I Almost Quit Coaching

I almost quit coaching… I know, it’s a click-baity statement, but it’s true. 

At the end of 2022 I left a job that I’d been in for 8 years, coaching online. I had thought I’d be with this company forever, and I believed in what they did. Let’s just say it was a bit of a shock when I realised it was no longer the right fit for me, and I needed to start forging my own path.

So I stepped away with a goal to focus on building something of my own. I didn’t know exactly what that would look like. But one thing I was sure of at the time was that I was done with full time coaching. 

I started my journey into performing. I absolutely loved it at first, I loved dressing up in beautiful costumes, and being on stage and making an audience smile. But after a while I began to realise that this work in my early thirties was actually pretty physically demanding and tough. 3 shows a day, plus building and taking down a tent was a lot. And while I could do the job really well, and I got to work with awesome people, I did not feel that there was a lot of sustainability in this long term.  

I also tried other creative endeavours like making costumes, and painting. I think I will always need to be doing something creative, but this also stopped being fun when it became work. I love the fact that I have creative skills, and I know I can fall back on them in the future if need be, but I still wasn’t convinced in trying to make this my full time job.

What I thought I needed was a complete career change. I wanted to forget about coaching, because I didn’t believe it was something I could do on my own terms. 

Exactly a year after quitting my job and living the very unpredictable freelance life, I realised I needed something that could give me monthly income to support my creative endeavours. So with a very casual level of commitment I started by taking on some in person clients and working at a local-ish gym. It was a PT only gym which meant I paid some rent to use the space and then I could run my business how I wanted. 

This was the first step in realising that maybe I could coach on my terms. It felt so freeing to have my own clients with the freedom to choose when I worked, what I coached, and choose my prices. 

Because I had so much experience from working and coaching online I decided to start some online classes at the start of 2024. Again, this felt like relatively low risk and low commitment. I wouldn’t lose anything if no one signed up. At first I tried to appeal to a more general audience. The irony was that my compression strength classes attracted the very people I wanted to help but was too afraid to try and target - aerialists. 

And things spiralled from there in the best possible way. When I finally started trying to help the people that I truly felt called to help, things started to click into place. I realised how much I truly love coaching, and that the 13.5+ years experience means I can trust myself to support the people I want to help. I just have to believe in what it is I’m offering.

I remember a few years ago one of my aerial friends said to me, why don’t you make programs to help aerialists get stronger? Strength had never been the thing I struggled with in aerial, and I had been helping her with her own strength for a few specific goals. But I said to her, there are already coaches doing that, and who would listen to me anyway?

The reality? I was scared. I genuinely didn’t think people would listen to me, and I was too scared to try and put myself out there. What if I got laughed at? What if I got rejected? What if worst of all, no one even noticed? 

It’s taken a lot of work to get to the point where I feel like I truly believe I can help aerialists get stronger safely and sustainably. It’s taken even more work to believe in myself enough to put that out into the world. I’m not the best aerialist, and having started as an adult I never will be. But I am a really good coach.

So to finally be coaching the people who I want to help is the best feeling in the world. I am so grateful for the clients I now have. I’m also so grateful for every aerialist who worked with me last year as I started to tentatively put myself out there.

For everyone who liked an instagram post.

For everyone who joined a class series.

For everyone who read an email or a blog post.

I’m glad I went through the process of stepping away from coaching, because it meant that when I came back to it it was because I truly wanted to do it. Helping someone to realise that they can be stronger and more physically capable than they evert thought is the absolute best feeling. I’m glad I kept going, kept testing, and kept listening to the part of me that said there is value in sharing what I know with aerialists.

And I will continue to keep sharing that message, and make it my mission to create sustainability and accessibility in strength and conditioning for aerial. 💖

If you’re an aerialist and you think you’d like to work with me, you can check out details for my 1:1 online coaching program and book a time to chat.