Spilling the Pilateas ☕️ – Edition 28 Why the Process Matters More Than the Promise

This week, I want to talk about a wonderful response from a reader. She thoughtfully asked, “What do you find is the biggest obstacle that prevents people from trusting the process?”

What I see most isn’t necessarily impatience. It’s preconceived notions and ideals that prevent people from truly engaging in the practice and understanding the method.

There’s so much noise on social media about all the things Pilates promises to do for you—that if you just do Pilates, it’ll fix a myriad of ills. So before anyone even steps foot in my studio or meets me on Zoom, they already have ideas and images in their heads, creating unrealistic expectations before I even see them move.

Now I’m not just teaching the method. I’m often working against those preconceived ideas, and they can block the process. Sometimes the movement isn’t perfect, but stopping to overanalyze or compare yourself takes away from the work. Likewise, believing you’ve checked your Pilates practice off your to-do list simply by showing up and going through the motions once or twice a week is rarely enough to meet those expectations.

If I could ask one thing of my clients, it would be to stay open and present in the practice. This method requires a mind-body connection, and learning to let go of preconceived notions and quiet some of those internal voices is one of the strongest ways to grow your practice and allow the method to grow within your body.

This week’s challenge: Try to identify those thoughts, then give yourself permission to let them go. Simply move the way the method asks you to move. Stay present and move from one moment to the next.

I’d love to hear what thoughts you gave yourself permission to let go of.

I hope you move and groove without judgment, let the process unfold, and enjoy the journey in your own body.