It’s been quite a while since I’ve written a piece for my blog. As much as I like writing, I like procrastinating more. Ironically my last blog was December 31st, 2022; ‘The secret’s to a successful new year’s resolution’. My new year’s resolution that year was to write a blog every two weeks. That went well.
But the time has come and rather than being about useful tips, it’s just an update and a story about change.
Where to start? In January of last year, I turned 49 and ‘Grá For Fitness’ turned seven. They say life happens in 7 years cycles. Who’s ‘they’ I hear you ask? Ah y’know – numerologists, astrologists and my friend Pauline. I’ve literally only realised 49 is 7 x 7. Wow. Clearly it was time for another change, a big one. Now, I don’t think of myself as one of those people who embrace change. No, I’m not a fan. I love my routine, I like knowing where everything is, familiarity is my friend. My comfort zone is my happy place.
As much as I loved and felt blessed to be living in la la land for 12 years aka a roomy rental in Sandymount, the time had come to try and buy my own gaff. There had been previous attempts but staring down the barrel of 50 really focusses the mind. It soon became apparent that Dublin wasn’t going to be an affordable option, so it was time to look to elsewhere. Home. Waterford. The sunny south east.
There were a few false starts. I bid on and lost out on what I thought was my dream home. And while at the time that sage old line ‘what’s for you, won’t pass you by’ made my eyes do circuits of their sockets, it was true. I found a little light-filled gem. It had a small garden for Pablo the doggy and space for me to teach my online classes. It was spitting distance from Tramore town centre, with not just a view of the sea, but the sound of it too. All this and just twenty minutes from my folks. As they would say themselves, ‘close, but not too close’.
Now if I can just point out here – when the auctioneer’s call came telling me ‘your offer has been accepted’, it did not send me on a wild victory dance. Nope. There was a strangled ‘that’s great, thank you’. Part of me was relieved, delighted, grateful etc. but the part that doesn’t like change was sweating - I was going to be leaving the place I’d lived since 1997, uprooting my fairly well established little fitness business and pretty much starting again.
After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing moving date was set for the end of October. It was time to start setting up classes. An old friend of mine from Tramore pointed me in the direction of a wonderful new yoga studio in the area, as luck would have it they had been on the look out for a Pilates teacher. I booked my first classes for the beginning of November. With tremendous help from family and friends along the way, the move happened and the classes began with evening classes fully booked.
This afternoon, 5 months on, I spent pinning up posters for my fourth round of six week courses at Trá Beo. People have been so kind, welcoming and supportive and teaching classes has been a lovely way to meet people in the community. I am still working as a Pilates teacher trainer with the National Training Centre, which brings me to Dublin fairly regularly and has been nice to maintain that connection. From July however, NTC will be running a Pilates teacher training course in Waterford. Pilates teacher training is coming to the south east!
I do miss my corporates (buckle up corporate Waterford, you’re next on my hitlist) but I am really appreciating my old gang – when I say old I mean ‘fit and fabulous’ who have stayed with me online. There’s a wellness retreat in Spain coming up next month and plans for some sunny south east day / weekend retreats in the near future along with a more fleshed out online offering, yes I have been talking about that one for a very long time, but I’m finally getting there.
What are the great things about living in Tramore? The sea, being close to family, re-establishing connections with old friends, how quickly I can get from A to B, the many buzzy businesses and the feeling of community with a multitude of activities going on. And of course the people. Am I glad I made the move? Absolutely.
I’m looking forward to summer in a seaside town with long days of sunshine, who knows, I may even take up sea swimming.
