We recently connected with Jon Fischer and have shared our conversation below.
Jon, thank you so much for joining us today and appreciate you talking about a sensitive topic. It’s unfortunately relevant to so many in the community as layoffs have been on the rise recently, and so we’d appreciate hearing your story and how you overcame being let go?
Of course, I’d love to share my story. It all started back in 2013 when I changed careers. I went from working in politics to becoming a board-certified Health & Wellness Coach for men in the LGBTQ+ community.
I became a board-certified Health & Wellness Coach for men in the LGBTQ+ community in 2013.
Since then I’ve worked at two wellness schools while building my business on the side. For many years I saw clients and hosted body-positive classes in NYC after work and on weekends.
In 2022, I was working as a Student Support Manager at a school while planning my first international retreat in Portugal called Camp Bear Hug. I planned it for over a year, I took time off from work, and I was ready for the experience.
Well, 1 week before leaving my role was “terminated.” I was shocked. I had never been fired from a job before.
How did I get over it? At first I let my emotions pass through me. I felt anger, I felt embarrassment, I felt resentment. I felt my feelings. It was messy and stressful – so much so that I got Covid for the first time.
After that, I tried to view it as a test and as a gift. I was now was sick and had no work the week before I was due to leave. It forced me to stay home and go inward to reflect on what I was about to do. I was able to ground myself.
I went on to Portugal to run a life-changing retreat. And I was free of the “return-to-work” anxiety I would have otherwise felt. I was able to brainstorm and consider scaling my business – to use the time I was spending at my 9 to 5 on my own work.
I went on to run two more retreats in 2023, and now have a fully-formed retreat company.
The firing was the nudge I needed. I always wanted to work for myself. And after the experience with my last job, it motivated me to never work in a toxic environment again.
It’s been a journey. It’s taken a lot of work and a lot of support from friends and colleagues. But now looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me.
You can learn more about me and my retreats at coachcub.com.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a coach who works with folks who want to accept and embrace their bodies through small, sustainable steps. I work 1:1 with clients, I host classes like gentle yoga and cuddle piles in NYC, and I run retreats (they’re like summer camp for big men).
Community and fun are at the heart of my mission. I love helping people heal and grow while making life-long friends and having fun, meaningful experiences.
You can learn about me and my up-coming Food Tour in New Orleans and Summer Camps in Portugal at coachcub.com.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Being gentle with myself. I’ve learned over the years to re-parent myself. To show up as the adult when my inner child is anxious and scared. 2. Accepting myself as I am. With all the therapy and inner work I’ve done for 15+ years I’ve come to terms with who I am. I appreciate and celebrate my gifts, I lean into my awkwardness, and I accept my limitations.
3. Asking for help. Knowing that I am strong but that at times I need help. I need someone to listen and mirror back to me. Or I just need a hug. It’s a show of strength to ask for help when needed.
My advice is to take it one day at a time. Go slow. And listen to your body – and rest when you need to. And don’t forget to find the humor in things.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Good question. First off, I check in with myself. I know how it feels in my body to feel overwhelmed, and I tune into how it feels.
From that place, I go inward first, I find small things to do during a busy day to help myself reset and feel grounded. I have a yoga mat in my office and I will lay on it with an eye mask on and set a timer for 10 minutes. I allow myself to do nothing. And within that time my emotions and brain chemicals begin to settle.
I also look outward for support from a friend or a good laugh. It helps to gain the perspective that what I’m feeling will pass and it’s not too serious. I find that when I laugh it sends a message to my body that all is ok.
Lastly, I get everything out of my head. I like to journal and then write a to-do list. That way it’s not taking up energy in my brain.
It’s all easier said than done. So allow yourself to not be perfect, and try to not judge your emotions.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coachcub.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coach.cub/
