Letting go of T.O.

I never envisioned myself leaving Toronto. But, when the pandemic hit, I knew I needed a change. I recognized the city was changing and so were my needs. I was getting older and craved more space and a place to call home. Over three years later, and I am so grateful to be close to family, seeing them whenever I want, and visiting my grandma often.

I’ve always known I wanted to work for myself. Whether that be because I was inspired by my dad’s entrepreneurial spirit, or because I don’t always like to follow the rules, it was something that happened naturally. I enjoy having different streams of income where I can utilize my skills in different ways and reach more people in my community. Once I felt comfortable re-entering into in-person settings post-pandemic, I was happy to rejoin The Toronto Barre Collective (BCTO) team, and come into Toronto on Mondays to teach.

The BCTO community is hands down the best fitness community I’ve ever experienced in Toronto. Not only is it a clean and beautiful facility with highly trained staff and an amazing leader, but it is the most welcoming and friendly community to move with. People genuinely care about the other people in the room, making it a safe space whether you come every day or are showing up for your first class.

As of April 1st, I decided to step away from this community to focus on the growth of my own business. It has been a steady climb the last few years once I got into a groove during the pandemic. There was so much ongoing change that it was nice to just work at a steady pace the last few years and continue to nourish the community I already had in front of me. But, I’ve realized that I’m not the type of person to be satisfied with the status quo for very long, and I’ve set some big goals for myself for the coming months and years.

Being a single woman running your own business, there is a lot of risk. When I take a trip (and we all know I enjoy traveling), I don’t have paid vacation. Now that I’m not going into the city on Mondays, I need to make up that money in other ways. But, I’m excited to really sit down and give myself the creative space I need to continue to thrive. I’m not someone that enjoys not knowing what the future holds. But, I do know that although I had to let go of my Toronto classes, I can now put my full energy into the dreams and plans that have never gotten out of my head and onto paper. 

Thank you all so much for being the most supportive community I could ask for. You make what I do never feel like work. I can’t imagine doing anything else in my life. There’s no place I’d rather be.

Yours in self-discovery,

Rachel