Why I founded Ikigai Pilates

When people suffer extreme trauma, they become fixated on all the different methods to self soothe and ultimately nullify the pain. This is where my journey towards “spiritual enlightenment” began, just over two years ago after my dear mum passed away. I’d always been an avid yoga/Pilates person (having practiced it in my personal life for well over 10 years), but I hadn’t even considered it as a plausible career move, until now.

Nowadays my daily routine consists of morning breathwork, followed by stretching and either yoga or Pilates, a routine which I scarcely had time for prior to embarking on this journey and figured it was only accessible to the Gweneth Paltrow ‘Goop’ type.

My “Pilates Plan” was born in the aftermath of a trip to Canada when I was both sleep deprived & severely dehydrated (all the symptoms of a transatlantic self inflicted post-holiday hangover), although not a conventional state to be making huge life decisions in, I’d actually never felt clearer on my future plans. I’d had an “epiphany”. Wide-eyed and slightly manic after searching through courses in the small hours I nudged my poor partner awake to tell him the good news. I’d found my “career Ikigai”. Taking the leap to do this was of course an insanely daunting prospect at first, but it’s honestly the best decision I’ve ever made. You really can’t put a price on your own freedom.

“Every great move forward in your life begins with a leap of faith, a step into the unknown.” - Brian Tracy