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HOW MY MINDSET HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT EXERCISE
We’ve been diving into the power of mindset, covering everything from its incredible impact on our physical well-being to tips on how to adopt a positive mindset.
Today, we’re bringing the mindset conversation close to home and chatting with our very own Sara Catherine Holder, barre3’s Director of Instructor Training. Whether she’s rolling out training for our 1,000+ instructors across the U.S. and Canada, teaching a burner of a class at barre3 Nashville, or spending time with her friends and family, Sara Catherine always manages to be entirely present. Read on for her tips on how to commit to the moment, even when your to-do list is a mile long.
B3 MAGAZINE: We’ve always marveled over your ability to exist in the present moment, no matter what you’re doing. Is that something you’ve practiced, or is it just who you inherently are?
SARA CATHERINE: I think it might be a little (or a LOT) from column A and a little from column B. Inherently, I’m pretty free-spirited and go-with-the- flow, but it is DEFINITELY something I have worked to cultivate in my life.
B3 MAGAZINE: Can you walk us through why and how you’ve cultivated presence?
SARA CATHERINE: I think my training as an actor helped before I was even aware of mindfulness practices. An actor’s job is to be present and react honestly in the moment to create a character that is relatable and authentic. As I’ve grown older and more aware, I’ve seen the benefits of staying present in my everyday life. It helps me make more grounded decisions, and it keeps me calm in stressful moments (or days, or weeks!). But it is something I have to be conscious of every day.
Practicing barre3 and yoga have helped—I’m a fledgling as far as a meditation practice is concerned, but when I am thoughtful about my breath and taking moments of stillness, I notice big shifts in my mindset. Even a couple of minutes of mindful breath helps me recenter.
I’ve also noticed that coming at life with the intention to seek out opportunities for growth has helped me. I try to keep my expectations (on plans, outcomes, and what other people do) quite low. It sets me up for more success. When I’m in the mindset that every situation—even one that may seem like a failure—is actually an opportunity to grow and learn, and that the world isn’t going to stop turning if something doesn’t go as planned, then every moment carries a lot of value. It is also way more fun when I’m not sweating the small stuff. It allows me to take each moment as it comes.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re pregnant with your first child (congratulations!), and we’re pretty sure we’ve never seen a more gorgeously glowing mama-to-be. Has pregnancy affected your mindset at all?
SARA CATHERINE: Well, thank you! I feel grateful to be a part of this great cosmic dance of creating a life! It’s major and can be MAJORLY overwhelming. Over the past seven months, I have felt more worry and anxiety than I have in years, but at the same time I feel more rooted and in-tune with the world around me and with my body. I have been working hard to detach myself from outcomes. While I know that my experience during this time is unique, I also keep in mind that my situation is not at all unique. Literally billions of women have done this before me, and there is a lot of comfort in that when I start to feel overwhelmed.
I know that no matter what happens, everything will be fine. My body is made to do this; I’m instinctually equipped to do this. AND I have an amazing community of mamas and dads to lean on when our babe makes its appearance. There have been lots of deep breathing, barre3, yoga, and long walks to help keep me grounded. I’m also actively focusing on the joy instead of the fear, and it has been an amazing experience so far!
B3 MAGAZINE: Last week we talked about a study that shows how having a positive mindset around movement can actually increase the benefits we get from that movement. Do you have any tips on how to adopt a positive mindset going into a barre3 class?
SARA CATHERINE: I LOVE this concept! For so many of us, working out and moving has been looked at as a chore. It’s been something we dread and something that we HAVE to do in order to check a box and attain whatever ideal is in our heads. In that process, you start to loathe the movement. That makes it hard to prioritize and budget time for it.
Barre3 has helped me shift my mindset around this. First of all, the environment that the studio teams create allows me to feel calm and welcome. They meet me wherever I am that day. This allows me to take the class as it comes. When things get real in those moments of serious challenge and burn, I’m reminded (most of the time by my kickass Instructor) to breathe, ask myself what I need, and actually listen to what my body is saying. Some moments are there for push and some moments are there to acknowledge the need to NOT push and answer my body’s call.
When I make the choice that serves my body, I go to an internal message that reaffirms that choice. I’ll think things like, “I’m doing what’s best for me,” “I’m brave enough to stand up to my inner critic in this moment,” “Any choice I make that serves me is right”. By flooding my mind with positive and reaffirming messages while I’m moving and making smart choices for my body, I get used to that feeling of accomplishment and empowerment. And then my both my body and my mind start to crave that space, and it makes me want to get back into the studio as soon as I can!
Thank you, Sara Catherine! Ready to feel the magic of her words yourself? Find your local studio or get started with a 15-day free trial of barre3 online.
We’ve been diving into the power of mindset, covering everything from its incredible impact on our physical well-being to tips on how to adopt a positive mindset.
Today, we’re bringing the mindset conversation close to home and chatting with our very own Sara Catherine Holder, barre3’s Director of Instructor Training. Whether she’s rolling out training for our 1,000+ instructors across the U.S. and Canada, teaching a burner of a class at barre3 Nashville, or spending time with her friends and family, Sara Catherine always manages to be entirely present. Read on for her tips on how to commit to the moment, even when your to-do list is a mile long.
B3 MAGAZINE: We’ve always marveled over your ability to exist in the present moment, no matter what you’re doing. Is that something you’ve practiced, or is it just who you inherently are?
SARA CATHERINE: I think it might be a little (or a LOT) from column A and a little from column B. Inherently, I’m pretty free-spirited and go-with-the- flow, but it is DEFINITELY something I have worked to cultivate in my life.
B3 MAGAZINE: Can you walk us through why and how you’ve cultivated presence?
SARA CATHERINE: I think my training as an actor helped before I was even aware of mindfulness practices. An actor’s job is to be present and react honestly in the moment to create a character that is relatable and authentic. As I’ve grown older and more aware, I’ve seen the benefits of staying present in my everyday life. It helps me make more grounded decisions, and it keeps me calm in stressful moments (or days, or weeks!). But it is something I have to be conscious of every day.
Practicing barre3 and yoga have helped—I’m a fledgling as far as a meditation practice is concerned, but when I am thoughtful about my breath and taking moments of stillness, I notice big shifts in my mindset. Even a couple of minutes of mindful breath helps me recenter.
I’ve also noticed that coming at life with the intention to seek out opportunities for growth has helped me. I try to keep my expectations (on plans, outcomes, and what other people do) quite low. It sets me up for more success. When I’m in the mindset that every situation—even one that may seem like a failure—is actually an opportunity to grow and learn, and that the world isn’t going to stop turning if something doesn’t go as planned, then every moment carries a lot of value. It is also way more fun when I’m not sweating the small stuff. It allows me to take each moment as it comes.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re pregnant with your first child (congratulations!), and we’re pretty sure we’ve never seen a more gorgeously glowing mama-to-be. Has pregnancy affected your mindset at all?
SARA CATHERINE: Well, thank you! I feel grateful to be a part of this great cosmic dance of creating a life! It’s major and can be MAJORLY overwhelming. Over the past seven months, I have felt more worry and anxiety than I have in years, but at the same time I feel more rooted and in-tune with the world around me and with my body. I have been working hard to detach myself from outcomes. While I know that my experience during this time is unique, I also keep in mind that my situation is not at all unique. Literally billions of women have done this before me, and there is a lot of comfort in that when I start to feel overwhelmed.
I know that no matter what happens, everything will be fine. My body is made to do this; I’m instinctually equipped to do this. AND I have an amazing community of mamas and dads to lean on when our babe makes its appearance. There have been lots of deep breathing, barre3, yoga, and long walks to help keep me grounded. I’m also actively focusing on the joy instead of the fear, and it has been an amazing experience so far!
B3 MAGAZINE: Last week we talked about a study that shows how having a positive mindset around movement can actually increase the benefits we get from that movement. Do you have any tips on how to adopt a positive mindset going into a barre3 class?
SARA CATHERINE: I LOVE this concept! For so many of us, working out and moving has been looked at as a chore. It’s been something we dread and something that we HAVE to do in order to check a box and attain whatever ideal is in our heads. In that process, you start to loathe the movement. That makes it hard to prioritize and budget time for it.
Barre3 has helped me shift my mindset around this. First of all, the environment that the studio teams create allows me to feel calm and welcome. They meet me wherever I am that day. This allows me to take the class as it comes. When things get real in those moments of serious challenge and burn, I’m reminded (most of the time by my kickass Instructor) to breathe, ask myself what I need, and actually listen to what my body is saying. Some moments are there for push and some moments are there to acknowledge the need to NOT push and answer my body’s call.
When I make the choice that serves my body, I go to an internal message that reaffirms that choice. I’ll think things like, “I’m doing what’s best for me,” “I’m brave enough to stand up to my inner critic in this moment,” “Any choice I make that serves me is right”. By flooding my mind with positive and reaffirming messages while I’m moving and making smart choices for my body, I get used to that feeling of accomplishment and empowerment. And then my both my body and my mind start to crave that space, and it makes me want to get back into the studio as soon as I can!
Thank you, Sara Catherine! Ready to feel the magic of her words yourself? Find your local studio or get started with a 15-day free trial of barre3 online.
