, or drop old ones that weren’t serving you. Taking meaningful moments to reflect in December gave me an appreciation for all that had happened. Also recognizing that there were some things left to the way side, and not wanting more of the same, I made plans for a fresh start to new habits. So with a renewed sense of clarity, and energy for my ambitions, ringing in the new year meant Let’s Do This! Maybe it’s the simpleness of how twenty-twenty just rolls off the tongue, that makes this year feel so awesome already. Getting started on this website, passing the National Pilates Certification Program exam, attending a two-day workshop, and starting a daily intentional movement practice, is what my first week of the year entailed! Breaking new ground has been so exciting, a little scary, but I crave learning and experimentation, so this is just one facet of my journey. I can feel deep down in my heart that this is the right path I’m on, I’m honored to get to share it with you! I have a heart to service and teaching is a natural extension of servitude. Building others up, guiding them to realize what their bodies can do, brings me joy! As I’m a life long learner, teaching is a natural progression, with the desire to share what you’re passionate about to others, who don’t know yet how awesome Pilates is. I started my first Pilates Instructor position in Jan. 2019! In just under a year I have felt, seen and heard the difference in my ability to teach! Improvement yes, but nowhere near where I’ll be in another year, or 5 or 25! So as I continue down this path, my desire is for you to stick with me, let’s see where this thing goes…

  February is almost here, already! Let’s focus on love, from above, and from within. Be a vessel that love from the Lord can shine through. Try to always leave a smile on the faces you interact with daily, and that will make your heart smile in return.

Blessings,

Carla