Welp, some big changes are happening: I’m thrilled to announce that I’m starting a new position as Marketing Associate at Bookshop.org!
I’ve been a huge fan of the company since it first launched in 2020. Bookshop.org is an online place to buy books with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. I am beyond excited to be joining a company that I love and that also champions local bookstores.
The last few months of job hunting have been a process.
For the last few years, I’ve been chasing my longtime dream of teaching yoga and fitness full-time. It was one of those dreams that I had to go for otherwise I’d always wonder what-if. I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to chase that dream for as long as I did — and before the pandemic, I was doing the damn thing! I had hit my major goal of making more money teaching than I did in my previous full-time marketing role.
Like many industries, the fitness industry was hit hard due to the pandemic. Studios were closed in NYC for over a year. When they did reopen, some studios changed their pay structure and added additional duties for instructors. This meant working more hours doing things like cleaning and prepping the studio before and after classes but for less overall pay-per-class. Other studios were unable to give raises that were originally promised.
To begin with, teaching fitness full-time is a delicate balance.
It’s finding the right amount of classes you can teach per week that you’re not totally burnt out but can also make enough money to live off of.
I knew from the start that teaching full-time was going to be a hustle and grind. There are no health benefits. No sick days. No paid vacations You’re potentially on your feet as early as 5:30 AM and until as late as 9:30 PM. I loved teaching so much that I didn’t care. I’d happily teach 5 classes in one day if it meant chasing this dream.
With the new pay structure at studios though, it became nearly impossible. Before the pandemic, I taught 16 classes a week. When I came back, I was teaching only about 10 classes a week to start but was more exhausted than ever. I didn’t want to see friends because I was so drained from teaching. During the times between classes, I’d be an exhausted potato on the couch but also knew I had to do other freelance work during that time to make up for the income loss.
It felt like I was fighting a losing battle. Even if I built up the stamina to teach 16 classes a week again, it wouldn’t be enough financially with the new pay structures at studios.
I knew something had to change. And so, I left one of the studios where I was teaching and started to apply for full-time marketing roles.
Looking for a new full-time role in many ways made me feel like I had failed.
Like I wasn’t good enough as a fitness instructor to make it work full time. This all might sound silly but for me, it’s been an emotional process. I felt like I was admitting defeat.
It took me a while to get over the emotional hump and realize:
No, Kayla, You ARE NOT a failure.
Or bad at teaching.
Again, it might sound silly to even type, but I had to keep reminding myself that I didn’t cause the pandemic that shifted the industry I worked in. I wasn’t being punished for messing up. This was all out of my control. I also know in the grand scheme of things, no longer being able to teach fitness full-time is a very small problem to have. But for me, it still felt like I was grieving the loss of the life I lived before March 2020. And that was painful.
I don’t share all of this to complain
… but to just say that job hunting can be emotional sometimes.
Before I went to grad school and then pursued fitness full-time, I worked in marketing at a few start-ups. Job hunting brought up a lot of old icky feelings I had from my previous jobs. I was reminded of the mean things bosses said to me over the years. There was an avalanche of anxiety and fear that I’m not good enough and do I know what I’m talking about!? I also felt self-conscious about the awkward gap in my marketing resume.
On top of that, I also had to come to terms with my reality: Dreams can change: And that’s okay.
And so, a new “chapter” begins.
As emotional as it’s been to close the book on my life as a full-time fitness instructor, I’m also feeling extremely excited and ready to start this new “chapter” in my life. There’s always something scary about change and leaping into the unknown, but starting this new job also feels oh so right. I mean, a job where I get to talk about social media trends and books all day? A dream come true for this gal.
Here’s to new beginnings 💗📚
