We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristine Olson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristine below.
Hi Kristine, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My “life” generosity comes from my parents who have shown me that kindness is an unending, generous gift that can be given to any person, creature or environment.
Participating in a bigger cause is another act of generosity they have shared with me. Being in the service of helping others, whether they are people, creatures or environment, is something both of my parents do in their own ways and their service is inspirational to me.
My “professional” generosity is inspired by all of my teachers at The Pilates Center of Boulder, CO. Each one of them generously shares their knowledge of the body and the Pilates Method as well as how to be a curious, engaged, & creative teacher by meeting and honoring people as they are and where they are on their journey.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a lifelong student of movement, and have always loved to watch things move. I am fascinated by how and where the power of movement comes from and where it goes when put into action. It inspires me to learn more about how I am made to move and how I move in my own body.
This love for movement was instilled in me by my mom. She grew up in a time when sports were “for boys” but she participated anyway. She showed me how a walk can be an opportunity to observe; how a frozen lake can be a canvas for the blades of my ice skates; how climbing a tree can change my confidence, and how pushing a wheelbarrow, in any kind of weather, can be a practice.
As I pursued my love for movement in college, I came across Pilates and was immediately fascinated. How could I move my body in so many ways and not do this thing called Pilates? I was excited by the challenge and I wanted to know more.
After receiving my degree, I was unclear about what was next for me until I found The Pilates Center of Boulder, Colorado. It was there, as a student of the Advanced Teacher Training Program, that I found my calling; to teach movement. Over the last 15 years, I have taken that foundation and built a career honing my skills and developing systems to help make people stronger.
What is special and exciting about what I do is that I offer an inclusive approach to the Pilates Method; meaning there are no barriers up against age, gender or ability. You can be 18 or 80 and come in as you are, with or without prior Pilates experience, and I meet you as you are.
My approach to the Pilates Method is not about looking a certain way or achieving “thinner thighs in 30 days.” Instead, it’s about building strength to feel good in your body; to exist in your body in a way that makes you feel powerful and capable of living your life. Consider me to be your guide & your cheerleader.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
One of my most highlighted, underlined, and starred quotes from Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book “Return to Life” is “Remember, too, that “Rome was not built in a day,” and that PATIENCE and PERSISTENCE are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.”
Everything we do in every area of our lives is a process. When we think we’ve “figured it out,” something or someone inevitably comes in and says “think again.” Because nothing happens immediately, in the manner we want it to, all things are a process and process requires patience and persistence.
In addition to patience and persistence, a third quality or skill that has been most impactful on my journey is humility.
When I first started teaching, I was very nervous because every client I encountered had some kind of physical roadblock and I often didn’t know what to do to help them. I felt pressured to have all of the answers and solve all of their physical problems. Of course I didn’t and I still don’t.
What carried me through these moments of doubt was leaning on my education from The Pilates Center and the drive to continue learning on my own which I did by attending workshops and symposiums and reading books about anatomy, ideokinesis and developmental movement.
The biggest take away from that time period was learning that it’s okay to say “I don’t know.” Saying “I don’t know” gives me the opportunity to be vulnerable and open; to be curious and creative to try something else; to learn something new.
So even now, 15 years into my teaching journey, when I say “I don’t know” it is often followed by “what if we try this?” This approach leads me to an amazing learning opportunity with my client because they participate in my creative process. They have the chance to give me feedback as to whether or not the solution works for them. If it works, we keep playing with it and refining it. If it doesn’t work, I continue to try to find a solution that does. Our work then becomes a mutual teaching opportunity, a conversation; we are learning together.
While saying “I don’t know” can be extremely difficult to do, if you are willing to be vulnerable, you may be rewarded with a chance to expand your knowledge and experience.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The number one challenge I am currently facing is being an entrepreneur. Since beginning my teaching career, I have always worked for someone else either as an independent contractor or employee. That all changed during the pandemic when we “temporarily” left NYC for Vermont thinking we’d only be gone “a few months.” A few months will soon be 4 years.
While people have heard of Pilates in my area, many still don’t know what it is. Being in a rural area of a rural state, I am one of three people in the entire county who teaches Pilates. My challenge to expose people to this transformative work and carve out a living was born out of necessity.
This incredible endeavor is riddled with “I don’t know” which has thrust me into being vulnerable and seeking help. It has connected me with people and resources in my area giving me community in a way I wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
Yet again I am a beginner and I feel the same similar pressures of needing to have “all the answers.” But in these moments of high anxiety, I step away and either go on a walk or do Pilates. I come back later or the next day and chip away at the items on my “to do” list with patience, persistence and humility.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.centerpointpilatesnek.com
- Facebook: Centerpoint Pilates
