The Day I Wanted to Quit Pilates (But Didn’t)

By Donna Rosen, Owner and Instructor, Bolder Pilates

Let’s get something out in the open: even Pilates instructors have days when we don’t want to do Pilates.

Yes, I said it. Let the scandal settle.

There was a day—not all that long ago—when I walked into the studio, looked at the Reformer, and thought, Nope. Not today. Not this body. Not this brain. I felt off. Tired. Like a burnt tortilla chip—just a little too crispy around the edges.

I even had a fleeting, mildly dramatic thought:
“What if I just... stopped doing this altogether?”
(The horror.)

But instead of rage-quitting my entire career, I sat down. Took a breath. Let myself feel all the resistance, the crankiness, the mini existential crisis brewing in my ribcage. And then—I moved anyway.

Nothing wild. Just some gentle footwork. A little bridging. Some breathwork. Ten minutes of moving like a person who kind of didn’t feel like moving.

And you know what? Something shifted.

Motivation didn’t magically show up in a superhero cape. But I showed up. And that’s kind of the point.

Because honestly? Motivation is flaky. It’s the friend who RSVPs “yes” to your dinner party and then ghosts you the day of. Commitment, though? That’s the friend who shows up in sweats with wine and helps you do the dishes afterward. We love that friend.

I’m not talking about guilt-fueled “no days off” commitment. I’m talking about the quiet, loving kind. The kind that says:
“I don’t have to crush it today. But I can still care for myself.”

So if you’ve ever had one of those days—where your leggings are too tight, your brain is foggy, and even brushing your teeth feels ambitious—I see you. Truly.

You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re human. And honestly, those “ugh” days? They count the most. Because showing up imperfectly is still showing up.

See you on the Reformer—cranky or not.