Ok, let’s talk vibe of The Balance Culture studio. Setting the tone for an environment is not easy and actually takes a lot of energy. If you don’t control it, it will control you. The studio is women only and as great and wonderful as that is, we all get that little twinge that makes us think catty, cliquey, gossipy and can make us automatically feel like an outsider before anything even exists! Trust me, I have been there and I hate that this is how we feel about being around each other in new social situations…
It actually pains me to the point where I feel like I am spear heading all this Balance Culture stuff just to prove that this isn’t the way it has to be! I LOVE women and the ability we have to empower one another when we put our crippling insecurities to the side. Just imagine what would happen if we all came together versus competing and talking trash about each other, which inevitably only feeds our insecurities anyway. Let’s face it, we all have insecurities and I think if we were just a little bit more honest with one other, we could break down the walls and remove the masks with just a little vulnerability. In the last few months, I can say my life is a living testament to this and it has been an unbelievable experience.
Sharing about my struggles with an eating disorder, anxiety and the million other things I have going on on the blog for all to see was/is not easy. I literally remember holding my breath as I hit “publish” with the blog. “What will they think?”, “Will people see me differently?”, “Will I lose influence?”, “Will people judge me?”, “Will people use it against me?”. These were legitimate fears of course, but not enough to hold me back from sharing all of the cool things God has done in my life despite all my weaknesses. Where I am weak, He is strong- right? See in that moment it really wasn’t about me at all. It was about me giving God the reigns of my life and the work He has done to break down walls and allow me to make deep authentic relationships with complete strangers just after a few minutes of knowing them because they already felt like they REALLY knew me. When I launched the website and blog, along came a lot of emails and messages about people wanting to get together to share their own personal journeys. We always think we are the only ones that don’t have it all together, are alone in our particular journey and everyone else has life figured out. This is SO not the case and the biggest lie that continues to make us apply the masks of “fake” and “façade” instead of just being real and connecting with people where we are at. The “mask” life is such a lonely road…
So, with joining The Balance Culture, all of us girls are signing up to live life out in the open in a place that is pretty uncomfortable, but so rewarding. I would never go back to living my private somewhat secluded life that I only opened to a select few because on this side I feel alive and fully myself! The whole Balance Culture team has adopted this mindset and have fully owned it for themselves.
I told the team at our first meeting back in May and have pretty much had this on repeat ever since, “We are not getting together to braid each others hair and talk about kale. We are here to build authentic relationships, to empower women and to help them to become the best version of themselves”. Even in some small Pop-Up Pilates classes they have already owned this mindset and it’s really cool to see the response we have gotten!
My only hesitation about having a studio was closing in on what we had to offer behind four walls. I want to be out in the community engaging people and impacting beyond the studio space and I have determined that this is just a choice we have to make It has nothing to do with the studio space. So, impacting the community is what we will do regardless.
People have asked about level of experience and who is the precise group of people we are marketing to. Honestly, it might sound broad, but we want to help all! I want to create an atmosphere for Jane (who is a marathon runner) to feel challenged and like she is getting the workout of her life. Then there is Sally who has never worked out a day in her life, but can come and feel comfortable, feel challenged, but not defeated! I really think we are capable of catering to both groups of women and everything in between!
I know I have been blogging a lot about the studio. It is just my life lately like literally my 24/7. I can’t get away from it, but I’m so obsessed it doesn’t even matter! Also it seems to be the thing I am getting the most questions about, so here ya go! Please reach out, if you have more questions!
Photo Cred: Dan Austin http://www.danjonphoto.com
