How do you know if you’re living the dream?
Time Travel.
I’m not crazy. I have an incredible story I want to share with you.
Just a few days ago I received a letter. To me, from me—my 14-year-old self! I have no memory of writing it and I have no idea how or why it found me in July of. 2024. In the letter, my younger self shared who she was and what she hoped for me.
As I read the words in a familiar handwriting, mine - but not the mine of today, a wave of emotions and questions flooded over me. Was I living the life my younger self dreamed of? Had I achieved those dreams? Would my younger self be proud? Or disappointed? I wish she had written so much more. Did I even really want those dreams? And what do I do next?
The answer was surprising and enlightening.
Reflecting on Dreams:
I grew up dancing. I loved it, and I was pretty good at it. But what I really wanted to be was an actor. So at 21, I moved to New York City to pursue the dream my younger self envisioned. While my tenure there was fruitful, and performing on stage and screen filled me with a sense of pride and purpose, there were aspects of show biz I didn’t enjoy, like auditioning every single day. Sometimes as many as 4 times a day and hearing mostly “No’s.” The lifestyle and routine didn’t fulfill me in the way I had imagined.
Instead, I found my passion in the world of fitness. I didn’t enter the fitness industry as a professional because I was in love with fitness. I actually decided to pursue a career in this industry because of how much I DIDN’T like fitness.
Shocking, right?
My first experiences with fitness were boring, overcrowded group X classes with shouty instructors, stinky gyms with intimidating machines, protein bars, energy drinks, diet pills, calorie restriction, extreme before-and-after photos, and a whole lot of comparison and shame.
YUCK.
Until I took a class that literally changed my life. I was completely transported and transfixed. I wanted to see more rooms full of magic. Movement, music, and motivation were woven together to create a shared experience with a diverse group of people and instructors who led with compassion, acceptance, and joy.
As a former actor, dancer, choreographer, and producer, I knew I had what it took to make classes less about fitness and more about having fun. So I got serious about getting the right certifications, totally nerded out over the science, mastered the fundamentals, and then went back to my roots: music, movement, story, and connection.
Here, I’ve been able to use my BFA and theatrical skills every day, which has led to my success in ways my younger self couldn't have imagined. 15 years later, I’m still not totally in love with fitness. I’m in love with what fitness can do for people. I’m in love with the community, the energy, the vibes, and the hope it inspires when done with intention, creativity, and care.
I’m actually a lot more like 80% of your clients. And I believe that’s what gives me an edge. And it’s why I do the things I do for YOU, the fitness professionals. It’s why The Conservatory was born. To help you help the girl who’s a lot like me.
Because there are A LOT of them.
And while I may not be an interior designer in the traditional sense (I actually worked for a very famous one in New York, and let’s just say I somehow found myself in the real-life version of Devil Wears Prada. I was Anne Hathaway, and it was NOT fun - I digress) but I happen to call myself your Experience Design Coach! I’m not going to help you pick out furniture, fixtures, and paint colors, but I do help fitness business owners and professionals design experiences for their dream clients and have coached 1000 instructors on how to harness the Power of Persona to become radiantly magnetic from the inside out … wait …
I AM an Interior designer!!
I’m an INterior designer. Get it?!!
Oh, and yes, I’m married to a wonderful man and have a fantastic kid. Some dreams have a way of coming true exactly as imagined!
So…. I am living the dream, and I bet you are, too. Let me tell you why…
Lessons Learned:
This experience taught me two invaluable lessons:
We often get stuck on the labels and titles of what we want to become, without considering the skills and daily tasks those roles require. We might overlook whether we would genuinely enjoy and excel in those routines.
My initial sadness over not becoming an actor turned into joy and gratitude. I realized I hadn't given up on my dream; I had reshaped it to fit who I am today. I use the same skills required for the role I once dreamed of in a field that allows me to connect with and inspire others. My audience isn't just watching a performance—they’re participating in the journey of music and movement that I create for them.
2. Manifestation is real!! You become who you think you are and what you believe you are capable of. It may not manifest exactly as you pictured it, but if you have the vision, it will appear. The higher your self-worth and the stronger the belief, the clearer the vision, the bigger the dream. I love that, as fitness professionals, we have the ability to help our clients strengthen their self-worth and belief in themselves so they can expand their vision of what’s possible and chase big dreams.
I say this all the time: WHAT YOU DO IS SO SO SO IMPORTANT. Not very many people enter the fitness industry, thinking that this is their dream role. But I guarantee you’ve acquired skills, talents, and a unique point of view that brought you here.
A very big part of what Barry and I do is help you tap into your purpose so you can make the impact you desire.
A little help, Off the Mic
I invite you to reflect on your own dreams. Here are two ways to do so:
Look Beyond the Labels: Take some time to think about the "why" behind the role or career of your dreams. What skills and talents do they require? What tasks and responsibilities do they involve? Consider whether these align with what you truly enjoy and are good at. I guarantee a ton of your skills and talents from a former version of yourself are at play in the job you have now, there are probably even more you can bring to the table. And if you have aspirations to become something other than you are now, what skills and talents do you use that might be transferrable to this new role?
Write a Letter to Your Future Self: Sit down and write a letter to your future self, just as I did at 14. What are your hopes and dreams? Where do you want to be in 10 or 20 years? This exercise can help you clarify your aspirations and guide you toward a future that aligns with your true self.
I really felt as if I had closed a loop and achieved what I believed was possible for me. Now it’s time for a NEW dream! A bigger, bolder dream. I wrote myself an email and scheduled it to hit my own inbox exactly one year from today. I’m a time-traveler now. I can’t wait to see what the next decade unfolds.
Rooting for you!
Shay
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
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