So this is what it feels like.

So this is what it feels like.
…to be living out my dream. Finally.

Those were the thoughts that crossed my mind on Friday night about an hour after my debut class at barre n9ne. It took a little while to settle in that I just did the one thing I’ve always, always wanted to do: step out from behind the class, becoming the leader, not the follower. And, in a style of fitness that I adore and firmly believe in, more than anything else I’ve ever done in my life.

Once the reality of what I’d just done settled in — talk about the craziest high ever.
…like runner’s high, but better. *Way* better.

And now that I’m sitting here trying to collect my thoughts to write this post? I’m actually having a hard time putting my thoughts together. I could give you a play-by-play of how my first class went but when I tell you that hour FLEW by in the blink of an eye – it legit flew. I can’t even tell you all the details, I just know that I did my best.

As fab friend Alicia from Poise in Parma told me just the other day – I took her advice and went for excellence, not perfection. Which is a huge mindset shift for me, being the perfectionist that I am. Of course, I could sit here and nitpick every little thing I wanted to or could’ve done better but you know what? I went for excellence and I think I came pretty close to it for my first time out. My timing was where it needed to be, everyone was sweating and shaking through the barre work and damn did it feel good to walk through the final steps of the cool-down and think “wow, I just taught my first class.”

And, as you read this post now, I’ll be wrapping up my second class at the studio (6am here we go!) which I am hoping will be even better than the first. No jitters at the start, just adreneline and pure joy.

Because this is how it feels.
…to be living out my dream.

As not just a barre n9ne teacher-in-training but a barre n9ne-certified instructor. With a real certification and her name firmly planted on the barre n9ne schedule. <—whee!

So yeah, this? This feels incredible. I am joyful. I am grateful. I am living out my dream. I am paying it forward. I love this.