Be It Till You See It

• 521. Why We Fell in Love With Hosting Retreats in Cambodia

  In this solo episode, Brad Crowell shares his deep-rooted passion for Cambodia, how he and Lesley Logan built a retreat space in Siem Reap, and why they keep returning year after year. From the breathtaking temples of Angkor Wat to their partnership with a local NGO empowering young Cambodians, Brad reflects on creating a place for healing, learning, and connection. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected] as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why Cambodia’s history and magic make it a powerful place to host retreats.How Brad turned a childhood spark into a purpose-driven retreat experience.How Lesley and Brad built a retreat center that reflects their mission and values.How supporting local students through Spoons became part of their mission.What makes the guest experience at their Cambodia retreat truly one of a kind.Episode References/Links:Cambodia October Retreat 2025 - https://crowsnestretreats.comSpoons Cambodia - https://www.spoonscambodia.orgAngkor Wat (UNESCO) – https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  Angkor Thom is really cool because this is a UNESCO heritage site now, and normally, if it's a UNESCO heritage site, they are required to, slowly, over time, rebuild the whatever the structure is to be as if it was the original structure, right? Angkor Thom is one of the few carveouts in the UNESCO portfolio, or, as it were, that they don't have to do that because the trees are 400 years old, 500 years old. They've grown on top of the temple there. And basically, if they were to take the trees off, the temple would fall apart.Lesley Logan 0:32  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Brad Crowell 1:11  All right. Welcome back Be It babes. This is Brad here. Solo episode today. Hope you like the sound of my voice, because I'm just going to be rambling a little bit about my favorite topic in the entire world, going to Cambodia to spend time with the people there and enjoy some food there and go see the majestic, wonderful temples of Angkor Wat. It is obviously something I'm incredibly passionate about. You've heard me talk about it many, many times in this pod, if you're a listener. If you are brand new, welcome, welcome. We love having you joining us here on the Be It Pod. Cambodia, everybody always asks, hey, why Cambodia? Why? Right? Well, that's definitely my fault. The reality is, my mom bought at a yard sale. She bought, like, 10 years of National Geographic magazines for, I don't know, well, I don't know, I have no idea, I was like 10 years old, or 12 years old or something. Anyway, I opened up the very first one I remember, because I'm sure I looked at a lot, but the one I remember more than any other was opening up this, like, entire spread of Angkor Wat, right? And I didn't even know how to pronounce it at the time. I was a really young kid. But what I can tell you is I was way into dinosaurs, The Jungle Book and Transformers as a child, and when I saw this 10-page spread, or the spread of Angkor Wat in Nat Geo, this was like the Jungle Book in real life to me, and I was so excited about this, the curiosity that it inspired in me literally stayed with me until Lesley asked me, like, I don't know, 20 plus years later, hey, where do we want to go for our honeymoon? And my response instantly was, we're going to Cambodia.Brad Crowell 3:05  You know, and she's like, um, really, we're going to Cambodia. Why would we do that? Can we also go to Thailand? Can we also go to Japan? And I was like, of course, let's do those other things, too. But we have to go to Cambodia. I have to see Angkor Wat. I have to see the temples and the jungle temples. And you know, since then, I've been inspired a number of other times. I'm sure you're all aware that Angelina Jolie's version of Tomb Raider was actually filmed at the temples. It was filmed at Ta Prohm temple. That's, like, a really cool temple. It's actually really close to Angkor Wat. It's like, I don't know, 10 minutes away or 15 minutes away from Angkor, and so we have had a chance to go see that one. We saw the Angkor. We saw a temple called Bayon Temple, which actually they considered the, you know, at the time, because what's so cool about the history of Cambodia was a massive empire, is called the Khmer empire, K-H-M-E-R, Khmer Empire, and it covered all of Vietnam up into Lao, Laos, you know, Lao over into Thailand. It's very influenced by India, very influenced by the Thai, and then obviously, what was considered Cambodia today. So it was this massive, massive place. And Angkor was in the middle, and there's a city there, and the city is like fortified, there's a moat around the whole thing. It's this huge city, and in the very center of that city is Bayon Temple. And so they actually consider Bayon temple the center of the universe. They consider the center tower all the way up at the top to be like this pinnacle place that had a spiritual meaning. And the amount of wonder that Angkor inspires in me keeps me going back. Brad Crowell 4:42  When Lesley and I first went in 2016, we realized when we got home we loved Thailand, we loved Japan, but there was something magical about Cambodia that made us go, how do we go back? How do we go back? And that was the beginning of trying to figure that out. We try to figure out, how do we go? What do we need to do to get back there? Initially, we were like, hey, let's ask all of our friends and they'll come with us. This is gonna be super cool. And they were like, yeah, we're interested. But it never came to fruition, right? It was like, oh, yeah, maybe, we're not sure. Couldn't get anybody to actually commit. Lesley went back to her clients and said, is this ever been on anybody's bucket list going to Angkor? We are thinking about hosting a retreat there. And literally, like a dozen of her clients were like, yes, we're in, absolutely, let's do it. And we figured out a window of time that would work for everyone, and we gave ourselves roughly a year to put it all together, because we didn't know anybody. We had one contact there, and that was our tour guide. And so he was super generous. He was just a really helpful connector. And he helped guide us through figuring out, like, who should we talk to for hosting the retreat? And, you know, just all the things, any kind of question. And it was just lovely to have him. So a big shout out to Stephane De Greef and a big thank you to him. Eventually, when he decided to leave Cambodia and move over to Panama and then wherever he's at now, he contacted me and said, hey, man, I'm leaving, but let me introduce you to everybody that I know. And he did. He opened his Rolodex and just introduced us to all these different people there. And it was incredible. Brad Crowell 6:16  So we had the chance to go back in 2017 for our very first trip with Lesley's clients, and we rented a yoga shala. And the shala was really, really awesome. The people were really lovely. And so we decided to rent it again, and we run another group, and we rented a third time, and the third time, the experience just didn't work. It wasn't what we wanted. And it was actually frustrating, because when Lesley and I turned to ourselves and we were like, hey, maybe we should go get a hotel from our own retreat, we were like, yeah, we can't do this anymore. We got to find a better solution. And that's when we decided to go get our own place, right? And so now we'd been there four times at this point, and we just had a bunch of people that we knew. We reached out to them and said, hey, we're looking for a spot. How do we do this? And they helped connect the dots and help us get going. And basically it turned into this hunt for the right spot, the right place for us to take over and turn into ours. And in 2018 that happened, and it was so exciting. I remember flying back, it was really quick too, like, we got this message from our real estate person. They were like, hey, I think I actually found the right spot. And they gave us all these reasons why, and they really understood our mission and our vision. They really understood what we were trying to do. And they said, we actually like the people that you would be working with to do this, because we're not Cambodian. We can't actually own the land. We're not allowed. We're not a citizen, so we have to have a relationship with people who do own the land there, and they're literally our land lord, and we pay them as if it's like a lease, but we own all the things on it. We own a business there. We have a team there, all that stuff. And so he said, I actually think these people are going to be amazing, and they encourage people coming to visit Cambodia, and they care about it, and they're passionate about it, and so they're right. It was amazing. We met them. They were incredibly gracious and lovely, and we've had, at this point, many, many, many years of building a relationship with them. They're just awesome people, and we absolutely lucked out in that regard. And what we did is we took over this property that has a 12 bedroom apartment complex on it, and allowed us to begin to have our own place to bring you know, people from all around the world to come visit and have a safe, secure, clean, fun place. It's also quiet. We're right off the beaten path. We're like 10 minutes walk from the chaos of Pub Street and wow, like all the loud, but we're far enough away that you don't hear it. We're close enough to walk, but far enough away that it doesn't actually impact you. So it's so awesome. From the place we're like, maybe, oh, I don't know, 15 minutes drive to the Temple of Angkor Wat, which is the largest religious structure in the world. It is still functioning today. They absolutely use it for religious ceremonies and stuff. There's a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism in the way that, it's primarily Buddhist today. You know, you can still find other religions there. There's some Christianity, there's some Muslim faiths there. Primarily it's Buddhist, but the history of the country is a mash up of Hinduism and Buddhism because of war, right? It would be like invaded and then, you know, taken over and taken back and back and forth and all this stuff. And so consequently, there's actually a lot of history that was destroyed by the invading army. They'd come in and break all the statues, and then, you know, the other they build theirs. And then these guys would come back, and it would go back and forth over the centuries that that kind of thing happened. And what's so amazing is all of that is still there. It is available to be seen. It is just the most mind-bending thing when you get there and you're like, this is a thousand years old. This statue that I'm looking at here, they carved this. How did they do this? How did they move the stone? How did they even get this here? Like, how did they think this stuff up? Is it is so mind-blowing to me, because it's exactly in line with the stars and meridian lines and longitude and latitude, the amount of science and thought and understanding of architecture and structural integrity and the building materials and the process of doing it, it is so incredibly thought through and advanced. And then the art itself, the carvings, the planning, how could they have thousands of meters of wall? And it's not a repeat carving anywhere in the entire thing. It's all unique. Every single person in that that's carved into the wall is like, different from the person next to it. You know, it's amazing. It's just incredible. And they spent, I don't know, I think it was a couple decades to build Angkor Wat, like 30 plus years or something. But every time I go, I see something new. Every single time I go, I see something new. Brad Crowell 10:43  And so when we go, what we love to do is take our guests through the temples in a way that you would not normally go if you were to just show up and hire a typical tour guide, tuk guide kind of a thing. You'll see the big three, you know, you'll go to the city of Angkor Thom. You'll actually go to Angkor Wat, of course, which is the temple itself. You'll go to Bayon Temple, usually, and maybe one other place. So whatever one they'll probably take you to the jungle temple Ta Prohm, like I was saying that Angelina Jolie filmed at because that's a really mysterious temple as well, with this epic trees that have grown over top of the temple. In fact, Angkor Thom is really cool because this is a UNESCO heritage site now. And normally, if it's a UNESCO heritage site, they are required to, slowly, over time, rebuild the whatever the structure is to be as if it was the original structure, right? Angkor Thom is one of the few carve-outs in the UNESCO portfolio, as it were, that they don't have to do that, because the trees are 400 years old, 500 years old, they've grown on top of the temple there. And basically, if they were to take the trees off, the temple would fall apart. And so they got this exception to keep the everything as it is right now. And that makes it even more cool. I mean, it's just, it's so amazing. So when everybody arrives on Sunday night, we we just hang out. We do like class, we get some food, we usually go get a massage, and then the next morning, we get up and we have class, and then we have the morning off, because after lunch, we all hop on our tour bus and we go see a series of temples. We go to the south gate at Angkor Thom, we go see a pagoda. A pagoda is like a place of worship for monks today, it's kind of like a church, but it's usually open air, open-walled, right? So it's just like a covered building, generally. Sometimes they're, they've got walls and everything, too. But these pagodas that are inside of Angkor Thom are open-aired. And so we go see this pagoda, and there's like monks actually practicing there. And it's really neat to see the community still lives there, and they still do life there, right? So, and then we go in to Bayon Temple, and we go, from there, we might be able to go up to see Angkor or the elephant terrace, which is this like place where the king today still will go up to Angkor and you know, he will have a big ceremony once a year there. The royal family goes there. And then from there, we'll go to the north gate, and we'll see the different gates that they have. And they're all unique. They're all, you know, the similar concept, but they're all unique. And of course, the vegetation, the trees are different, the views are different, all that. Then we'll go out the east gate, and we'll go over and see Ta Prohm, right? Along the way, we'll stop at another place, Chau Say Tevoda, which is a smaller temple that was like, considered a library. There were twin temples there. So there's one on one side of the road, one on the other, the one is in way better shape than the the other side. So we always go to the one that actually is, like in repair. You know, maybe we walk through the jungle a little bit there. And, you know, there's, like, usually there's monkeys, which are not your friend, but they're usually there, too. We get a chance to go through and peek into the past. That is just mind-blowing. And my favorite part of going to Cambodia, well, one of my favorite parts, to be honest, because I really can't pick, is being able to go explore these temples. And there's just something that is so otherworldly about it, because you don't see this in the United States, right? You don't find this stuff, probably not even up in Canada. You might see something comparable in Europe, but it's different, right? The massive cathedrals in Europe could be like, 1000 years old too, but it's not the same as it being like, overtaken by the jungle and then carved out after they re-, quote-unquote, rediscovered it in the, you know, 1860s basically, a French guy discovered it in the 1860s again and brought it back to light in western civilization. And then the French actually occupied Cambodia for like, 100 years. And it wasn't until 1960s that Cambodia became Cambodia. Before that, it was an occupied territory of from the French, and it got its independence in the 60s. Brad Crowell 14:45  The second thing that is just amazing is the food. In Cambodia, they don't cook with milk or dairy products. There's no cheese. It's not standard. They also are generally light on the sauces, right? It's not like Thai food. Where everything has its own sauce, and it's half sauce and half whatever the dish is. It's different than that. They make a lot of curries, like I mentioned, it is, you know, a lot of influence from India and Thailand. There are a lot of noodle dishes, but there's a lot of rice dishes, and it's generally really clean eating, right? So if it's a rice dish, it's rice with a small side salad and then a little bit of prepared meat. Their quote-unquote sauce might be like salt and pepper mix, right? It's not sloshed with all this stuff. And so it's really great food. And it just, it's clean, easy, it's always farm to table, because they don't really have the big processing system that we do in the United States. So everything just tastes so good. I love it. And what we do, we get to work with, this is super special, when we moved there, there was this organization, it's an NGO, or a non-government organization that was started by somebody in the United States. They went there and they had a passion for Cambodia, and they said, hey, we could help. We could affect change by creating, effectively, a vo-tech school, right? So what they did is they would raise money, and then they would go into the countryside, and they would sponsor these kids who were really poor, who could not afford to educate themselves. And they said, hey, if you want to, we will give you a full ride, a full scholarship to our school. You'll stay on campus. You'll learn how to work in the service industry. So we'll teach you how to be a chef. We'll teach you how to be a pastry chef. We'll teach you how to be a barista or a server or a bartender or a manager or whatever. And so it's all surrounding the service industry. And then after the end of the program, after these kids go through the program, which I don't remember how long, it could be a couple years, because they also have, like, regular classes, and there's a dormitory and all this stuff. When they graduate, they actually will help them get a job placement. So they might move down to the big city in Phnom Penh and they go to a fancy hotel there, or maybe they stay relatively local in Siem Reap or maybe they go abroad, I don't know, but the school helps them get placed for a job. And this organization is called Spoons. Well, it's called Spoons today. I can't remember what it was called prior, because unfortunately, during COVID, all the money dried up and all the support dried up, and it wasn't available for them. And unfortunately, the American support basically said, hey, we got to close the doors. We don't have any way to keep this going. And the locals, the team that they have built, the Cambodians, some of them were graduates themselves, then helping to run the school, said, hey, this is an amazing thing that's really helping people here. We want to keep this going. And so they went locally, and they found a couple of really generous donors to effectively step in on the financial side to help support the school. And they were able to keep the doors open. And Lesley and I were there in like 2020 and things were still operating like normal when we were there in March of 2020 but then we were gone for two years. We weren't back until 2022 so when we finally got back in 2022 we went over there and we were talking to them, and they said, somehow we made it through. It's been crazy, but we were able to keep the doors open. And this year, we are sponsoring 20 students. This is the first time that we've ever operated as a company, as an organization, without any outside support. It's all like done locally. It's now run by and owned by Cambodians. They call themselves the Khmer people, run by khmer, and they were really proud of that, because they were able to keep this institution that had been put into place operating. And then the next year they had like 50 students. And then this past year, we were there, you know, we were just there in February of 2025, now, and they have like 78 students. And we're so pleased to be able to work with them, because we have them deliver our meals during the week. And then on the final day of the trip, we actually all go over to the restaurant, to Spoons, and they serve us. The students are working at the restaurant. So, you know, there's the head chef is a graduate, or the manager is a graduate, and they're making sure the wheels stay on the bus, but the barista, the servers, the bussers, all the food prep, all that stuff, is done by the students themselves. And it gives us so much joy to be able to support that organization. And the food they make is amazing. It's so good. Brad Crowell 19:03  We want to invite you to come join us in Cambodia on a trip and experience these things for yourself and join us so that we can make sure that you really do have an incredible time. Come stay at our house. It's so cool. Go to crowsnestretreats.com. We're taking another group in October of 2025, we're taking another group in October of 2026. In '26 we're only taking one group, so make sure that you check it out. Reach out to us and ask any question. I'm happy to answer them all. I love talking about this. I would love to get on the phone with you. It'd be amazing. So thank you so much for listening to me share my enthusiasm about this unbelievable place on our planet. And we hope you come join us. Bye for now.Lesley Logan 19:41  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 20:24  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 20:29  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 20:33  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 20:40  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 20:44  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  20:57
• 520. The Powerful Ways This Retreat Helps You Find Clarity

  Lesley Logan shares her favorite parts of the Cambodia retreat and why she believes every woman should experience traveling abroad with a supportive community. Discover how this immersive week of movement, mindset, and connection can spark lasting breakthroughs in your Pilates practice and personal life. Plus, hear how retreat experiences can fast-track your growth and create friendships that truly last. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected] as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why Siem Reap became the soul spot for this transformative retreat.How five Pilates sessions shift your body and mindset in just one week.What the workshops reveal about vision-setting and practical daily change.How the retreat breaks barriers and sparks deep friendships in minutes.Why new environments inspire clarity, confidence, and bold life shifts.Episode References/Links:Cambodia Pilates Retreat - https://crowsnestretreats.com If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  That, to me, that community, that family that we build, we build it in a class. We build it like that. It is the thing you can't put a price on, to be completely honest. Because, in life as adults, I think it can be really difficult to make friendships like there's so much going on. For example, I meant to text a girlfriend two weeks ago. She travels a lot. I travel a lot. Something happened in my life and Brad's like, I think you should text her and I was like, yeah, I should text her and I just didn't do it. And then I was taking my yoga class, oh my God, I need to text and see how she is. Now that I'm in town, I can't wait to see her. and after yoga class, she'd already text me. So I just fucking love that. But that friendship, while amazing and wonderful, and for sure, I can go a month without texting her, and we're still the deepest and wonderful of friends, on this retreat there is not a month to make a friendship. You make it in a minute. Lesley Logan 0:44  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 1:27  Hello, Be It babe. How are you? I'm your guest today. No, it's me, and I'm really excited to chat with you. I realized you hear about us talking about Cambodia a lot, like, in my clips of like, come with us, come do Pilates, come do this, and you probably take a week off of your life to get on a plane, and for most people, at least 17 hours of travel, but probably more like 21, to do all that, you probably want to know a little bit about what is it like, right? And so I thought I'd just have you like a lowdown of my three favorite parts. And on Thursday, Brad is going to tell you about his favorite parts about the retreat. And I hope that this really makes you realize, oh, I'm coming in October. This is going to be something I do. And if you're someone who wants to host your own retreat, you can actually use our system and our team helps that make it easier for you. Obviously, you'd replace Pilates with whatever it is you do. But at any rate, let me tell you a little bit, so first of all, why do we go to Cambodia? Why do we go to Siem Reap? Well, if you're at all like me, you're probably like, hmm, can I go to an island? Can I lay on a beach? And I definitely understand a vacation of that sort. But this is not that. And you come to this for a different reason. So first of all, when Brad and I got married, which would be 10 years ago this October, Brad and I got married he wanted to go to Siem Reap for our honeymoon. And I was like, wow, that is not what I thought honeymoon would be. I thought a honeymoon would be like an island in Thailand on a boat. But really, I was like, okay, well, if we do Siem Reap, can we go to Thailand, and we also went to Japan. It was really, really fun. And the most hilarious thing is like, what we resist is there to assist, because we landed in Siem Reap and I was, my soul is home. It was dark, you guys. It was so dark. We went straight to bed. But like, I just was so excited to be there. I love the smell of it. I love the energy. It was just so different. And I think, you guys, we have an episode that came out with Monique Rhodes about getting out into cultures that are different than ours, and getting a little uncomfortable. And I just realized there was like a sense of joy around me and energy inside me that was like this is amazing. I got up and we watched the sun rise over Angkor, and then we went to like, seven temples in one day, maybe nine, and I just knew I'd come back. And so a year later, we had two retreats that year. We took people, Pilates clients, there, and we just had so much fun. We did it again and again and again. Now we've been, I don't know, 10 or 12 retreats. At any rate, what happens when you come on a retreat with us, and the reason I think you will love this so much is I really believe that women should travel abroad. I think it's really important for women to see different ways the world works, see how different cultures support the people around them and community around them. I just thought it was just like the coolest thing. And so at any rate, I also know that traveling alone is not actually everyone's cup of tea, and also it might not feel very accessible or very safe. And so when we created this retreat, I wanted you to become to my home, because that's gonna make you feel more comfortable, right? And also we wanted to make it super easy, so that you don't even have to worry about, how do you get from the airport to where we are. It's a different country. t's a different language. Whenever I land in different country, I'm always like, okay, I know once I get to my hotel, I'm gonna be okay, but from the hotel to the airport, how does this work? Do I need a credit card? Do we have to have cash? Do you have to exchange already? What's the cultural system? How far is the airport? Sometimes they're so far away. So you don't have to worry about that, because we actually pick you up. We have one of our most amazing drivers, trusted drivers, who comes and picks you up. You come to our house and we do five Pilates classes over the six days. So we actually do a class when you arrive, just to stretch out from the plane, and I find out like, what your movement goals are that week and what exercises you want to move through. And each class helps each person build up to the practice and things that they want. And we had so many people, like this last retreat, we have people who never did Pilates before, to clients of ours who've been part of OPC for a really long time, to teachers who've been teaching for a really long time, and each person got to work on an exercise that they really struggled with and get some breakthroughs. It was really a lot of fun. And so we do one afternoon class, and then four mornings we do a class. We don't do a class on the sunrise day. I promise you, we get enough steps in. We do. We get enough steps in. And so it's just really quite fun to see also how your Pilates practice can change only in a week, but from day to day depending on what we did the day before, which is just fabulous. It's like creating the Pilates movement habit that you really want. We do it together on this retreat. Lesley Logan 5:39  So Brad will talk more about all the temples and the food and all the other stuff, but I wanted to tell you about the workshops. So I used to do Pilates mat workshops. And the truth is, is that it's hot. It's hot there. And two and a half hours working on our mats, on these exercises. While super fun and interesting, it's also just a lot. It's a lot on the body. It's a lot on the mind. And I don't think it makes your mat practice more consistent when you get home. The mat classes themselves do that. So I pulled together some my favorite things that are like podcast type, my business coaching type, my breath work stuff, all that stuff, I pulled it together, and I put this unique two day workshop together where we do breath work to visualize what we want. Who do we want to be? What is this Be It Till We See It, right? What is that? And then we journal, and you can share what you want. Obviously, don't have to. And then we go through all the different things that you should get clear on. So it's like everything, every Be It podcast has taught us roughly on manifestation and visualization into a workshop, and we end with breath work, and it's just so beautiful to solidify it. Lesley Logan 6:53  Then the next thing, we come back, I take that woo-woo, and I bring in stuff that makes it a one woo, which is, how do we actually get the thing we visualize to become reality? How do we do that? And I can tell you right now, because we've done this so many times, and we've had people do it twice, that we have a woman, her wins will be shared on a future FYF, that in less than six months of the retreat, and what she visualized, she's already doing the things that she put together, already, right, already done. So because we actually talk about, okay, so you're really busy. You've known you want this life for a really long time, but you don't know how to do it. We actually go through a series of exercises to make that a reality. Buy back your time. Make it easier for you to have the habits you want. Make a morning routine that you like to have. Make an ideal schedule that has you and your priorities in it. All the things that you hear me talk about in, like, short, quick sentences, we take hours to, like, really dive in and depending on who you are and where you're at in your life, one of the practices we do might be the exact thing you need, where the other one might be for someone else. It's just really fun, because by the end of the second workshop day, you have homework that you can take back on literally, what your first next step is to make this vision become a reality, to make this vision something you can be till you see. It's just really, really cool, and it's something that I promise you, like doing breath work outside and hearing birds chirping and sometimes a frog ribbiting to the side, and then the traffic's going by, like it's just really cool, like you're not so removed from life that you're woo, I'm off in Wonderland. And then you visualize something that's not even what you want, but it just sounds so spiritually amazing. No, you visualize what you want. Lesley Logan 8:35  And the thing that this retreat always attracts is the almost epic people, and they change you because they validate you. They see you. They high five you. We had a beautiful soul who was like, I don't want to feel like this. I don't feel like this emotion. I'm going to keep that between the retreaters and the women there didn't even know her, and they're like, no, no one would ever judge you for that. You don't need to feel like that. And validated her in a way they don't know her, you know. And so that to me, that community, that family, that we build, we build it in a class, we build it like that. It is the thing you can't put a price on, to be completely honest. Because in life, as adults, I think it can be really difficult to make friendships like there's so much going on. For example, I meant to text a girlfriend two weeks ago. She travels a lot. I travel a lot. Something happened in my life, and Brad's like, I think you should text her. And I was like, yeah, I should text her. And I just didn't do it. And then I was taking my yoga class. Oh my God, I need to text her and see how she is. Now that I'm in town, I can't wait to see her. And after yoga class, she'd already text me, so I just fucking love that. But that friendship, while amazing and wonderful, and for sure, I can go a month without texting her, and we're still the deepest and wonderful of friends, on this retreat, there is not a month to make a friendship. You make it in a minute, and it's really quite cool, because these people have no idea who, what your life is back at home, and so you can kind of explore the things that you desire, the things you want, the things that you're worried about, in a way that is in a different vacuum, half a day away from everything else. Lesley Logan 10:08  You can notice what you miss, what you don't miss. You can notice what you don't actually worry about, and what you are and it really helps you have some perspective. But most importantly, you get these deep friendships that just this shared experience, that even a year, five years from now, you'll think back to this trip and that person, that conversation, and how integral it was into you becoming more of the person you want to be. I think it's really hard to dream up what your future should be in the current chaos of your life. I think it's just really hard. Because even if you are able to, like, close your eyes and tune out all the noise, the moment you're done with the meditation, there's a knock on the door, an extra bill came that you weren't expecting, or someone texts you out of the blue and needs something. And so it can be really hard to, like, stay in that juiciness, right, to stay in that space, to really pull it together, to pull the whole dream together, pull a vision together, to, like, really explore what you don't want without any outside influence. And so yes, we're there and we're outside, and there's gonna be influence, but that influence is going to be, oh my God, over a thousand years ago, a bunch of people built these temples without machines, right? They did a bamboo and elephants, and someone put this from idea into reality, and there was a whole world here thriving away from the ocean a thousands years ago, because they were able to figure out how to get the water to run the wrong direction so that they could live. Talk about moving actual mountains to create a society that thrives and survives. Lesley Logan 11:48  And so to me, what is so cool about prioritizing your Pilates practice, or even starting a Pilates practice and being around other people and having the most incredible experience, an exposure to something so different. In Cambodia, they have a very savory breakfast, okay, and it's very filling, because a lot of them work outside, and most of us probably barely sit down and enjoy our breakfast. But there, we like sit down, enjoy it. We get to explore it. We have it outside. There's all these different things we do, and having that such a different cultural experience keeps you from doubting or putting up obstacles to making your dreams a reality, which is why so many of our retreaters have come back again and have made changes within a week, 30 days, six months of their life, and are having their dream become a reality, and more importantly, they're in community, because it's, like I was saying, was so hard to build friendships. You build them in seconds because you all are there because you wanted a week away. So you have that thing common. You're all there because you're like, I wanted to see this. I wanted to go on this experience. And so it really brings barriers down and allows you to have really deep, wonderful aha conversations, and yeah, you'll go shopping or go for a walk with someone you literally met yesterday. And it's just, it's just magical. So I'm really obsessed with this retreat. I really love exposing people to a culture that's so different than theirs. I really love people seeing how uncomfortable they can be. Not that the retreat is uncomfortable at all, but meaning like, yes, you can do that long flight. Yes, you can get to a foreign country on your own. Yes, you can be among strangers and make friends. Yes, you can do Pilates five times in one week. Yes, you can visualize what you want. Yes, you can try a food that you've never heard of and like it. Yes, you can, right? And what that brings in your confidence that you take home with you. Most people get home and they're like, take me back. How do I go back to where that was? Because there's just something so present in your body when you're there. That's how I can describe it. You just get so present, get out of all the chaos, and you get to just be yourself among some really cool people. Lesley Logan 14:04  So I want you to come. I want you to come this year. I want you to come with us. I want you to stay at my house. Want you to move with me. I want to hear what you dream of, and I want to celebrate that, and I want to help you find the first next step for that. And I want to build a community with you that puts in, build in cheerleaders and accountability buddies to remind you, oh my God, remember this? I want to give you memories that last a lifetime. Lesley Logan 14:28  So go to crowsnestretreats.com so that you can be it till you see it on this and I think the Be It Action, I would just be like, what if you could do this trip? What if you could go on a trip? What if you were someone who could go on this trip? What would that look like? Who would you have to be? What help do you need? Just, do you need a travel agent to help you book the flight? Okay, let's do that. Don't let that technology stop you. Don't let the crazy trip stop you. Do you need someone to watch your dog? I bet you there's someone who can just watch your house and your dog for you. There are, literally, those websites for that. What if you could make this trip happen instead of going, oh, next time, oh, I'm too busy this year. What about next time? What if you could make it happen? I think that's my Be It Action Item. Lesley Logan 15:08  And I will say, I pulled this for Brad, but I think it's really cool for this podcast, it says my creativity exists outside the paradigms I'm told to squeeze myself into. My creativity exists outside the paradigms I'm told to squeeze myself into. You are told all the time, busy, busy, busy. People are busy. Get stuff done. And you're also told a ton of stuff about why you can't take a week off for yourself. You must be on a trip you do with others. You can go on this alone. We've got others for you. Yes, you can. You can. And the way the retreat is set up, if you fly on a Friday night, depending on where you live, you will be there on Sunday morning at the latest, maybe Sunday afternoon. The retreat starts in the early evening, and we end on a Friday morning, so that you can fly out on a Friday and be home probably on a Friday. Solike a week, a week of work. Come on, what are you waiting for? Lesley Logan 15:57  All right, loves. I hope that it was fun to go on a little adventure with me, letting me share why do this retreat? Why I want you on it? What you're going to do with me on it. Thursday, Brad is going to talk about all the other goodness, his favorite parts, and I think it's really fun to hear why he loves it so much. And then you get to experience both of us on a retreat together. And the joy and the adventure is just, well, it's a good kind of contagion. All right loves, until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 16:24  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 17:06  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 17:11  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 17:16  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 17:23  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 17:26  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  17:42
• 519. What I've Always Wanted People to Experience

  Celebrating global wins and personal milestones, Lesley highlights the incredible breakthroughs from Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry and Agency members launching new programs and signing dream leases. She also reflects on the powerful feedback that reminded her why showing up truly matters and the values she strives to embody as a teacher and coach. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected] as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why Kirsty Coventry’s IOC appointment is so powerful.How Nancy created new revenue with her first coaching client.How Katelyn successfully signed the lease on her dream studio.​How feedback can fuel your self-worth and confidence.Episode References/Links:About Kirsty Coventry - https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeS0dzOYE1 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  It's Fuck Yeah Friday. Brad Crowell 0:01  Fuck yeah. Lesley Logan 0:02  Get ready for some wins. Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:48  Hi, Be It babe. All right, today is episode, is our Fuck Yeah Friday episode is our sweet, short, inspirational gives you all the things you need. Maybe hear a win of your own, or here are some things that people are calling wins and something that inspires me, a win of yours and a win of mine, in the middle we have a mantra, and we go into our weekend the best way possible. Lesley Logan 1:05  So this I saw on the gram, and it inspired the heck out of me. So for the first time in its 131 years, the International Olympic Committee elects a woman president, Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry makes history. So Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the first woman and first African president of the International Olympic Committee, making a groundbreaking moment. A trailblazer both in and out of the pool, the seven-time Olympic medalist is bringing her leadership, experience and passion for the athlete advancement to one of the most influential roles in global sports. I mean, come on, like, how great is this? Because the truth is, is that we all know that the Olympic Committee needs to make sure that it knows what it's doing with these athletes. And I think it's so great that a female athlete, a female Olympian, and the first, 131 years, it's really annoying, but also yay, we did it. It's happened. I mean, we got to celebrate it. And I'm excited to see what Kirsty brings to the Olympics, because I actually do really love the Olympics, and I want to make sure they stay amazing for all that in them. Lesley Logan 2:02  All right, your win. This is from one of our longtime Agency members. Her name is Nancy Brest and we have been so excited with what she's doing. So she said today, I have my first coaching client in a new revenue stream. I'm setting up language scripts to make the conversion from discussion to invitation to work together and offer. Fuck yeah. Way to go, Nancy. Whenever we start a new revenue stream or whenever we start something new, can be really hard. It's like easy to procrastinate. Way to go, way to not do that. And also, you have your first coaching client already. So, way to go. I'm super excited for you. I'm really, really, really thrilled. So thank you, Nancy, for sharing that with us. Lesley Logan 2:39  I'm gonna share a win from Katelyn Elser. I launched a six-week program in January as a test, and all of them converted into continuous subscription clients. I signed a lease for a studio. It's my dream to open a brick and mortar, and this has definitely happened faster than expected. Katelyn, you're a badass. I mean, usually the studio stuff does often happen a little faster than we expect, but you're ready, and you're not doing it like as a guest. So throwing things at a wall, see what sticks, you're doing it so intelligently, and it's been really fun to see what you're doing. So thank you, ladies for sharing your wins with us. Lesley Logan 3:10  I'm going to share this win. I got an email from someone who attended my workshops at the Pilates On Tour in Denver at Balanced Body's event, and I'm not going to share all of the email because some of it is personal and stuff like that for us, but I've never had someone just like, send me a bullet-pointed list of like, the things that they loved about my workshops. But I'm calling this a win because what you're about to hear is exactly what I've always wanted for my events. And so to have someone put into words and say this, I had to celebrate this. So this from Sophia, she said you really create a safe space for people to ask questions and speak up, make them feel important and valued. You have an incredible depth of knowledge about Pilates, people, business. I had no idea what a resource you were, and I'm so glad I know now. You are confident teaching six bodies you've never seen with 30 people watching while you flow and adjust their movement. You are brave. You don't look down on people because of their training or their knowledge. And things turned a different way than you expected and how you handled it was brilliant. This industry is full of snobs and judgmental people, and I was really impressed you were not either of those things. You build people up instead of tearing them down. You have great information. I love learning about Jay Grimes and what he said and did, and I appreciate hearing your ideas on running a business. And so thank you for all you shared this past weekend. I don't know if you do this, but if you're ever in an industry where you could get feedback from people, and you get good feedback, I hope that you take some time to receive it, right? It'd be so easy, on the same day, I got all this. I also had some customer service emails where people somehow bought too many of the exact same thing. I could have been all consumed by that, and instead, I actually was like, this, this is, this is what I should be consumed by, because this is what I've always wanted people to experience from my workshops and a bunch of other things, of course. And you don't always know that the thing you're doing is working. And so, Sophia, thank you for being part of my win. I'm also excited to see what you do at your growth and your changes in your business. So that's super exciting. Lesley Logan 5:10  Okay, so now you do a mantra. I hope you like, take, like, do you, do you actually receive compliments? Well, if not, I want you to try that this week, and then I want you to celebrate it as a win. Let me know. All right, so our mantra for the weekend, I break all spells that keep me asleep to my own magic. I break all spells that keep me asleep to my own magic. I break all spells that keep me asleep to my own magic. Way to go, babe. Be It babe, thank you so much. We are well into the five hundreds, and we are midway through Q2 and I know there's a lot going on. I really love that you take the time to listen to all of our episodes, and that you share your wins with us, and you share this podcast with a friend. So until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 5:56  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 6:38  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 6:43  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 6:48  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 6:55  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 6:58  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  7:07
• 518. The Big 3 That Actually Empower Our Pilates Community

  In this energetic recap, Lesley and Brad revisit Lesley's roundtable interview with the OPC teachers and reflect on the power of community, inclusive movement, and consistency. They explore how each teacher's unique journey contributes to the magic of OPC and share how the platform was designed to help every body feel seen and supported. Whether you're a teacher or a student, there's space for you here. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected] as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why OPC values community as much as consistency.How a curated class format supports movement without overwhelm.What it means to take messy action—and why it works.How diverse life experiences strengthen teaching and student connection.Why movement “snacks” can reframe how you approach exercises.Episode References/Links:Mullet Tour - https://opc.me/ukChat with Us - https://opc.me/chatSummer Tour - https://opc.me/eventsPilates Studio Growth Accelerator - https://prfit.biz/acceleratorCambodia October 2025 Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comJoin OPC - https://onlinepilatesclasses.comMindi Westfall - https://instagram.com/bendymindipilatesRachel Piper - https://instagram.com/size_diverse_pilatesChristine Kam-Lynch - https://instagram.com/pilates.boundMegan Lauman - https://instagram.com/megans_pilatesYasmin Scholten - https://instagram.com/purapilates_yasmin If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  A lot of people want to be a teacher on the platform it's because they want to be part of something. And I can tell you right now, even if you're not on the platform teaching it, when you're in the community, you're absolutely part of something. Lesley Logan 0:11  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:53  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the invigorating convo, the chaotic convo, the most amazing, we have the most guests ever, convo with the OPC teachers, minus Tami, but we'll have her on in a couple of weeks. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, you are missing out on some giggles and some fun. And I'm just so glad that Brad, if you guys are watching this on YouTube, I apologize for all the moving, because I asked Brad with my eyes, if we were ready for this. Brad Crowell 1:21  You asked me with your eyes? Lesley Logan 1:22  Yes. And you did a you did an acknowledgement. Brad Crowell 1:25  I'm just making sure you're on the screen. Lesley Logan 1:27  Yeah. And if you are listening to this, just so you know, you will not get motion sickness like everyone else is right now. Okay, he's settled. We're settled. Brad Crowell 1:34  Sunglasses. Lesley Logan 1:37  Okay, now, now we're all just experiencing what ADD and ADHD looks like in the same room. This is a lot. This is confusing. I'm gone, now I've lost track. Okay, let's bring this bus back on the road. So you should listen to the OPC teachers, because they're so fun. We had five of us. Well, I guess me. Brad Crowell 1:56  You count, you're a teacher. Lesley Logan 1:58  I know. So we're. Brad Crowell 1:59  Six out of seven. Lesley Logan 1:59  Six out of seven. We were missing Tami. It's really hard to get all the time zones to work, guys, so I was pretty proud of us to get six, but we'll have Tami on because we actually have really fun thing coming up with her later this year. So, at any rate. Brad Crowell 2:08  Yasmin lives in Germany, you know. Lesley Logan 2:11  I know. And guess whose internet was the one that was fucked up? Ours. So anyways, not that Germany has bad internet, but I'm just saying, like out of all the time zones, I just was having some problems. They were talking without me. They planned a whole trip while I was just, bye, disappered. Brad Crowell 2:23  Yeah, I know you popped back on and they were like, yep, we're just making plans. We're gonna get together. Lesley Logan 2:27  Yeah, they're having an overnight, that's what the OPC teachers do. They love summer parties and anything that brings community together. So you'll just want to listen to that one, but first we'll recap it, and then you can go back and listen. So this is what happens when I take over. I actually know the day, but I'm going to do it anyways, because I know what I wrote. So today is May 1st 2025, and it's Couple Appreciation Day. Brad Crowell 2:47  That's fun. Lesley Logan 2:47  Couple Appreciation Day, just so you know, on May 1st there's 40 other holidays. I had a lot of things I could choose from, but Couple Appreciation Day.Brad Crowell 2:54  Lesley produced, partly produced this episode. Lesley Logan 2:56  I did, I did. It's going to be a mess. So Couple Appreciation Day is celebrated on May 1st whether you've just started dating or you've been married for many years, it's important to appreciate your partner now and then. Celebrating the milestones you've passed and looking to more happy years in the future helps keep the romance alive. Even the smallest of gestures can make an impact. Do the chore so your partner can relax or prepare a nice meal when they come home exhausted from work. Romance doesn't have to be elaborate over the top, unless, of course, that's what a couple is into. But also, today. Brad Crowell 3:25  Can just be a touch on the shoulder or a thank you. Lesley Logan 3:27  You know, do something you're not usually doing without being asked. That's probably the best thing. Brad Crowell 3:32  If you always get flowers. Change it up. Change it up. Lesley Logan 3:34  Yeah, get chocolates or get flowers and chocolates.Brad Crowell 3:37  Or don't give something, but do an act of service or something else. Lesley Logan 3:42  If there's something that your partner complains about doing, maybe try to do it for them. Or if they are tired of driving, maybe today you get them an Uber gift card and they get to have a chauffeur to work. Brad Crowell 3:54  Ooh, that's a fun idea. Lesley Logan 3:57  Also, one of the other holidays today in the Philippines, it's Labor Day. So to our team in the Philippines, we have a lot of people out there. Happy Labor Day to you, by the way, that means it's like May Day, which is a whole historical day that I know about, but surface level. So I'm not going to go into it, but it led to a National Phone-In-Sick Day to make sure that the world knows what happens without your labor. And since we are on the theme of little ways of protesting, if you are an employee somewhere and you have sick days and you haven't been using them, use one. Call in sick. Let people know what it's, let people know what happens if they don't have their team. But just remember, to our team, Happy Labor Day. Have the day off and we love you. So, okay, we are headed to the UK this fall. This is for Pilates teachers and really big in Pilates enthusiasts. We have two locations. We have six workshops. Two are business, Pilates business, and four are Pilates movement related. We've got two classes. The deal on this thing is insanity. If you were to buy each thing one at a time, it was, like, almost $2,000 and we're selling it for, like, I don't know, 550 pounds or something like that. So you'll want to go to opc.me/uk to sign up and snag your spot on the limited spots that we have. Brad Crowell 5:14  Our second person who registered is coming in from Europe, so. Lesley Logan 5:18  Yeah, you can come in from Europe. Brad Crowell 5:20  Yeah, we're going to be in Essex or Leeds, and there's plenty of hotels in the area. Lesley Logan 5:25  And Leeds, the ors. Brad Crowell 5:26  Sorry, yeah, for you, you could pick one of the two. We will be in both. I mean, hell, you want to come to both? Come to both.Lesley Logan 5:33  There's only one workshop that repeats itself, and it's one that you probably want to go to twice, to be completely honest. So it's really amazing. And then this particular Saturday is Pilates Day. It's International Pilates day, the first Saturday of May. And in honor of that, we'll be wrapping up our spring training event. So you, probably too late to join us, to be completely honest, but we'll be doing that. I'm really, really excited. Brad Crowell 5:54  Maybe not. Lesley Logan 5:55  I don't know. Brad Crowell 5:55  If you want to hop in right now. Lesley Logan 5:57  You can. You'll, you'll have a week of replays, still not from today, but I think to the 10th. So you have seven days. So yeah.Brad Crowell 6:03  If you're, if like, you're watching, if you listen to this the day it comes out and you want to figure out what we're talking about, chat to us. Go to opc.me/chat and we'll send you a link to the Spring Training event. There's a few more days. Lesley Logan 6:15  Yeah, it's really, it's been quite a fun week. I'm really thrilled with the whole thing. I mean, it's just really fun to do classes live and like, you get your Pilates habit and routine on, and then you can go back to doing it with Iike, on your own time.Brad Crowell 6:27  I mean, this is kind of a perfect episode to be talking about Spring Training because. Lesley Logan 6:31  It really is. Brad Crowell 6:32  It features all the teachers that you're that you listened to in the last episode.Lesley Logan 6:35  Yeah, if you fell in love with them. Yeah, so they're all part of it. It's really quite amazing. And what's really hilarious is Tami is actually in the house right now, so like when this episode goes out. So she wasn't on that episode, but she's currently in our house filming OPC workouts. At any rate, just the irony of all it. Then this summer, we're actually going on our Summer Tour. And it is cooking, we are getting really, really close to announce the cities and help you snide your tickets, you're going to want them, because West Coast is the location of this tour, which means smaller spaces. It just is, just how it works out. Brad Crowell 7:09  It's true. Lesley Logan 7:09  You know, it's just expensive to have bigger studios in some of these cities. So they'll be smaller spaces, which means you're gonna want to get your tickets. So, opc.me/events, means you're going to get the first updates on the tour and all that stuff. So you'll want to go to opc.me/events. Brad, why don't you chime in? Brad Crowell 7:25  Yeah, if you are taking clients for Pilates and you are trying to figure out how to get more clients, or just how to create stability in this tumultuous time, we're doing a webinar on that. It's called the Growth Accelerator Webinar, and it's free, and I want you to come join me. There's a Q&A option, and I'll be sharing three big secrets that we've learned from coaching 2500 plus businesses just like yours.Lesley Logan 7:51  It's really fun, you guys. It's really amazing. It's like, it's a way for you to understand what Agency is, but also what we believe in the Pilates industry, because there are other people out there, and it's important that you know what the values of the people who are coaching you are, because it needs to align with yours. And we firmly believe in your business working for you. You're not working for it. And so that means that the templates that we use are more formulas versus like and this is how every studio needs to look and this is exactly, this is exactly how your onboarding series goes, and this is how this goes. Brad Crowell 8:21  Yeah, here's the language that you use, no, all that does not work.Lesley Logan 8:23  No, that does not work because you all have different audiences that you want to be talking to, and you're also coming at it from either this is your full time gig, or you want it to be your full time gig, or you have kids and this is your part time gig. Like everyone comes from a different place, so it has to work for you, and that's what we pride ourselves on, is you can really mold what we coach you on to your business. Last up.Brad Crowell 8:42  Last, but not least, my absolute favorite thing in the world to do is to go to Cambodia, and we have a retreat coming up this October, go to crowsnestretreats.com. If you got all to listen to this podcast, you've heard us talk about it a million times. But isn't this the year for you? Isn't this the time? Lesley Logan 8:58  Oh, my goodness, I just wrote a whole email about why you should let us do this and I'm correct. Brad Crowell 9:02  But also like, don't you need a retreat right now? Right now. Do you need a retreat? I do. I'm ready. Lesley Logan 9:08  I actually was looking at our potential flight plans, and one of them would let us go to Vietnam, but it's kind of complicated. We're doing all these other things beforehand, so I want to go to Vietnam, and also kind of want to go to Colombia, which I know is on the other side of the world. So it's different, just different where my head is, but one of the flight plans will let us have a layover, though, to go to Botanical Gardens. Brad Crowell 9:25  Oh, in Korea? Lesley Logan 9:26  In Singapore. Brad Crowell 9:27  Oh, in Singapore. Lesley Logan 9:28  Yeah, we did the Botanical Gardens in Korea. Brad Crowell 9:29  We did do that, yeah.Lesley Logan 9:30  So, but I just pinged you and said hey, there's six hours in the daytime, and so that's an hour. And then we need about. Brad Crowell 9:37  I think we were looking at the Botanical Gardens when we were there last, right? Lesley Logan 9:39  Having dinner, yes, you pointed out, yes, it was closed because we got there close to the eighth. So I think we could do it in four hours. Brad Crowell 9:46  That'd be awesome. Lesley Logan 9:47  Yeah. So anyways, we might skip Vietnam and go there. But here's what I bragged about in my email, what you would get if you were already on our waitlist for this. But I actually wrote about, we're really fucking good at this retreat. We're so good at it. And I say this because a lot of people don't like to brag about things. A lot of people are like, oh, I'm a humble person, no, there are certain things that you do really, really well. Like our friend Vincent unapologetically goes, I make fucking great eggs. I make great eggs. I watched the master class on egg making, and I make great eggs. He's never made us eggs, but I'm just saying he brags about it, right? Like, I'm aware that he makes good eggs, and I've never even had them. What we do really well is create an amazing experience for you. You have nothing to do on this trip but get your plane ticket and let us know when you land, because we will pick you up from the airport. Well, not us, but our driver will pick you up from the airport, and it will bring you to our house. And we have a wonderful schedule that is not going to make you exhausted, but it's also going to make sure you see everything.Brad Crowell 10:38  It includes a lot of free time. You're going to have a chance to chill.Lesley Logan 10:40  Yes, but not so much free time you feel like you didn't do anything so you have to plan something. No, it is a wonderful, the cadence is amazing. I'm telling you, every single person tells us how great the schedule is because we do it well. So if you would like to literally retreat yourself, I promise you, when you are halfway across the world, it's very easy to go, you know what? I could put a pin all that chaos, because I'm over here looking at this beauty, and you can actually, just for the nervous system, it's so freaking good. I could go on forever, but go to crowsnestretreats.com to snag your spot. Brad Crowell 11:10  Yeah, all right. Well, before we get into it, about the teachers, we had a question. Alison Pilates on YouTube asked, hey, I love the 60-minute full Reformer workout. We tried to find the links to the exercises so I could practice and get better at the pace. Where can I find them?Lesley Logan 11:26  Yeah, so you guys on YouTube, we have two full Joseph Pilates ordered workouts. We have the mat one, and we have the Reformer one, and they're both advanced. So I'm just gonna tell you right now, if it's the full order, it's super advanced, right? But at any rate, we have these on there, and it's kind of impossible to link to every single tutorial in the show notes of YouTube. I mean, I guess we can, but you can't click them, and there would be 79 exercises to click to. So actually, what you want to do is download the OPC app. It's free. You don't have to be an OPC member. Can download the app, and then you can go to the tutorials, and you can click on the Reformer, and they're all right there. They're all right there. And that way you can review the exercises you're not so familiar with, so you can learn them. And then when you take this workout again, you can be faster at it, or you can omit exercises not right for your body. That particular workout, I did all the super advanced back bends and headstands and all the things, and what I would just say is, even in my own workout, I don't do all of them. I pick two or three, but I did them all so that there is a place where this workout exists. I'm really excited that you guys are loving it, but, yeah, get the app. That's the best place. Brad Crowell 12:30  Yeah, the other thing you can do is, if you just want a list of links to the order, you can Google onlinepilatesclasses.com reformer order and a blog post will come up. We did make a post that has. Lesley Logan 12:43  That's linked. Brad Crowell 12:44  I don't know if it's exactly the same as the 60-minute YouTube video you were talking about, probably is, but. Lesley Logan 12:50  No, I can confirm. Brad Crowell 12:52  Lesley is confirming it's the same. So just Google onlinepilatesclasses.com reformer order, and you'll find the blog post that actually links directly to each one. Lesley Logan 13:02  So, thank you, Alison Pilates. I hope you enjoy that. And also, by the way, if you want to actually get better at the pace and the exercises, I highly recommend you actually just be I'm an OPC member, because at OPC, we don't do the super advanced exercises. We do more of the all level exercises, but you get to nerd out on a particular exercise and see how it works throughout the Reformer and on the mat, and we work at pace, and it's really fun. And then you can actually send me a video of you doing an exercise and I'll give you feedback on your form. There you go. Okay.Brad Crowell 13:32  Great job. Well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna dig into this amazing and super fun convo that Lesley had with all the OPC teachers, where actually, I got to know them better than I've ever known them. I didn't know any of these stories, so I'm really looking forward to chatting about it. Stick around. Brad Crowell 13:48  All right. Welcome back. So let's talk about Rachel Piper, Mindi Westfall, Christine Kam-Lynch, Megan Lauman and Yasmin Scholten. Only one missing was Tami-Adrian George, but we have a dedicated episode. Lesley Logan 14:01  Just for her. Brad Crowell 14:01  Just for her. Lesley Logan 14:02  She's got a lot we all talk about. Brad Crowell 14:04  She's got a lot going on. These five incredible women are part of the dedicated teachers at OPC. Each brings something unique to the mat, blending a deep love for learning with personal experiences that show how Pilates can transform your body and your life. Christine balances a full-time tech career while teaching Pilates. Mindi, known as “Bendy Mindi Pilates” on Instagram, continued Pilates after undergoing microdiscectomy, and now helps others find strength in their flexibility. Rachel a proud quote-unquote mat rat with a biotech background.Lesley Logan 14:39  I love that she's a mat rat with a biotech background. Brad Crowell 14:42  I've never even heard that term.Lesley Logan 14:43  I know, but I really think is there just a better animal? Brad Crowell 14:46  All right, well, so she has a biotech background. She still works in science and teams and all the things. She brings her love of themes and creative expression to every single class. Megan, a mother of four, based in Missouri, discover Pilates as a way to heal her body and now teaches from her home studio. And Yasmin, based in Germany, left corporate life to open a home studio in her small town where she grew up. Okay, I just want to put this out there right away, before everybody else asks, how do I become a teacher on onlinepilatesclasses.com? This is what, we get asked this all the time. Here's the truth of it. All five of these women who are on this interview were already OPC members. They were already participating. They were already changing their life with the consistency of their practice and using OPC to do it. And that's how we met them. Like I mean, there's other ways we actually met them, some of them outside of there, but that's how we got to know them. That's how it began to make sense. They were asking all these questions. They were participating, and it was a very organic opportunity, over the years to invite them to teach, because they actually care about the community. That's the thing that matters for us. Lesley Logan 15:52  Yeah, like you said, I've had, I still always have people who ask, and it's like, if you're not in the community participating, then it's really hard for us to get the community to want to take your class. And then the other thing I'll just say is, even if you're coming to join and be part of the community, we're not hiring all the time. So, yes, join because we want you to be a part of it, but join for you, not because of that goal. And then the other thing I want us to be like every single one of these girls has done eLevate, my mentorship program, so that we're all in the same page, so even though we're taking our own experiences and our own bodies and our own way of feeling the exercise in our body, but they all understand how Joseph Pilates created this stuff and gave it to Jay and his teachers taught me and all the stuff. So, are we looking for more teachers? Not this time, because we're really focused on the community and growing the community, but I would love to see you in the community, because I think why a lot of people want to be a teacher on the platform is because they want to be part of something. And I can tell you right now, even if you're not on the platform teaching it, when you're in the community, you're absolutely part of something. And that is something I'm so proud of, our members who share things. People know each other's name, even though they've never met. And people do connect in in-person events that we have, and then they hang out without us. There are eight women who take OPC classes at the same time on Wednesdays, at 8 a.m. and they're not teachers on this platform, but they are teachers. And so I just want to say OPC was never designed just for teachers, it'sdesigned for everybody, but I think that most people just want to, because they want to be part of something. You could be part of something without the commitment of figuring out your lighting and making sure your camera is straight. Brad Crowell 17:32  That is, that's the thing. Lesley Logan 17:33  And that your mic is actually working. Because sometimes you film an entire workout that is unusable. Brad Crowell 17:37  And I love, I think the thing I love the most about OPC is that once a month we do a live mat class, and after the mat class is over, everybody just hangs out and they just talk, and they get to update each other on different things about life, and it's been. Lesley Logan 17:55  We just celebrated, like a couple girls just finished their exams, so that was really fun. We know that from the hangout sessions, and then we know some of us picked up their kids from college and did spring break with them. Like it's kind of fun to know what everyone is doing. Brad Crowell 18:08  It's actually a community of people who care about each other. And we started doing it in COVID, and we just never stopped, because it's rad. Lesley Logan 18:17  Yeah. And also, to be honest, if I could record all of the OPC workouts I have to film with OPC members being there, I would do it. I would so do it. But the reality is, life happens, and we're like, oh, let's, we're moving this around. People will just be so confused. So, at any rate. But let's get into this episode. Brad Crowell 18:34  Yeah, absolutely. Lesley Logan 18:35  So, hold on. Brad Crowell 18:36  Take us away. Lesley Logan 18:37  All right. There's so many things to love, but Christine mentioned something that I really wanted to point out. She said there's something about being on the apparatus, apparatuses, the apparati, anyways, the apparatuses, the equipment that makes me feel connected inside. And I couldn't agree more, like I think it's just a fun way to get to know yourself. I think it's really difficult, because today there's this trend in the industry where everyone is over correcting all the time and cueing a lot, and so you don't always have time in your body, which is why I really appreciate how great our teachers are telling you how many reps, and giving you a rep to be by yourself, and giving you permission to change the exercise if you need to. And I think that allows you to have that connection. Brad Crowell 19:21  But what if you're doing it wrong? Lesley Logan 19:23  Oh my God, you're not gonna die. You're not gonna die. Most of the time, people doing it wrong are just doing choreography, and so they're like, this is too easy. I don't get it. That's most of it like, very rarely are people doing it so wrong they could hurt, no, no, obviously, if you're working with spring. Brad Crowell 19:38  Jay's quote here.Lesley Logan 19:40  Oh, Jay always says, "Ugly Pilates, get used to it. Dangerous Pilates, never." And so of course, we don't want you to do dangerous Pilates, but a lot of times people are doing exercises they're not ready for, that would be dangerous, so you got to be careful. But that's why I love our OPC teachers always reminding people to, that it's brave and courageous to do something else. Also, Christine mentioned that she loves taking from the other teachers, because she she actually gets different cues or different ideas or different connections from the different teachers. Because when I was picking teachers for the platform, I think it's so important, we one day, like, actually put our inseams on a list. Because we're like, well, maybe we should let all the members know what equipment we have, so that they can maybe set their equipment up, our equipment, or whatever. And then, well, should we let them know how tall we are, and then it's like, well, we're tall, but some of us have longer legs, so that we need a measure of everything. So anyways, Christine is one of our fun size teachers, and so it's really fun, because she can understand different things, even for her body, while working with the taller teachers. But I know that our members who are fun size love taking with Christine, because, like, oh, that's how Christine does it. Okay, great. So it's kind of fun. Mindi also said that she loves learning from the other teachers, but she said learning from the other teachers is one of the most important things I can do for myself and also for my own practice, because I learn something new every single time I take someone's class. And I think that that's what is so fun. Because a lot of people are like, oh, use the order. That's boring. No, it's not boring. Because if you're truly doing the workout and not wanting to be entertained, it doesn't even feel like it's something you've done before. It feels like you're having a new exploration. Because your body is different depending on what time of day you work out, depending on what you did the day before. Brad Crowell 21:17  Definitely, day to day it's different. Lesley Logan 21:18  Today, my mat class, I have my own mat workout today, slayed it. Slayed it. I was so strong. I felt so good. It's not how I always felt. So anyways, I just really appreciate that even our teachers. Brad Crowell 21:30  Hey, good job, babe. Lesley Logan 21:31  Thank you. On this Couple Appreciation.Brad Crowell 21:33  We're celebrating the national couple's day. Lesley Logan 21:35  Yes, I won't cook dinner, though, it's okay. I'll go get it. I mean, really, it would just be tater tots. I'm really good at those sweet potato ones, specifically, everyone. I really like that. With those two teachers, both mentioned how much they love learning from the other people, and I think that's what makes it so fun. Because even if you're not a teacher, just imagine how much you're going to learn. What did you love? Brad Crowell 21:57  Well, when Rachel was talking about consistency, okay, here's the thing about what Rachel was talking about that I connected to OPC, and it made me happy. When we were brainstorming OPC, we were trying to figure out, how do we compete with other platforms that have thousands and thousands of videos, and it made me think of Netflix, and it made me realize I never get to watch anything because I spent too much time trying to figure trying to figure out what to watch that by the time I'm ready to watch whatever I picked, I don't have any more time. So we said, well, how could we do that for OPC? We kept the class options small on purpose, and that really lends itself to consistency. Just being able to log in, click play and go. Another thing I thought was really interesting, and Mindi talked about this too, but Rachel only kind of realized that she's hypermobile recently, like in the last couple of years, and that, I think for me, it was blatantly obvious I've been able to bend my body like crazy. Lesley Logan 22:55  I think, but also because a lot of people think that hypermobility, you like, super hyperextend your joints and like, your elbows and your knees, but you can be hypermobile in some joints and not other joints, and it doesn't have to look extreme.Brad Crowell 23:11  Sure, you could just be hyperextending. That's still hypermobility, right, hyperextending. What's really great is that, when Rachel shared her story she was talking about everyone told her, by the time you're in your 40s, you're going to need your knees replaced, and because she was doing Pilates before going to see a doctor, now they said, hey, you've been protecting yourself by doing Pilates all these years, so you don't need a knee replacement. And that's insane. That's amazing. I love that. That's incredible. Lesley Logan 23:38  Did you know that the knee replacements are through the roof with how many people are needing today versus decades ago, and women will need them more than men. And it's actually not because of how we walk, because people in tribes don't need knee replacements. It's because we have a lack of strength balance between our hamstrings and our thighs, quads, outer hips, and so when you don't have that kind of a balance, your joints don't operate in the same way and you're demanding muscles to do support of things that need other help. And so that is why knees are not working the way. Brad Crowell 24:12  Interesting. Lesley Logan 24:12  Yeah, it's a whole thing. Do your hamstring curls on your Reformer, everyone, or if you don't have a Reformer, do your single leg kick with precision.Brad Crowell 24:20  What she said when Megan was sharing, it was really great to listen to her talk about her family, and I got really excited to hear her talk about her partner, and we know.Lesley Logan 24:30  That's because you love him. Brad Crowell 24:31  Well, his name's Adam, he's rad. But it was what I thought was so cool, was that the two are very intentional about tagging each other in tagging each other out. They've four kids, y'all. So you know, there's a lot going on all the time, yet in the chaos of just life, they still are intentional about setting aside time for themselves individually, which is when Megan gets to do her practice. And that's awesome. I think that's really great. One thing that I also really appreciated was she said she was really encouraged about how inclusive OPC is, and we're talking all forms of inclusivity here. The mix of teachers are working full time in another business, all the way to teaching Pilates full time, different sizes, shapes, bodies, color, different areas of the world, different backgrounds. Lesley Logan 25:22  And also, you know, here I am. I don't have children, so it's really easy for me to say. Brad Crowell 25:26  Right, moms know moms.Lesley Logan 25:27  You, it's really easy for me to say, be consistent. But I love that I was able to find people in our community who are also amazing teachers. Megan has four kids. Not just four kids, she's got two kids who are teenagers. And then two, well, I think a third is a teenager, one's about to be, with two special needs. Rachel talked about her son. And then Yasmin has kids. We have a few, and then Tami has a kid who, she got into college. So, like, they're all in different life paths, too. And so I really wanted. Brad Crowell 25:55  Dog moms on their runners. Lesley Logan 25:56  Yeah, single versus married. Like, I really wanted people who join OPC to see themselves in at least one teacher, if not a few teachers, like, oh, I have a full time job too. Christine and Rachel do. Not that the rest of us aren't full time guys, but, like a nine to five. There's a difference within a nine to five. Brad Crowell 26:13  They're also teaching in addition to their full time job. So, you know, so, so you're not alone. Just the diversity of all of that really does make it inclusive. There's an opportunity to see yourself in at least one of the teachers, and so we hope that you also are making that connection and enjoying that. And then when Yasmin was sharing her story, she actually talked about how damaged her body was after a career sitting at a desk, and it was causing a lot of pain for her, and she found Pilates as a, I guess, part, partly as rehab, but, but now today, that's like she's dedicated her entire life to it. She, you know, got certified, and then eventually quit her corporate job. And she said the thing that she loved the most about OPC was that it's a sense of not being alone in her home studio, which, you know, she's inherently alone, and once she can tap into OPC, she can participate in a community that's all over the world and is really supportive and encouraging. And, you know, I just love that. I think that's great. Lesley Logan 27:14  I love that she talked about construction sites. She was referring to, like, you know, we all have struggles in our bodies, and she called them construction sites. And I was like, you know, I just feel like when you learn English as a second language, there's just a better way of saying the things that you are working on it, you're putting something together, you're building something. Brad Crowell 27:30  Yeah, that was pretty cute, that was really cute.Lesley Logan 27:31  Yeah, I can't we're gonna see her in person in September.Brad Crowell 27:33  Oh, I'm very much looking forward to that. Oh, yeah, when we come to the UK. In fact, y'all, the person who is coming from the EU is Yasmin, the teacher. So come meet her. Come meet us. That'd be a lot of fun. Anyway, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna dig into some really juicy Be It Action Items that shared from this plethora of wisdom and knowledge that we have on these OPC teachers platform. So stick around. We'll be right back. Brad Crowell 27:58  Welcome back. Let's dig into this bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted Be It Action Items from your convo with all these lovely ladies. I'm gonna jump in first here. Christine mentioned that she treats movement like snacks. And I thought that was brilliant. I thought that was such a great visual, because if you're working and you're hungry, what do you do? You reach in the drawer and you grab a Slim Jim. Maybe not Slim Jim, but you know, you grab a jerky snack.Lesley Logan 28:26  I'd go for Chomps, but they're not sponsoring this, but it's about meat. Brad Crowell 28:28  Yeah or whatever, or you grab, hopefully it's not just pure sugar, but I love the idea of treating movement like a snack. What if you just got up and did a quick lap around the office? What if you?Lesley Logan 28:39  We did a movement snack yesterday. We were kind of like head funk, and we went outside and just walked around one block. And you know what, guys, it felt great. And then you do push ups while you're waiting for your coffee. Brad Crowell 28:50  Push ups with my coffee often, if I feel sluggish, if I feel that afternoon tiredness, I will just go do a handstand against the wall, and I'm not even trying to balance. The whole goal of it is to get blood flow back into my brain. Lesley Logan 29:04  If you're thinking about your heart, it's youth, fountain of youth. Brad Crowell 29:07  Yeah. So I love this idea of thinking of it like a snack. It actually makes it even easier to go do brilliant. So, love that. Great job. Mindi talked about taking messy action. That is something that we've been saying.Lesley Logan 29:19  Something that she didn't say on this podcast, but Mindi has the entire intro memorized of the Be It Pod. So, yeah.Brad Crowell 29:25  Yeah, Mindyi's amazing, but, but taking messy action, right? How often have we talked about that here? And I love that that's something that she lives by and she thinks about all the time, because it kind of takes away the fear of whatever the thing is. It's allowed to be messy. It doesn't have to be perfect. We're not doing brain surgery here. So it doesn't have, necessarily have to be perfect the first time, right? That's not that common. So it's okay to get your feet wet, get started and figure it out as you go for most things. And I love that when it comes to movement, when it comes to Pilates, we can apply that, obviously. So, love that. Great job, Mindi. What's your biggest takeaway?Lesley Logan 30:05  Okay, we had a few. So, Rachel said don't show up for anyone else, but you. And I do love that. And I will say, if you have a hard time being selfish, then think about the problem you are going to be for the people you love, because you won't be able to go up the stairs. And then if that makes you do it, then that's great, because I really do agree with that. And I also think some people have a really hard time showing up for themselves, but I agree we all have to get to that place. You have to love yourself enough to show up for you. Megan said find a way. Find a way to prioritize self-care, movement, even just a, find a way, there's always a way. So, I agree. And then Yasmin said the root of the goal is not to be perfect in this moment and just do your workout practicing with the teacher. And I like that. So it's like, the only thing I have to work on today is being with the teacher, just moving with this class. What if you were not, like, I gotta get this teaser today, you know, so and then to find confidence in your body. And I think that's really, really sweet. And I think, you know, no one is Googling, like, how to have confidence in my body, but I do think a lot of people lack confidence in themselves. They come off very confident, and they come off very self-sufficient, and they come off as they're able to highly function and do all these amazing things, but they actually don't trust how they feel, and they don't have a mind body connection, and that's something we really want to achieve at OPC. And so here's the deal, Pilates Day is a Saturday. There's a reason why this episode is coming out this week. We wanted to celebrate this amazing holiday that's coming up that has given us an amazing career. And truly, we're doing it with the most amazing people doing this. But also we want you to do Pilates with us. A lot of you who listen and you go to an in-person studio, OPC can be the supplement. If you're only doing Reformer Pilates, you can do the mat work with us. Because if you actually want to see what, you're superly capable of. Superly capable of. Brad Crowell 31:45  I was wondering what word that was. Lesley Logan 31:47  I like it. Superly capable of. Brad Crowell 31:48  Superly capable of. Lesley Logan 31:49  It's like now there's a ring to it.Brad Crowell 31:50  Let's all be superbly capable of.Lesley Logan 31:53  Superbly capable of, you know, you need to get on the mat. It is hard, and if it's easy, you're not doing it right, which is why you have to join OPC so we can, actually, can submit a video of you doing an exercise, and I can tell you like, oh, actually, your feet go here, or this goes here. So, you guys, go to onlinepilatesclasses.com and join us. You can join us for 40 days for $40 and you get to take classes from these amazing people, and Tami, and you can be part of this amazing community. You heard him. Brad Crowell 32:20  And Lesley. Lesley Logan 32:21  And me, I'm teaching. I teach 40% of the classes. I'm like, every other week. You don't get away from me. Also, feel like I won't use it. I know me. No, we have accountability. We take classes away so you do show up for you. And you can help, you can find people in the community that will hold you accountable. You go, okay, I'm gonna do it on Tuesday who wants to do it with me? Brad Crowell 32:38  Look, I just want to say we are all doing Pilates, right? But at OPC, we actually have a process, okay, and that process includes our big three. We call them the three C's, consistency, community and connection, right? And we help you follow our process, which helps you maintain that consistency. Lesley Logan 32:59  Well, when we created this, and Brad's like I want to do this, I said, well, I love what people experience when they go take class together. I really love that there's that I've got to show up because the class is at x time and I'm going to see x people. Like, I love that, right? But if you miss that class, then you like, might go a week before you get to take class again. And I hate that. And so it's like, how can I have the accountability of an in-person class and the community of in-person, but the accessibility of a chaotic life. And so that is why every single Tuesday, a new class drops, an old class goes away, and you have access to that new class for two weeks. So there's always a couple to choose from. So if you're like, I didn't really understand that teacher, you don't have to worry about it. There's another teacher's classes up there. So it's really great. And you get to, when you say, I took class, I took Hippy Ki-Yay, people know what you're talking about, because they're all taking Hippy Ki-Yay, no one is like, oh my God, from five years ago. I just want to say this community.Brad Crowell 33:52  That's what makes this community really fun is because when people like, oh, I finally got the roll up when so and so is teaching. You know what they're talking about, because you're taking the same class as them and you're like, oh, yeah, that was the moment. So it really brings people together. And all that was by design, and we're really proud of that, because when people follow the process, they win. You win, and we want that for you. Lesley Logan 34:14  Just go to onlinepilatesclasses.com. Check it out. Sign up for the trial membership and get into the community. Send me a video.Brad Crowell 34:21  Join us for live class. Lesley Logan 34:22  You know, if you love this podcast, you're gonna love the community, I promise you that. And then the OPC app, which is for you, you can listen to this podcast, you can see tutorials, and you can communicate in the community. So Bayon is really excited for you to join us too, if you heard that from the way, way back of this house. And until next time loves, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 34:42  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 34:44  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 35:26  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 35:31  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 35:36  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 35:43  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 35:46  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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  35:54
• 517. Why Pilates Became Their Love Language to Themselves

  This community-centered episode features real stories from five OPC teachers who integrate Pilates into their lives while managing careers, parenting, and personal challenges. Lesley Logan is joined by Mindi Westfall, Rachel Piper, Christine Kam-Lynch, Megan Lauman, and Yasmin Scholten to share how Pilates helped them reclaim time, build strength, and stay grounded. Their journeys reveal just how accessible and empowering consistent movement can be. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected] as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Why OPC was built to be inclusive and community-driven.How each teacher found Pilates and what made them stick with it.The unexpected ways Pilates supports parenting and mental health. Why you don’t need a full hour or fancy gear to build your strength.How the OPC teachers show up as both students and leaders.Episode References/Links:Meet the OPC Teachers - https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/teachersOPC on Instagram - https://instagram.com/opc.pilatesMindi Westfall - https://instagram.com/bendymindipilatesRachel Piper - https://instagram.com/size_diverse_pilatesChristine Kam-Lynch - https://instagram.com/pilates.boundMegan Lauman - https://instagram.com/megans_pilatesYasmin Scholten - https://instagram.com/purapilates_yasminGuest Bio:This powerhouse panel of Pilates teachers—Christine Kam-Lynch, Megan Lauman, Mindi Westfall, Rachel Piper, and Yasmin Scholten—brings a vibrant mix of passion, precision, and personality to the practice. Christine, a third-generation teacher and tech program manager, fuses straight-shooting cues with contagious joy. Megan blends classical roots with modern training to inspire confidence and consistency in movement. Mindi draws from her sports and injury recovery background to help others find relief and strength through Pilates. Rachel, founder of Size Diverse Pilates, champions inclusivity and creates welcoming spaces for every body, especially those who’ve felt unseen. Yasmin, a former economist turned studio owner in Germany, brings a global perspective and an uplifting spirit to her classes. Collectively, they represent the evolving heart of Pilates—meeting people where they are and helping them move with purpose, pride, and playfulness. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:·        Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Lesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/·        Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQ·        Profitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:·        Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/·        The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Facebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilates·        LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/·        The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Megan Lauman 0:00  I love how inclusive it is. What I mean by inclusive is we're not expecting everybody's body to do the same thing. We're just honest, real and inclusive. It's inviting for everybody.Lesley Logan 0:10  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:53  Hey, Be It babe. You know, you might not know this. You probably hear about OPC all the time, but you probably have never like heard the people who are part of OPC, and so I wanted to take some time to share some of the OPC teachers with you. One, it's an excuse for all of us to get together. And two, more importantly, I think it's really important for us all to hear people who are like us and the journey that they went on. You probably know how important Pilates is to me. It really is how I be it till I see it every single day, like, the time that I am doing in my Pilates practice is how I can tell where I am in my life and how I'm feeling about myself and what's going on. And when I created OPC, it was so you could too. Just so we're on the same page, onlinepilatesclasses.com equals OPC. You'll hear different terms in this interview with the different teachers, and one of those is FFF, Form Feedback Fridays, and that's just us giving feedback to our members. And you'll hear about the live classes that we have, and you'll hear about the accountability in the community that we have. But the goal here is, you could hear a person who's got a job like yours, or similar to yours, or a life like yours. You know, when I created OPC, it was just me, but the goal was not always just me, and as I added teachers from our community, we have something very similar, but also we're very different, whether it was height or age or body type or lifestyle, or where we live in the world, or the journey that we've come on. I could have talked to each one of these teachers for an hour on their own. So, you know, if you like this episode and you have more questions for these teachers, let me know, and I'll bring them back on. We are missing Tami. Our schedules didn't align. It's kind of hard to get seven busy women with, I don't know six different time zones together, but we'll bring Tami on for her own special episode, of course. Together, all seven of us teachers are, there's seven including me, have over 8 or something years of teaching experience. And, so know that you are in good hands, and know that we don't ever expect you to aspire to look like us in any exercise. We only want you to be you. And I couldn't think of a better group of people to talk about being it till you see it, than just these women who had a whole life before they found Pilates, and they're living these busy lives now, and they're prioritizing that. So here is several of the OPC teachers, Mindy, Rachel, Christine, Yasmin and Megan. And I really hope you enjoy this. And if you have friends who've been thinking about Pilates and wanting to try it out or have extra accessibility, I hope that they take a look at OPC. There you go. Lesley Logan 3:42  All right, Be It babe, I am, I've got a party for you. It's an actual, true party. I'm not gonna lie. And we have a lot of different voices on here. So if you're hearing a bunch of women like talk with each other, join us in your car, at your coffee shop, on your walk, just like talk out, talk out loud with us. We'd have the conversation with us. Today, I'm joined by many of the OPC teachers, not all of the OPC teachers, and we thought it'd be really fun. One, we never can get together, all of us with our time zones. And you'll hear we're missing a brilliant voice in this conversation. So I'll have to have Tami on another day, but you'll hear the voices of these different teachers. And so we'll start off. I'm just gonna call people out for their introductions, and they're like freaking out right now, but okay, I'll tell you all who's here. We have Mindi Westfall. We have Yasmin Scholten. We have Rachel Piper. We have Megan Lauman. We have Christine Kam-Lynch and Tami-Adrian is in our hearts and our souls always. These are the amazing OPC teachers. Christine, I'm gonna call on you first. I'm so sorry, but you're, you are probably really good with a PowerPoint and so you probably have a good way of introducing yourself. Can you tell everyone a little bit about who you are, what you rock at, how did you get into Pilates?Christine Kam-Lynch 4:52  Yeah, Hi, I'm Christine Kam-Lynch, and teaching Pilates is actually a second job for me. Surprise, surprise. I am actually a technology program manager working in IT space and security. So really, techy nerd in some ways, or at least working with a lot of people that I work, I bring together. Sorry, LL, I already forgot your question.Lesley Logan 5:15  Just how you got into Pilates, but I love that you, what I'm so excited about, you guys is, if you hear her, she's like a total tech nerd, like one of the big ones. And I also say her last name wrong all the time, it's Kam-Lynch, not Cam-Lynch. So, noted. Okay, how did you get into Pilates, though? Also, I just want to say, if you're not watching the YouTube video of this, Christina is one of our fun size teachers. So I think that's important to bring up because.Christine Kam-Lynch 5:20  I'm standing right now.Lesley Logan 5:43  No, you're not. No, she's not. But maybe, how tall are you and how did you get into Pilates? Christine Kam-Lynch 5:50  I am five feet, and I practiced Pilates to stay at five feet. How did I get into Pilates? You know, when I moved to California from the East Coast, I saw a lot of people doing things, and I don't think you really see that on the East Coast. I think we're, like, all bundled up a lot because it's cold half a year that I don't think I paid attention. And so moving out here, I tried, like, everything, a lot of people do yoga out here and Pilates is just one of those looking into a studio space, like, what are all those toys in there? Like, I want to play on this playground. That's how I discovered it. And there's something about being on the apparatuses that makes me feel connected inside that I would hear words, but I don't understand the words. I'm like, okay, maybe one of these days it'll make sense and something will click. Well, the click happened on the apparatuses. And so that was my journey from like, one day a week to two days a week to three days a week to four days a week. And then my husband was like, oh my God, what is happening? I'm like, all the good things. All the good things has happened. Fast forward, I don't know, maybe 10 years later, the program was set up in a way that I could do teaching. The first part was mat and I finished thinking, I'll just teach mat, because that's about like all I can wrap my head around. And what's funny is that all of my students, my guinea pigs, who all helped me, had asked me, what's that over there in the studio? When do we get to go there? And I'm like, oh, crap, I didn't think that far ahead. I guess, I guess I need to continue the training program and so I did.Lesley Logan 6:14  I love that that's so cool. I love that their curiosity helped you go do more things because you're so good at what you do. We're gonna talk more about you, for sure. But I want to go to the other spectrum. And I can't decide if it's Mindi or Rachel. So Mindi's hair is taller than Rachel's so it will be Mindi first and then Rachel, as far as height goes on our teaching team. Mindi tell everyone who you are and what brought you into Pilates? Mindi Westfall 8:12  Yes, so I'm Mindi Westfall, and if you're out in Instagram world, I'm Bendy Mindi Pilates. So that actually tells a little bit about my Pilates journey, because I am hyper mobile and super bendy. So Pilates has helped me find my strength and my flexibility. But I actually started, oh gosh, I got on my first reformer in like 2005 because my mom was doing Pilates after she retired from teaching PE and she called me and was like, you have to try this. And I was like, well, at the time, I was living in Oregon, working at Nike, and Nike has state of the art facilities, and of course, they had a Pilates studio. So I went in and was like, alright, how do I get on one of those? Christine was like, what's that? You know. So took a couple classes there, and I was like, this is amazing. So after my Nike journey, I went back home to the St Louis area and went to the same studio my mom was going to and just really fell in love all over again. And at the time, I had some back issues, a bulging disc, and so I went through and did Pilates and tried to fix it, and unfortunately, it was only fixable with surgery. So I did a micro dissectomy and fixed the disc, and my orthopedic surgeon went to the same Pilates studio, and so he was like, okay, so you just need to go to Mary and continue your Pilates, and you'll be good to go. And I literally was out of pain and back into strengthening pretty quickly. And so that was just the journey of why Pilates was good for my body. I'm a former athlete. I'm 5'11" so I played volleyball in college. And wear and tear on my body, I really wish I would have had Pilates when I was playing, because I think it would have helped, and maybe I wouldn't have had so many things happening. But from there, I just kept doing Pilates, and then in 2019 I got my certification. So probably 2018 I'm trying to do mat in my head. But for my 40th birthday, my parents bought me Teacher Training Program. Lesley Logan 10:17  What a cool gift. Those are great. But we love your parents anyways, but those are so great. And I agree, like, I think if I got to take a stab at my running career after Pilates, and I got, not only I got five more years out of that career, I actually won races, which I never did pre-Pilates, pre-retirement. And so I thought it was pretty cool that, like, I could come out of retirement and be better than I was. So I do credit. I think everyone should do it if they're doing sports. Okay, so, Rachel Piper, is Mindi taller than you? Are you the same height? What are we?Rachel Piper 10:46  She's taller than I am. I'm 5'9".Lesley Logan 10:51  Oh, we're the same height. You feel taller to me. Okay, well, you feel taller to me. Anyways. Rachel Piper 10:57  Well, I have a presence. Lesley Logan 10:58  That's so true. It's so true. Rachel, how did you get into Pilates? Because you're like Christine, you live a whole other life during the daytime. Rachel Piper 11:07  Yeah, I feel like we, there are so many similarities between all of us. So I'm in biotech, that's my day job, and I was also a three sport athlete in high school and in college, and I'm also hyper mobile, but I didn't actually know that until about two years ago. And that's kind of a big thing for me. I went looking for yoga because my kiddo was about six years old and I was having trouble getting up off the floor. My knees hurt. Everyone I talked to said you're probably going to need new knees by the time you're 40. And let me tell you, with Pilates, now 46, and I do not need new knees. Okay, like that fixed me. But it's that consistency around Pilates that really, really helps. And like I said, it wasn't until maybe 18 months or two years ago that I actually realized that I was hyper mobile, and when I went in, they gave me a list of things like, Oh, this is what you can do for this. And you're also already doing it, so you're already sort of been fixing yourself for all these years, which I think is just a great testament to the entire Pilates method, yeah, but my journey was, I was a complete and total mat rat when I first started Pilates. Lesley Logan 12:25  Yes, but we should all take up space for the mat rats, because now no one wants to be a mat rat. Rachel Piper 12:30  I honestly don't get it, and teaching people how to teach mat is like, one of my favorite things to do. Like, honestly, I'm like, everyone should be on the mat. There are all of these opportunities for props. I know we'll talk about that later, but I was a mat rat. I did the teacher training, and I was like, I think maybe I'm just going to do this for myself, because I'm a nerd, you know, I'm in biotech. Pilates nerd as well. So I think I'm just going to do the mat teacher training and just for me, so that I understand what the heck has been going on and how this has changed my body. And then the next thing I know, I have a Reformer Tower, a Chair, like all the things, and I've made it through training. Lesley Logan 13:11  There's like, the addiction is real, and also, like, totally fine, because some people, they have other, they're like knitters, or they're into Beanie Babies or whatever, right? And we're like, no, I'm just gonna buy a piece of equipment that will last my lifetime, you know, it's a great investment. Christine Kam-Lynch 13:27  And beyond. Lesley Logan 13:28  And beyond, and beyond. It will be here. Right, right. You're totally right, Christine, because one of my girlfriends, unfortunately, her mentor passed, and all of that equipment is now living on 40 years later with other people. So there it is. Okay, more to chat with Rachel, but of course, we're gonna go to Megan, and then we'll go international to Yasmeen. So Megan, tell us everything about you.Megan Lauman 13:48  Everything? Lesley Logan 13:49  No, at least just your Pilates journey. Megan Lauman 13:51  Okay, well, I'm Megan, and I'm in the middle of the United States, in St Louis. I'm a mother of four. And so for me, it was looking for the thing that gives me some time for me so I could be the best mom I could be. And that became running like the minute my first was born. So I've been a runner for 18 years now, and so I ran and ran and ran, and that was like the time that I could breathe. And then suddenly my hips were hurting and my knees were hurting, and I was seeing the chiropractor, and I was seeing a physical therapist, and whatever I could do to feel well. And then I stumbled upon a YouTube video of mat Pilates, and also became a mat rat. So I would, became obsessed with mat, and I was like, there's no reason to go to physical therapy. I'm doing the same things here on the mat that they were having me do, only I loved it, and I felt so good. And so that became another moment for me. So added Pilates to that practice, and I did mat practice for about five years before I even knew that anything else existed. So just mat, loved i, still do, it's my favorite. Yeah. And then, yes, I did that for about five years before I looked into what else there was, and then became a Pilates instructor from there. And now my front room of the house is a Pilates studio, and yes, collect all the things. That's what we do.Lesley Logan 15:19  Sounds about right. Sounds about, you know, my living room and guest bedroom and office has Pilates equipment in now so, you know. All right, we gotta go all the way across the pond, all the way into Germany to talk to Yasmin. Yasmin, tell us who you are.Yasmin Scholten 15:35  Yeah. Hi, I'm Yasmin, and I'm from Germany. This is in Europe, center of Europe, and that's the country Joe Pilates is coming from originally, so, yeah, so, but it's not the country the Pilates is very famous, or was very famous. So I started with 18, with fitness. So I was a group fitness instructor with 18. So this was my teaching beginning, and I financed my Tourism Management study with teaching a lot.Lesley Logan 16:11  You were already in fitness, you were just teaching other fitness, and then you're like, I'm gonna go to school. Yasmin Scholten 16:17  Pilates was not really famous. I teach step aerobics, everything, shaping classes, whatever. Teached everything. And I had wonderful. Lesley Logan 16:28  Yasmin, do you know how to say left, but go right? Do you have that skill? Yasmin Scholten 16:32  Oh, I, yeah, it took a long time to learn, but yeah, I got it one day. Lesley Logan 16:39  That impresses me so much. Yasmin Scholten 16:41  Also with the music, rhythm and the music. So count for four. It took a time, but yeah, I got it. I still love to dance. So I also have this dance aerobic instructor who also introduced me to Pilates. She was also a Pilates instructor, and I asked her what do you think is the future of fitness? And she told me, a small Pilates studio with equipment. She told me I was, I don't know, 20, so it's a long time ago. So I finished my studies, and yeah, and then I tried Pilates because I had a lot of tension in neck and back because of sitting too much in my office job a lot, and I went to my first Pilates class there. I wasn't teaching anymore anything about fitness or anything else, but I went to my first class, and I really felt so good after this mat class, and I had a wonderful teacher there. And, yeah, she recommended me one day. Why not doing a training program? And she also recommended me doing I didn't know anything about classical or contemporary. I didn't know anything about it. I just loved the mat class, and she bought a Reformer one day, and I tried this, and I was totally, I don't know, I fell in love with equipment too, so just a Reformer, but it was wonderful. And then, yeah, I did the training program, and then I started to teach in her studio together with my full time job, yeah, that was hard, but it was so fun teaching. I loved it, really. And then I decided to move to my hometown, so it's a little small town near Munich, and I opened my home studio there, and I quit my job. It was really a good paid job, but I thought, yeah, that's what I want to do. And yeah, everybody told me, oh no, you are crazy. You are crazy. It's a small town. Nobody knows anything about Pilates. Lesley Logan 18:54  But I think that's sometimes the best thing, because then you get to be the one, yeah.Yasmin Scholten 18:58  And I'm still the only one in surrounding so there are no other Pilates studios. So I'm really lucky. The next one is in Munich, and yeah, they are coming and loving the equipment. So I really love the equipment too, but I'm also a mat rat. I don't know this one. Mat rat, I love it.Lesley Logan 19:18  I know I feel like we need to rename the animal, though, you guys, I don't think anybody really, I mean, you know, maybe, the mat rat, or maybe we're just giving rats a better name. I too, like, I only knew the mat for years. I thought the equipment was weird. I was like, who needs to be on that? The mat is so good. Why would we do that? It's also, like, I don't have the money. So I was like, that's so expensive. Why would anyone do that when you could just do the mat work? And then when I moved to L.A., the woman kept putting me on the Reformer, and I did long stretch for the first time, and thought I was gonna fly off the Reformer. I thought I was just gonna get shot up like a cannon. I was like, I don't like this at all. I don't feel safe. I don't think this is good. So, and it took me a really long time to, like, get on board with the equipment. Lesley Logan 20:01  Okay. So we have Mindy, Megan, myself, and Tami, and Yasmin, full time Pilates teachers, and then Rachel and Christine, you guys save the world. And then you teach Pilates on the side. Is that what's going on? Okay. And then, yeah, I like that. I mean, Christine's doing securities and tech, and you're doing biotech. So to me those are the two things that save the world right now. And then we have Yasmin, Rachel, Megan and Tami who've got the kiddos. I think Megan wins with four, because Yasmin, you have two? Yasmin Scholten 20:34  Two, yeah, two boys. Lesley Logan 20:36  Yeah. And then Rachel and Tami each have one, unless I've forgotten a child. Okay, so I just want to say that, because I know people are listening, and it's important to put in context, like, every single one of these people got into Pilates for something that they needed, and they got joy out of it, and also it made them a better person around the people that they love and care about. I mean, Christine's husband was wondering where all this stuff was coming from, but I think he's on board now. Lesley Logan 21:01  Okay, so I want to take a few of you, and you guys can chime in if I don't call you out. But like, what got you wanting to even look at OPC? Because obviously we all fell in love with in-person Pilates. And I think there's a lot of people, like, I just had someone here at the house. I was just teaching in-person. They were visiting from the Ukraine, and they're like, so you teach people on the computer, like, how do you know if they're doing it right? And I was like, well, that's kind of my job to know if you're doing it right. But I can understand that question, you know, if you don't experience online, so I'll go with Mindi, Christine and Rachel on this one. How did you kind of like stumble upon OPC? And what did you think about doing Pilates online?Mindi Westfall 21:37  I'm not the mat rat. I didn't know much about the mat until I started doing my training and then following people on Instagram, following Lesley, and she was doing an in-person class in Denver, and I was like, I'm gonna go to that. Lesley Logan 21:53  Oh, yeah, no, I bug, I like slid into your DMS. Okay, so this is how do you all wanna know how many I met? She commented on something, and it was during the time of the first ever OPC Pop Up Tour, and we were trying to sell out locations. And so I was in the habit of every comment I got I literally stalked them and looked up where they're from, and it said Denver. And so I DMed her, I said, hey, I'm teaching a class in Denver, and you should come. You guys, it was like across town on a Monday night, and she fucking did it. So that's how we met. And it was a mat class, so she had to do mat. Mindi Westfall 22:22  So at that point, I was like, okay, I need this in my life. And you guys were talking about OPC, and I was like, oh, this would be great, because I can have someone else teach me, and I had been following you and all of that. So OPC was just a way for me to get my own workout in while teaching and trying to figure this out. And I mean, I was teaching a lot in the beginning, because that's what we do. And then I was like, okay, I need this time for myself. Plus I just wanted more of your knowledge, because I didn't know a lot at that point. So the mat was really the part that I wanted the access to on OPC, because I didn't have access to that where I was, so. Lesley Logan 23:07  A lot of people don't teach mat. And so the mat at OPC is like a great supplement if you're going to a studio, yeah. Mindi Westfall 23:12  Absolutely, yup. Lesley Logan 23:14  All right, Christine, you're up. How did, how did we, like, we knew each other, though? How do we find each other?Christine Kam-Lynch 23:20  This is gonna sound really odd. Lesley Logan 23:22  How did you get into my life?Christine Kam-Lynch 23:23  I know. So, I wasn't on social media. I'm barely on it now, but my dog is on social media, and somehow you got into his feed through Profitable Pilates. Lesley Logan 23:41  Oh, it wasn't even an ad, by the way. We weren't even paying for ads. No, this is like straight up true algorithm making sure we met, yes. Christine Kam-Lynch 23:47  Yes, which timed well, because I was having my home studio at the time, and I had three questions, and I'm like, where do I go for these questions? And your poster, I don't know, I don't think reels were big back then, that's how old I am, but it was a post, and I was like, oh, she could have my answers for me. And so I slid into your DMs, because I remember asking a friend, like, how do I contact her? And she's like, oh, you DM her. And I'm like, what? So she showed me. And I was like, oh, great, thank you. And so, yeah, I wrote to you, and so you gave OPC as part of our Profitable Pilates agency membership. Lesley Logan 24:39  Oh, so we just forced you into it. Christine Kam-Lynch 24:41  Yes, basically. I was like, this is free? Okay, I would give it a try. And I was like, oh, I love this.Lesley Logan 24:49  I love it. That's so funny. We kind of forced you in, you know what? Sometimes that's the best time. All right, Rachel, how did you find OPC?Rachel Piper 24:57  I feel like it was really, really odd, if I remember correctly. There was someone on Instagram that I was supporting because she made size inclusive clothing with Pilates. Her name's Maria, and she was hosting, like an OPC leader, something. Lesley Logan 25:12  Yeah, oh, okay. That was. Okay, so in 2020, we had like community leaders, because everybody was at home and everyone was stuck, and so we would do pop ups, but live Zoom classes on the mat, but just for that person's people. It was city-based, but obviously not and so it was our first those were our first affiliates. And so she loved us. We love Maria. Shout out to The Movement Shop. And so you, you came to the the Minneapolis, Zoom class. Rachel Piper 25:42  Yeah, I came to the Zoom class. And I think I followed you on Instagram or whatever, but I didn't really know what was going on with Instagram, other than I was trying to support her. So I went, and afterwards, we chatted, and Brad was there, and I was like, oh, these people are fun. And you asked me, like, a whole bunch of questions. And it was, like, really interactive. And then after that, it was just like, we kept commenting on each other's posts and things like that, and the next thing I knew, you were asking me to be a teacher. And I was like, how did this even happen? You know what I mean? It was pretty interesting. But I love the classes, so I did sign up for OPC after that. But we have a ton of mat classes. We had a ton of that classes at my studio, but they were all 50 minutes long, and I was like, I just want a pinch of mat, but also because I could do it on my own, but if I do it on my own, then maybe I'll cheat a little here or there. And I love a good theme. I think we all know I love themes. I love writing descriptions for themes. Christine Kam-Lynch 26:40  Yeah, you have the best names, Rachel, you come up with the best names. Lesley Logan 26:44  At OPC, we know, it was like Katie Donnelly, and it might have been Christine who is like, when you hear OPC does anyone go, yeah, you know me. And we discovered that all of the members are kind of like elder millennial Gen Xers who just really love 90s hip hop. Then we, like, just really got into themes. And Rachel is definitely the go to because some people on the team don't really love naming things and coming up with themes. And it's like Rachel and Christine, the two of them will just come and Megan can just come up with themes. So just give them, give them to Mindi.Rachel Piper 27:14  I do. I send some of them to Mindi. I swear, still my favorite one that I ever came up with, and I still giggle out, is Hippy Ki-Yay Mat and Reformer. Yeah, they're, like, one of my favorite ones. Oh my gosh, we just need to, like, bring that back because. Lesley Logan 27:32  You should bring it back. Rachel Piper 27:33  It was an awesome theme. If anyone remembers the circle bands, we put the circle bands on our thighs, and we never took it off for class. And I was like, maybe don't use, like a heavy band, everyone.Christine Kam-Lynch 27:46  I did. I did not listen to you. I did and I regretted it. It's important.Lesley Logan 27:54  I do recall that. So Megan, I know how she won a year of OPC, if I recall our history together. I think the better question maybe is why did you stick around at OPC? Most people win things, and it's free, and they don't use it, but you used it. So what was it about OPC that made you go, this is my place, that I'm going to use this gift? Megan Lauman 28:18  Yeah, well, kind of similar to Mindi. I mean, when I originally found you was online with YouTube videos like teaching exercises, because I was a teacher in training, and I was like, how do I soak in more knowledge when I'm on a walk? How can I just learn while I'm walking or while I'm driving? I could just listen. And so that's how I found you. Loved the tutorials. And then one free year, I kind of like to go all in. Like, a lot of us Pilates people, we don't, like, we really just do it that's why we all have so much equipment, right? So, yeah, I went all in. I'm like, I'm not missing a class. I'm getting everything out of this that I could possibly get out of this.Lesley Logan 29:00  Like, the value of a year of OPC is, like, 1400 and something dollars. I'm telling you, you guys, Megan was at every live class she took every, now they're 45 minutes, and every 30 minutes, and how I got to know you is because of you asked all these questions and you participated in the community. I was like, yes, I'm so glad this person won, because you were the most deserving to win.Megan Lauman 29:21  The Form Feedback Fridays, I definitely took advantage of that, because the I was a new Pilates instructor, right? And so I'm looking at everyone, but have no one looking at me and so it was just such a huge bonus to have someone able to look at me and give some feedback.Lesley Logan 29:36  That's one of my favorite things that I wish people took advantage of more. And it's really funny, because I've had a couple people go, can I send my clients' videos in? And I'm like, no, because OPC is a safe place for your practice, and your practice the more curious you are, even if your body type is different than your clients, because all the teachers body types are so different, you're going to learn what you need to learn. And so the Form Feedback Fridays, you guys, it's really like, you send a video in if you're an OPC member, if you do an exercise, and then I can give feedback. And my goal is that we get so many of these that I have to hire the OPC teachers to help me. And so people are like, I don't want to take up her time, as if I don't know how to manage it, so take up my time OPC members and send it in, because it's one of the things that no other on demand platform does. No one does. Not a single fitness company out there makes sure, except for they're like, oh, put this suit on, and these little sensors will tell you you're doing it correctly or not. That's not actually how Pilates work. Your body is very different. So Megan, we love that you took full advantage of the favorite parts of OPC and all that you did. Yasmin, you've been with us for a long time, and you've been doing Pilates probably longer than all of us, maybe, maybe, maybe as long as Christine. What's your favorite part about OPC that makes you want to do it, and even wanted to teach about it? Yasmin Scholten 30:50  I would say I found you. You did this Struggle is Real with Andrea Maida and I love this, this Struggle is Real because, yeah, we all have these construction sites, I say, in our bodies, also we as a teacher, and I love to go through this. And this is the same with OPC, I would say. You gain more self-confidence in your body because you're following these teachers who also have these struggles in their bodies. And they give you approach of their method to help you with these struggles. And I really love this about OPC, and also I'm often really overwhelmed and over-stimulated with studio and being mom and family, and I don't want to scroll through hundreds of classes to find this for this day. I don't know what I need. I just want to move. Yeah. Lesley Logan 31:45  Yeah. Well, that was my goal. I used to ask people, why do you not use the membership that you have? And they were like, it's too many. It's like, Netflix. It's like, do you know for the fifth time, Brad and I are watching Schitt's Creek right now, it's not like there's not a new show out there. I know that there's a new season of White Lotus out, and I haven't even switched over because I'm still finishing the fifth round through Schitt's Creek, because you want to know what, I know where it is. I know how to find it, you know, like, so, you know, people were telling me they weren't using it, and I was like, how do I create something that people have accountability for, but also feels like you're at the studio, but doesn't have the distractions or the expenses of the studio, but also all that. So thank you for, thank you for sharing that. And we love, we love Pilates Andrea. Megan, you know, and this goes for, not that Christine and Mindi and I can't talk to what it's like to be busy, you have four kids, and you talked about how running was your thing. How do you prioritize, and you know, if you ask me, and Rachel want to jump in, as a busy mom of kids who need you, your practice, because it would be so easy for you to have an excuse to not.Megan Lauman 32:47  Oh, yeah. I should mention that two of my children have special needs as well, so there's a little bit more time consumed in them. My youngest is 12 and he has autism. He's nonverbal. He functions like an 18 month old, so he does require a lot of attention when he's around. So I do have the best partner in the world. My husband's amazing and we both believe that we need time for ourselves. And so we tag each other in. And of course, we do a lot of the work together, which makes it fun, but we do tag each other into and so having someone that knew what's important to me in making sure that I get that time is just really valuable. Yeah. So it started when my youngest was born and went with running, and it would just be like, maybe it was a nap time, and my husband was working from home, and I could get out for, you know, my first run was a mile and a half. I thought I was gonna die, right? And then I'm thinking back to when they got a little bit older, and I was doing Pilates, and I would just tell them all to work together, and I would turn on a video, and I'd find like a quiet space in the front room, which is now my Pilates studio, and my kids would be in the other room so I could hear what's going on. I knew that they were there, but I had my own space, and the kids would work together and give me, maybe it was 10 minutes, or maybe I got a whole hour that day, but I made it a priority. And you know, I'm thinking back to that time specifically. I would schedule that in in the morning, and they knew at nine o'clock, this is what mom was going to do. We set that expectation. And like I said, sometimes it was shorter than others, but scheduling and making sure I had that time for me.Lesley Logan 34:25  Yeah, thank you for sharing, because I think so many people take on that full responsibility, and maybe they don't have the same amazing partner we know, and we shout out to him. We love him. But also, I think sometimes people aren't asking for help either. We assume people will meet our needs without us verbalizing it as well. So I love that you guys tag in.Megan Lauman 34:46  You can live in this world where you're like, I don't ever get time for myself, and I realize you're not really winning any points for doing that. I have it worse than you isn't winning any points. So let's just make the best of it. And sometimes it's eight o'clock at night before I would get a workout in, but I knew I'd feel better and I'd sleep better if I did it, and sometimes just waking up early or fitting it in there in the day, but figuring out that time for you, I think, is very important. Lesley Logan 35:10  I love that. Rachel or Yasmin, do you have anything to add? Like, on how with kiddos? And I think, Yasmin, your kids are quite young still.Yasmin Scholten 35:20  Yeah, they are eight and 11 and yeah, they need mom a lot. I don't want to lie. It's sometimes hard, really, but they know since, since they are really small, this is a part of my life. So if I don't do Pilates, I get pain, I'm in bad mood, I get a lot of stress, so they know all. So I have also the best partner in the world, and he knows. Often he says, okay, go, go do your workout, and then we will do the rest. So yeah, it is really important to make yourself the priority. It's not easy. With all these we all have so much to do. The day is too short, I guess. So it is important to prioritize, because if not, I get pain, really, I get pain and a bad mood.Lesley Logan 36:17  Yeah, and I don't think people recognize that that pain and bad mood doesn't make you the mom or partner or coworker or friend or sister that you want to be. Then you end up spending time apologizing for being in a bad mood and being in pain and for what you said while you were in a bad mood and in pain, and that just wastes more time that you could spend with yourself. Yasmin Scholten 36:37  Yeah, that's true. Rachel Piper 36:38  The only thing that I have to add is I also have a 12 and a half year old, and he's also autistic, and he's got some other fun flavors going on, like ADHD, which kind of sends him flying off the walls. So finding time to just be in my own space where it's quiet is really, really important. And since I started when he was relatively young, I let him kind of play around with me, or next to me, and then from there, he just understood it's something I do. And now, as he's gotten older, for almost the last year, we've started doing an activity together. So we started taekwondo. If you look at my socials, we did rock climbing yesterday, and that was the first time I'd actually rock climb, but. Lesley Logan 37:21  So cool. Rachel Piper 37:22  He's done it like one other time, and we did it together, and he's very cool about that. He's not quite in the place where he wants to do Pilates with me, but we can do these other things together. And I just want people to know that even if it's 10 minutes or 15 minutes where you can just get on the mat, it helps you do everything else better. There's no way that I could do taekwondo the way that I do it, or just, okay, I'm just gonna scale this wall without training at all, without Pilates. Lesley Logan 37:52  Rachel, I couldn't agree more, because, like, I rock climbed with Brad a couple years ago. I was like, that'll be our hobby together. And to be honest, it's just not close enough to our house for either of us to be able to prioritize it. But, there's no way. There's not a part of me that is a rock climber, except for that I've really long legs, have me pretty strong and has flexibility in my hips. That kind of helps, but nothing else. If it wasn't for Pilates, I wouldn't know how to use my arm and my leg opposite at the same time. Yeah, for sure. But I just have this, are you the only adult in your taekwondo class? Is it all the kids? And like, is it an adult taekwondo class? Is it all the moms?Rachel Piper 38:27  No, it's actually a mix. And it's like the most inclusive place you could find, which is great. There are a ton of neurodivergent people. Lesley Logan 38:36  I love it. Rachel Piper 38:36  And we all take class together. So there are parents of adults, there's adults, there's kids that come on their own, and it's like a super safe place for Alex in this particular dojang, which has made him come out of his shell. So yesterday, he was like, leading me all over the place, like, okay, you do that one and I'll do the one right next to you for rock climbing. It's really helped him come out of his shell. cLesley Logan 38:58  I saw his smile. I saw his smile on something on your post. And I was like, I have not seen that kid smile so big. So it's really cool. Okay, this is, like, not even long enough. We could talk forever. But I want to go into two parts, Be It Action Items. We can't leave an episode without a Be It Action Item. And the thing that makes you actually take class on OPC, because here's the thing, guys, these are all teachers of OPC, except for Tami. We're missing her. They could so easily just film and take the money and run but I also know that they take each other's classes, so I would love to know why they actually do that, like what their favorite part about OPC is. So we'll go with Mindi and then Christine.Mindi Westfall 39:36  So for me, it's constantly learning, right? Learning from other teachers, I think is one of the most important things I can do for myself, teaching my clients, and then also for my own practice, because I learn something new every single time I take someone's class. So that's really important to me. So my Be It Action is actually from Lesley. So, in Agency, the business group, it's take messy action. But I also put that into my own practice, because not every single class, every single exercise, is ever going to be what you want it to be, and you have to take messy action in your own practice and be like, well, that was okay today, but I got to move or whatever it is, like, it doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to feel perfect. Movement is the most important part. And just do it. And no matter what it looks like, what it feels like, at least you're moving your body.Lesley Logan 40:39  I love that. I love how you applied that. Christine, favorite thing and a Be It Action Item. Christine Kam-Lynch 40:44  Similar to Mindi. I think, I think we're all relatively students of life, cannot stop learning. So, I actually love hearing the different cues from different teachers, because sometimes that, like, lands differently depending on the day with me. And sometimes I can actually take that and apply it to, you know, a client of mine, if my words are not working, it's like osmosis or something, that I can be like, oh, how about this? Will this work? That's really fun to try and experiment with. My Be It Action Item is I started treating movement like snacks throughout the day. And I think sometimes we we get tied to a time, like I have to work out 30 minutes, or it doesn't count, or I have to work out for an hour, it doesn't count. No, any amount of minutes that you can sprinkle throughout your day counts. And my mom has really embraced this. My mom, who is a not, not a mover, not an exerciser, she's like, does this count? Like, what are you doing mom?Lesley Logan 41:52  For everyone listening, Christine just lifted her arm and lowered it down. Technically, that would be under the movement category, yes. Is it gonna help her rock climb? Probably not today.Christine Kam-Lynch 42:06  So surprisingly enough, the homework I give my mom, who I didn't think was gonna take it seriously, actually took it seriously, and she does what she can remember for that week, and she just inserts throughout the day is kind of like my new thing, Lesley, like, if I can't get a workout in, just move a little bit here and there throughout the day. You'll feel better.Lesley Logan 42:30  I love it. Yasmin, your favorite thing about OPC, why you stick around, why you take classes and your Be It Action Item? Yasmin Scholten 42:36  I would say I will steal your mantra so we don't have to be perfect. The root is the goal not to be perfect in this moment and just do your workout, practicing with the teacher, and find confidence in your body. Lesley Logan 42:57  I love that Be It Action Item. What's your favorite thing about OPC, though? Yasmin Scholten 43:00  My favorite thing is to be not alone in my studio. So I have a home studio. I'm alone and there's a community for me. I can ask questions. They are wonderful teachers I get to know and I can ask whatever struggle. No question is a bad question or silly question. Lesley Logan 43:23  I love that you brought that up, because I think a lot of people work from home today, and so they're thinking, I need to go out and find something so I'm not in my house all the time, but then they don't have the time for the parking, or they can't afford the membership, or they can't get into classes, and so they could still have a community. Yeah, I thank you for sharing that part. Megan, your OPC favorite thing and Be It Action Item.Megan Lauman 43:45  Yes, definitely love the community. Certainly love learning. That's what brought me there in the first place. But I love how inclusive it is. Sometimes also I just listen to the workouts. Maybe I watch them more than once, but I listen to them while I'm driving a car. And I learn a lot from from everyone, but I what I mean by inclusive is we're not expecting everybody's body to do the same thing. And I think sometimes, if you're just watching an online platform, you're thinking, I have to look like this person who's demonstrating it. I like how all the teachers might say, oh, that rep didn't feel very good. And let's see if it's different this time. Or I felt my hips moved they aren't supposed to move right there, or we're just honest, real and inclusive. And I really do love that. It's inviting for everybody. Be It Item. I'd say, just find a way. Maybe it would be, find a way to do the thing to take a moment for that self-care, whatever that is, if it's five minutes, and maybe it is a mat and it's five minutes on the mat or getting out for a walk around the block or whatever it is, but finding a way. Lesley Logan 44:44  I love that. I love both those things. And thank you for saying that when I set out to create OPC, of course, I always thought of myself as an inclusive person, but I also could see where I alone can't be the whole reason we're inclusive. By the way, that takes the pressure off every single person listening. You alone cannot be for everyone ever, because we all have different life experiences. So we all have blind spots to experiences we don't have. And even if you are super thoughtful and kind and welcoming, it doesn't mean that every single person can see themselves. We just had a new member who was like, I was taking a Reformer class. It was just a little faster and I'm in a larger body, and I'm not sure I'm like, set out for this. And I was like, oh my God, hold on, when is Rachel's next class on the schedule? Okay? And also, I really do mean it when I say, don't do every exercise, you know. So I love that I can refer our new members to different teachers who either have similar body types or schedules or personalities. So yeah, thank you. Rachel, your favorite thing about OPC and Be It Action Item. Rachel Piper 45:56  I actually love it when I have the Work Out With Me list. Oh and I don't even care if just one person shows up to those, but it's just like this little extra community thing in general, because Yasmin said we're very community-oriented, and this is just like another way for us to be able to do it. So I know Megan's done one and we hope to get a few more out there. But everyone's already said kind of what I'm already thinking as well. But I just love hearing what people are doing with their themes. And so sometimes I'll just listen to it, but I'll tell you what, to me there's like nothing better than turning on the camera live as one of the teachers and playing someone else's workout and letting people, if they want to, just sit there and watch me do someone else's workout. Because I will change the workout if I need to. Lesley Logan 46:50  And I love that, because it does give our members, even though we say it and we all say it in a different way, gives people a permission like oh, Lori Watson, who's an honorary teacher of OPC, she has fusions and stenosis, so she changes every workout. But I, guess what, I know that she takes every single OPC workout and she just changes it. And there isn't a workout out there where one of us is going to have to alternate something, because our bodies are so different. So I love those workout, you guys, those are really fun that when she, Rachel, started them and you know that we have OPC members at Wednesdays at 8am Mountain Time, get together every single week, and they all hit play at the same time and take the same class, and then they hang out afterwards. And I just think that our community is so cool. Okay, you have a Be It Action Item. I think I cut you off. Rachel Piper 47:36  So don't show up for anyone else but you and do what you can do and then be happy about it. That's it. Lesley Logan 47:44  The simplest and hardest thing. I think anyone can do yeah, yeah. Lifelong journey. Ladies, okay, real quick. Well, I'll tell everyone you're in, we'll go through Instagram handles so people can find you, follow you, work with you. So Mindi, what's your favorite place on Instagram hangout. Mindi Westfall 48:01  It's Bendy Mindi Pilates. Lesley Logan 48:03  I love it. Rach, with an I, Mindi with an I. Rachel, what's your Instagram handle for people? Rachel Piper 48:11  size_diverse_pilates Lesley Logan 48:15  Love it. Christine, we know you don't like to hang out, but you do, you do have a dog who does. So where can, where can you be found?Christine Kam-Lynch 48:23  No, you can find me at pilates.bound, but if you really want to follow a really cute St. Bernard, it's rammus128.Lesley Logan 48:33  Yeah, yeah, we love Rammy. Megan, your Instagram handle?Megan Lauman 48:37  Instagram is megans_pilates. Lesley Logan 48:40  Megans Pilates. Yasmin?Yasmin Scholten 48:43  It's purapilates_yasmin. Lesley Logan 48:48  Yasmin, wonderful. And you guys, everyone can follow the OPC Instagram so you can follow me, but sometimes I don't talk about Pilates at all, and people like to tell me that I should, but this is my personal it's my personal Instagram, so I'm gonna tell whatever I want, but OPC.Pilates is the Instagram handle for OPC and Tami, we miss you. We'll have you share all your favorite things with the Be It people soon, but I wanted to have everyone on because I think when you think about OPC, it's easy to like think, oh, it's me and these other teachers, but really it's all of us, right? And while I started it, it certainly was never intended to be about me. It was actually a bit more to be about the community. And so every single one of these teachers was in the community first, because I get people all the time are like, how do I teach for your platform? And I'm like, oh, are you a member? Probably not, since I don't know. And so the the teachers were in the community first. And it's about the community and our live monthly classes, our Work Out With Me, the Form Feedback Fridays, all of that is for the community, because we actually grow together. We as teachers, grow because of the questions that our members ask. The members get stronger because our classes are based around their questions, and we all benefit from the accountability and the community that exists. So I hope that if you're all intrigued by any of these ladies and why they got into Pilates and why they do OPC, I hope you join us in our favorite place. And so if you just go to onlinepilatesclasses.com you can, you can join us 40 days for $40. Please share this episode with a friend who's been wanting to do Pilates but they thought it was too expensive. OPC can be part of your Pilates journey that you do at home and you go to a studio. It could be your only way of accessing Pilates, but we always have something for you no matter what you have access to, because you could be a mat rat like most of us. Until next time everyone, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 50:35  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 51:18  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 51:23  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 51:27  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 51:34  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 51:38  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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