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Dear Chocolover,
I have never been particularly athletic. Over the years, I became what I like to call a gym sponsor: someone who faithfully pays for the membership and never goes.
Then, in 2021, I found Pilates. For the first time in my life, I fell in love with a physical practice, and I stayed. I found a beautiful little boutique studio full of wonderful people, and somewhere along the way, I completed more than 500 classes.
About a year ago, the studio began to change. At the same time, I was moving through a complicated season of my own. Little by little, my enthusiasm faded, until one day I simply stopped going.
I told myself I would practice at home. But my schedule kept winning, and exercise found less and less room in my days.
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to choose myself again.
I joined a studio close to home. Nothing fancy, a little more cookie-cutter than what I was used to. I signed up for three months and made myself a promise: at least four classes a week, no matter the class, no matter the instructor. A less-than-perfect class, I reminded myself, is still better than an empty mat.
Last week, I took an early class with a young instructor named Elena. She seemed a little shy. Her voice was soft, her presence quiet. Without realizing it, I decided she probably didn't have much experience.
I wasn't expecting much.
But as the class unfolded, I began to see how much she cared. She watched every posture closely. She corrected us with patience and stayed beside us until we found the movement.
And when you finally found it, something happened.
"YES!"
Loud. Joyful. Full of light. It filled the whole room, and for one brief moment, you felt as if you had become Pilates itself.
What a gift.
Her class was challenging, too. I walked out impressed, and a little humbled by how quickly I had made up my mind about her.
How often do we judge a book by its cover? How often do our assumptions quietly turn into facts? And how much room do we really leave for someone to surprise us?
That morning, Elena gave me more than a good class. She reminded me to stay curious about people. To slow down before deciding who someone is, or what they might have to offer.
Today, I invite you to look around. Who in your life is waiting to be truly seen? Whose gifts have you not yet made room for? Give them that chance.
You may be wonderfully surprised.
With love,
Alejandra
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