十年，人生的里程碑

今年入行第十個年頭。相較於現在的穩定期，穩定的課堂數，自己的時間也多，可以多學習些非運動相關自己有興趣的事情（最近研究起植栽了起來）。想想以前的時光，真的好多人生的學習，如果人生是本書，我的書應該是辭海。

我入行很早，大學時就在三不五時的兼差教課，當時的心情只是打工賺零用，輔大英文系的功課真的很重，在經濟跟學業報告吃緊的情況下，當時的兼差就是以教英文和運動為主，時間也比較好調配，寫完報告出去教課，動一動心情也比較好。

畢了業之後，我不知道自己想要什麼，就像大部分的畢業生一樣。試著留在補習班繼續教英文，但對英語教學的熱誠又不大。試著去當上班族，這大概是我人生最壞的決定。我很習慣作事情專心高效率，當我事情全做完卻要坐在辦公桌前發呆，假裝加班演給老闆看，真的不是我作事爽快的個性能夠生存的空間。

我不知道自己何去何從。於是辭了工作，想著下一步要作什麼。當時我的想法還覺得，其實我滿喜歡教運動的，但教運動的生涯壽命會不會太短？萬一我一個膝蓋受傷，萬一我一個車禍要在家休養，那我的生涯不是就結束了？

感謝我衝動的個性跟傻勁，每每我開始在鬼打牆許多的萬一跟問號時，我的小天使都會開始賞我巴掌要我試試看就對了，不要假設那麼多的萬一。由於我並非體育人，一開始業界沒有太多的連結可以牽線找課，看著戶頭不到三萬的存款，心理想著，沒課就自己招生阿！中間有著許多貴人的幫忙，於是就倉促的成立了間工作室。

不知不覺也第六年了。草創期時，騎腳踏車印課表挨家挨戶的投信箱宣傳，到現在學生會幫忙推薦學生來上課。從我一開始的想法只是單純的提供一個運動空間，到現在會有特殊族群病患來做運動治療。從一開始只是雙和區的學員會來運動就很阿彌陀佛了，到現在桃園台中甚至是旅居國外的朋友會特別北上回來上課。從一開始想說房租跟自己鐘點夠了就好，到現在教室可以有固定的師資群讓課程更豐富。從親友一開始不看好，到現在大家會問我什麼時候要搬更大的教室？當然一路也不會那麼順遂，一路吃了不少虧。記得當下發生時我的情緒起伏很大，現在回頭看都是人生幾門很重要的課。

轉成全職運動業時，其實我中間還有一度時期的茫然。困擾我的點是，那我大學四年幾乎每晚報告都寫到半夜，是瞎忙一場的意思嗎？那張我的血汗交織的畢業證書，都無英雄用武之地嗎？這一定是吸引力法則，老天看到我當年報告交的很用力，一定要好好的使用它，於是乎我開始有了出版作品的機會，後續也開始受邀一些運動專欄版面寫寫文章或是演講。任何有關語言的技能，似乎也都回到我的生涯軌道上。

十年，每次身邊朋友問我做對了些什麼可以讓我可以有這樣的人生，我真的想不出來我做對了什麼，但我很肯定的是我一直作自己，當你夠正向夠樂觀，並且不害怕改變時，我相信全世界都會幫忙你。心存善念，保持謙虛，就算你只有小小的力量，也要慷慨的幫助身邊的人事物。

I have reached the 10-year milestone in my fitness career. I have had my ups and downs but thankfully I have reached a stage where things are finally stable, both in my personal life and in my work life. I can now explore new avenues of interest that I have always been interested in but just never had time to do like branching out into growing my own herbs and vegetables at home, pardon the pun hehe. Looking back over my years I have learned so many things and had countless opportunities to grow and change, if my life were a book I think it would be an epic novel by now.

I had an early start to my career, beginning my teaching in my junior year of college. At the time I was studying English literature at Fu-Jen University, which you may know is a hell of a lot of work. We had to turn in so many reports each week. The flexibility of teaching allowed me to both do my reports and teach Yoga/Pilates every day without taking all of my time.

After graduation I didn't know what I wanted. I tried to work in cram schools teaching English but I didn't have the passion to teach English. I also tried to work in an office but that was the worst idea for me. I like to work fast and get stuff done efficiently so when I was expected to stay behind after work or work slowly just to fill the time I became extremely frustrated with it.

I had no idea what to do with my life so I quit my jobs and decided to think harder about what I truly wanted to do. I loved the fitness/health industry but was worried about getting injured or getting in a car accident that might put an end to my career, I was so confused. Thank goodness I act fast and sometimes impulsively because the voice in my head gave me a slap and said “try doing what you love, don't worry so much about the ‘what if’ question”, like the Nike slogan “just do it!” I didn't know how to start doing it though and didn't have any connections in this market. Seeing my bank account, which was getting smaller each day, I decided that I should just do it and start my own studio.

In the beginning I jumped on my bicycle and rode around door to door giving people flyers to advertise my studio, it was hard work. All I wanted to do was to have a space for people to come and work out. But now I have students coming to my studio for rehabilitation work and see me as someone who can genuinely help them on the path to health and wellness. When I started, my clientele where all people who lived around my area in Zhonghe, but now I have students from all over Taipei and surrounding areas as well as people who live overseas who come back to Taipei for holiday and have some sessions with me.

When I started, I just made enough money to cover my rent and food. Now I have grown Lavender studio into a place where I have a wide variety of teachers cooperating with me who also share my love of fitness and can provide different styles of teaching. We have become a family together. When I started, there where many people who did not have any faith in me and thought I was making a huge mistake by having my own business. Now, they ask me when am I going to move into a bigger studio and expand my business.

When I began this venture things were not smooth sailing and many people tried to take advantage of me. I was young and innocent and didn't understand how business worked. Now I have learned a great many lessons about life, people, and business and continue to grow and learn each and every day.

I have had many times when I was confused about my career choice because I had studied an English major and thought that I had wasted four years of my life on something that I would never use. It turns out that actually I have made use of my language skills as well as my English abilities on many occasions. I have used it to write several books, write columns for magazines, do online articles, and deliver speeches to a wide variety of groups.

Whenever people ask me what I have done in order to create this career for myself I never have a definite answer for them. One thing I do know is that as long as you try to stay optimistic and positive throughout the good times and bad and most importantly, don't be afraid of change or taking a few risks then the universe will always provide an option that will work out for you. Be kind to everyone and always share no matter how little you have. Lets all move towards a more peaceful and loving world. Namaste!