Megan Greene Pilates

The most important and significant relationship you will ever experience, is the one you have with yourself.
And like most relationships, it requires trust.

This is the tricky part.

Inevitably, we break this trust. We let ourself down. We lose faith in our dreams.

How can we repair?

Sustain your scars.

Cultivate a grateful heart.

Bring awareness to what you have endured.

Find pride in all you have accomplished.

Trust this moment. Trust yourself.

Check your effort!

Not getting the results you want? Hitting a plateau? Ready to give up?

There are a million things that a personal trainer or nutritionist or fitness influencer might suggest you need to do. Keto, macros, heavy weights, more steps, HIIT cardio, boot camp ….. what did I miss?

I am here to tell you something totally radical.

IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER.

I have completed at least 20 different workout programs. I have gotten results from all of them.

Because I put in the effort.

And I am not talking about going through the motions. We all know what that means.

I am talking about waking up early.
I am talking about getting uncomfortable.
I am talking about showing up no matter how inconvenient it is.
I am talking about the goals in my mind.

If you aren’t, then the answer is clear.

Check your effort.

Want to know the craziest thing I have done in a really long time?

Love my body.

On a superficial level …. I work hard for this!!
As a 43 year old woman, it is not as easy as it once was. I bust my butt. I am consistent. And I am proud of that.

On a different level…. I am indebted to my body. It has showed up for me. It is strong. It is resilient. It doesn’t give up. It is willing to learn. And I am proud of that.

On a final level….I am in awe of my body. It birthed 2 babies!!! It ran countless miles. It endured my carelessness. It withstood my doubt. It weathered storms. Time after time it has carried me.

And I am proud of that.

Ebb, Flow. Recede, Advance. Come, Go. Ease, Crash.

Lately, my thoughts have been drawn to the idea of Karma.

Very simply, our actions produce outcomes. These outcomes, both good and bad, ripple out into the world.

Obviously, we want our contribution to be positive.
But, we all have an off day… right?

That’s why I have been really inspired, lately, by the words MOMENTUM and FLOW.

Momentum is the opportunity to reshape our Karma. It is taking a look at habits and tendencies and pausing. Is this the direction I really want to go? Is this impulse worth the outcome?

Flow is tapping into vitality. It is choosing the direction that feels lighter. It is starting from where we are. It is the wave.

You are bigger than yesterday. You are bigger than your past mistakes. You are changing. You are vast.

Like the ocean.

My favorite planner:


My favorite notepads:

🔸 Hot water, lemon & sea salt, first thing in the morning, can increase your metabolic rate by 30%. This simple jumpstart wakes up the powerhouse of your cells - Mitochondria.

🔸Another kickstart? Walking or running first thing in the morning. Not only will this rev up your metabolism, it will keep it elevated all day.

🔸No surprise, lifting weights increases your metabolic rate! But did you know that as you continue to build muscle, you also increase your ability to burn fat? Added bonus, your body will continue to burn calories even after the lifting session is over

🔸Medium-chain triglycerides or MCT have been shown to enhance exercise endurance and increase thermogenesis by 50%. Quite literally making you a fat burning machine!

🔸We hear a lot about fermented food for gut bacteria, but did you know that your dark leafy greens might be even better? Why? Because they provide a base layer for the gut bacteria to nestle. Weird, but true!

Read a quote the other day, and man it stuck.

➡️swipe to see

I talk a lot in these squares about preserving your peace. Finding ways to quiet the mind. Zeroing in and returning to your purpose. Recognizing the joy in each moment.

These things are so important to me.

But another thing that is important to me is busting my butt. Working hard. Pushing.

I need the contrast. I need the solace plus the strength.
I need progress.

And progress doesn’t happen in the comfort zone.

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𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥.⁣
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In the past week, how many times have you used this phrase, or others like it? I am stressed, I am worried, I am anxious, I am scared, I am exhausted. Sometimes these words just tumble out. But what if I told you, that you aren’t any of these things?⁣
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You are simply human. And you are simply experiencing emotions.⁣
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I have spent a lot of time this year experiencing Stress. For the first time, in a long time, I have felt caught in a negative cycle. I know it will end, I know I will get through it, but nonetheless it has been wearing on me.⁣
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One thing I have learned about myself, is that it doesn’t help to push things aside. Keeping your chin up, only gets you so far. But at the same time “leaning in”, 𝘢 𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥, doesn’t seem helpful either. So, I have developed a new strategy. I refer to it as “Standing in Solidarity.” It is the middle road. I am not pushing away, nor leaning in. I am standing with the emotion.⁣
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𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨! 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘰:)

Grounding.

There is no need to change how you are in this moment.

This is your chance to just stay.

Dim the light.

Release expectations.

Begin to soften.

#

New video up on my YouTube channel!
Give it a try!

Bonus Burn 1 A compact, 10 minute class, utilizing the classical Pilates method. Efficient and Fiery!

You are already Succeeding.⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦,⁣
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥⁣
𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯,⁣
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺,⁣
𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳⁣
𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.⁣
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-𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳⁣
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2024. A new day, a new week, a new month, a new year. What significance does this hold for you?⁣
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You may feel the urge to change. You may feel inspired to grow. You may feel called to begin again. It is easy to feel the pull of many voices. But which is your own?⁣
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Over the years the external pull has grown weaker for me. In its place, a deeper alignment with my inner voice. And this voice isn’t asking me to change.⁣
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If I could offer just one message, on this auspicious day..... focus on all the things you are already succeeding at. The things the light you up. Bring you joy. Make life magical. This holds the power and momentum you will need in 2024.⁣
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#2024

Joy to the world!⁣
Let Hope sustain you.⁣
Extend Peace to every person you meet.⁣
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There is no telling what miracles lie ahead.⁣
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The most transformative moments in my life, have come as a complete surprise.⁣
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I could never have planned any of them. ⁣
Many times I was caught off guard…. and not in a good way.⁣
I faltered under the pressure of the way I thought things “ought to be.”⁣
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The funny thing, I can’t imagine things ending up any better.⁣
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Now, I can trust the work that I have done.⁣
It has lead me to exactly where I need to be.⁣
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📷2020⁣
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Force doesn’t work.⁣
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Meet yourself with tenderness.⁣
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Sink into this moment. ⁣
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Honor your limits.⁣
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Never cling.⁣
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Look into your own heart. ⁣
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Be patient. ⁣
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What you want, is already there.⁣
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Grateful⁣
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One 6, one 8 - for the Love⁣
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Passions, Dreams, Talents - for the Purpose⁣
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Challenge, Pain, Loss - for the Wisdom⁣
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Presence, Discipline, Effort - for the Peace.⁣
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Count your blessings.⁣
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Creating a Running Practice - wrote all about it over on my blog….. motivatedbymegan.com⁣
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Running is a very interesting form of exercise. It is equally beloved and despised. I have been on both sides. I have definitely experienced the runners high. I have made lifelong friends along the course. I have tested my body, and won a number of times. But I have lost even more times. I have experienced pain, both physically and mentally. I have dreaded it.⁣
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But each time I come back to it, I feel a renewed connection. I feel empowered. I feel strong.⁣
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I want you to feel this too.⁣
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READ MORE : link in my bio :)⁣
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Live in the light.⁣
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We are creeping towards that point in the year, where it feels like we are spending most of the day in the dark. ⁣
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Wake up in the shadows, rush through the day, and as we return home the light is waning once again.⁣
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If you don’t make an effort, you will be spending most of the winter this way. ⁣
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Not me.⁣
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Every morning this week, I woke up with the sun. I witnessed the miraculous unfolding.⁣
Colors creeping in and soon strewn across the sky. Heartbeat. Silence. Peace.⁣
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Wake up early. It’s better to live in the light.⁣
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4 Sundays ago. It was the first race I seriously trained for in my quite some time.⁣
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About halfway into my running program, I felt like I needed a goal. I wanted to run with purpose. I decided to look up the race results from last year, and see how fast I would need to run to place in my age group. ⁣
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I was shocked to see how fast the mile splits were! There was a 61 year old woman who ran 6:30 pace for the entire half marathon! Woah!⁣
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7:50 was the pace I determined I would need to run, which was much faster than what I had been training at.⁣
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I pushed myself. By race day I was averaging right around 8:00 for my long runs.⁣
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Could I do it? ⁣
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I finished the race really pleased. 7:40 pace. ⁣
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I walked over to the results tent shortly after the run and gave the woman my number. ⁣
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4th in my age group. I missed it by 1.⁣
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Had I run last year, my time would have gotten me 2nd in that age group. ⁣
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But guess what….. you never know.⁣
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Life is like that. It is full of surprises.⁣
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I am not disappointed. Soon I will have another race.⁣
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and you never know….⁣
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The portal to every next level is through the parts of yourself that you avoid.⁣
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There are 62 more days in 2023. ⁣
62 more, not 62 left.⁣
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Plenty of time for an uplevel.⁣
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Living your Truth.⁣
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Before Devin and Leo were born, I envisioned myself as a certain kind of parent. I imagined what I would teach them and the values I wanted to instill. Upon having kids, I quickly realized that I would actually be the student.⁣
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My teachers have taught many lessons, but mostly, they have kept me honest.⁣
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They have helped me realize, that the life I choose to lead, will directly impact the life that they create for themselves. How I talk about myself, how I treat others, how I approach setbacks, how I manage my emotions - do I live truthfully?⁣
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I am still working on this. But one thing I know for sure:⁣
when we live in a place of truth, it means we are available to be truthful with other people.⁣
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From there, things open. There is spaciousness. There is room for it all.⁣
We can be free.⁣
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Flashback Friday, and totally feeling the darker locks! Might make a comeback this fall…..⁣
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It feels kind of amazing to look back on pictures and feel proud about the experience I now have under my belt. And it doesn’t even matter if it was hard fought, because there is a wisdom that wasn’t there before.⁣
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Each year I feel myself becoming less afraid. Less afraid to speak my mind. To assert myself. To be vulnerable. To be honest. To laugh unabashedly. To honor my peace. To take care of myself. To love myself. ⁣
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I am no longer shrinking down.⁣
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I am growing. Each day moving the needle forward in any way I can. ⁣
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I wouldn’t yet say fearless. But I am getting closer.⁣
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What is the quality of the thoughts you have been thinking lately?⁣
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What direction are they taking you?⁣
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Do your thoughts move you forward? Do they move you backward? Or do they keep you the same?⁣
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Lately, the word GROWTH has been on my mind. And a subtle momentum is starting to build. ⁣
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Fall 2023 Vibe: Building Momentum Towards Growth.⁣
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Who’s with me?!⁣
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This is the 9th summer that I got to spend home with my kids. No plans, no camps, just 10 weeks laid out before us.⁣
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Each summer I learn more about my children. I notice how they have changed and grown. I marvel at the unique personalities that are emerging. ⁣
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And each year I observe the one thing that remains the same. ⁣
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Their love for each other. ⁣
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I remember the day that I found out I was pregnant with Leo. I was holding Devin, she was still a little baby. I immediately felt scared that it was too soon for another baby. I hadn’t had enough time with Devin. Would she think I didn’t love her? Would she feel neglected?⁣
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A few weeks later we had an appointment at the pediatrician, and I expressed these concerns. He told me that because Devin was so young, that cognitively, she wouldn’t remember life without her brother. ⁣
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This made me sad, but also set my mind at ease. ⁣
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The doctor was right. It’s like it has always been this way….the two of them.⁣
From the moment Leo was born, Devin called him “our” baby. And so it was. ⁣
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Of course, they have their arguments. But the connection runs so deep. Friends, playmates, allies, confidants, supporters, defenders, consolers, partners…. in crime.⁣
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Summer has come to an end. I am comforted by the fact that they get to move into this new season of life side by side. ⁣
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And I am so fiercely proud. ⁣
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Fall in….⁣
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This is my favorite time of the year and also the busiest! Back to school vibes are in full swing in the Greene household. Each of us (Mom, Dad, Devin and Leo) are headed back to school. This is my 17th year of teaching, so you would think I would be a pro by now. Think again! I have a mile long to-do list, along with pipe-dreams of mega-organization.⁣
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During the busy season, things get lost in translation. And, 99% of the time, the things we don’t feel like you have time for are the things that we actually NEED to be doing.⁣
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Time for a mindset shift:⁣
I can’t fit that in this week ---------> I need to fit that in this week⁣
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Instead of pulling away, it's time to jump in. ⁣
Staying healthy through physical movement does so much more than burn calories.⁣
It reduces stress, helps you sleep, builds mental toughness, reduces fatigue, creates a sense of grounding, improves creativity and gives you more confidence. And that is the short list.⁣
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Let's do it together! Join me for the Fall 2023 PIlates session. Not only will it provide you with a perfect Saturday morning routine, you will also have access to a library of over 100 Pilates classes that you can do at any time.⁣
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Another option? Join my BODi community! This was the summer of Barre for many of us, but the options are endless! Let me help you come up with the perfect plan. Something that works with your schedule and that you look forward to each day. ⁣
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Are you ready to jump in?⁣
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Do you feel balanced?⁣
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On one leg…. Yes! But what about all the other areas in life.⁣
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Emotional, spiritual, mental, social, financial, occupational, environmental.⁣
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Many of us place a lot of focus on our physical well-being, but what about all of the other spheres connected to your being?⁣
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Recently I have been worked on creating more awareness around noticing when I feel off.⁣
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Sometimes it’s easy to decipher. Not enough sleep, not enough water, too much time on screens, etc.⁣
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But other times, what I am craving is something more subtle. Silence, Nature, Time, Sun, reading a book in a hot bath.⁣
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I challenge you to do the same. What do you need? Check in at every level. Tap in to your inner steadiness.⁣
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“Someday you will look back on this time….”⁣
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Fill in the blank. ⁣
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Over the years I have worked so hard on cultivating my presence. Being in the moment. ⁣
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I have learned that worrying won’t change the outcome.⁣
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I have learned that regret is a waste of energy.⁣
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I have learned that I don’t need anyone’s approval.⁣
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But the thing I never expected, was that I would look back, and appreciate the moments that were really really hard.⁣
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I navigated these moments. I figured them out. Often, when I was really scared.⁣
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The hard will ebb and flow. ⁣
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And so will you.⁣
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All you need is Love and the Beach!

My workouts have looked a little different this summer. The other day for example, I really wanted to go for a run, but wasn’t sure how I would fit it in. I decided to saddle up the kids on their bikes and have them peddle along side of me. A very risky endeavor. ⁣
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Photo documentation above from my daughter, as she shouted, “pick up the pace.” 😂 ⁣
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But honestly, it was fun. ⁣
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My point - if you really want to do something you will find a way.⁣
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If there is a will, there is a way!⁣
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Today, as I swam with my kids, a breeze scattered dozens of little yellow leaves across the surface of the pool.⁣
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It was so beautiful, but also felt sad. Is summer over?⁣
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I started to think about all the things that I still wanted to do, projects I never got to, places I never went.⁣
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Why do we do this? Why do we beat ourselves up?⁣
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Life is not that complicated. We make it hard.⁣
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That moment, judging a diving contest, leaves blowing ….. was perfect.⁣
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Let’s spend more time being where we are. ⁣
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It’s exactly where we are suppose to be.⁣
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At the onset of each seasonal transition I feel a deep sense of awakening. Spring, in particular, offers an exceptionally vibrant one. The light, fresh, airy energy is a sharp contrast against the slow drift of winter.⁣
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Over the past few days I have felt that excited energy. But there has been an even greater pull towards the idea of unwinding.⁣
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Do you feel that?⁣
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For me, much of the past year has felt like a tensing and bracing. A steady stream of unimaginable things happening in the world. ⁣
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Unwinding to me is making space around all of the emotion…..the best way I know how.⁣
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Taking care.⁣
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Being of service.⁣
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Letting go of the inner struggle.⁣
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Deep Rest.⁣
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Listening.⁣
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= Awakening⁣
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What about you?⁣
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