Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathy Maciolek.
Hi Cathy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It was a pivotal moment in 2018 when I made the leap from being a stay-at-home mom to focus on health & fitness as a career opportunity and passion. It was a natural process as I realized how beneficial exercising has been for my mental well-being. After years as a devoted student, I realized I could turn my passion into a fulfilling career. For me, Zumba is more than a dance cardio workout, it is my happy place. It challenges me, pushes me out of my comfort zone & taught me to embrace cultural rhythms I never knew before. Most of all, when I step into teaching, I forget all my stresses & I feel empowered by helping others. Needless to say, with a great high comes some lows. I vividly recall the details; it was rainy, I was driving solo and I got rear-ended at a stoplight! Physically, nothing was visually broken, I was going to be okay, but my car was a complete loss. Unfortunately, this accident would alter my career plans and impact me for the years to come.
Moving into 2019, it would take me a full year of physical therapy & regular counseling to understand that trauma doesn’t disappear on its own. For the first time in my life, I was battling Ptsd, massive anxiety & depression on a regular basis. I wasn’t the same happy person I used to be. One fateful day, by the graces of God, I woke up and I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I refused to let anymore negative thoughts take over my well-being, I hit that moment where you deeply inhale & when you exhale all that burden just simply disappeared. Finally, I felt comfortable to opened up to a few close friends. I pushed myself out the door, lined up interviews for small & big gyms nearby. From that day on, I vowed to keep choosing joy & always be compassionate to myself. I was done being sad.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s March 2020, I had less than a year of teaching & the pandemic put us all in lockdown. As soon as my brain registered “lockdown mandate”, my first thought was: DO NOT PANIC. It was such a surreal time with new rules & limitations we’d never imagined. I was in a really good place with myself, but I quickly recognized, I was also very sensitive to the current events of the world. It was making me feel very conflicted & sad. So, I pondered the most important question, would quarantining throw me off my game? Not a chance. This was the most imperative time to focus on my healthy habits that would keep me centered among the chaos. I couldn’t control what was going on in the world, but I could take charge in my own house! Virtual classes quickly became a must-do thing. By April, I was teaching three times a week live with a group of 10-20 students. To me, it wasn’t about the number of students, it was about showing up and inspiring others to do the same. Music is healing. I felt it deep in my gut. Here we are, stuck at home quarantining, fearful of the unknown, so the urge to be extra positive & uplifting was strong. The reaffirmations of my supportive family & friends helped motivate me during this trying time. There were technical challenges of setting up a livestream class, but I navigated it & was able to deliver what would be the norm, logging into Zoom, clicking every feature button and live-streaming myself like I was Jillian Michaels?! My grandma used to say to me: life is tough, my darling, but so are you.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I was lucky to start off as an on-call Zumba instructor with the small and big gyms alike. This was where being an extrovert came in extra handy. My goal was to take baby steps and not commit to one employer, so I could enjoy meeting all types of people in different areas of the city. It took me out of my comfort zone because each class I taught brought out the nervousness and excitement emotions all at once. Today, I’m thrilled to work in a corporate fitness center, offering my specialty to their on-site employees. To me, Zumba isn’t “work”, it is a lifestyle choice. I am blessed to get paid for doing something I truly love & sharing my passion with others is so much more fulfilling that I could ever imagine. Staying healthy and incorporating fitness into my life was a necessity, but I took it further after my accident. I vowed to wake up feeling grateful (no matter what) & that starts with having a positive mindset. I remind my kids to never limit themselves, so I had to live up to my own advice. A key to keeping myself inspired is by trying other formats of exercise. I especially gravitate towards pilates or flowing yoga and I’m easily lured by challenging exercises like the Peloton program. It’s impossible to be bored, right?! Everyday, I try something different. We are so blessed to have access to any kind of exercise that is just a click away. My favorite mantra is: live life to the fullest! I am most proud of Zumba being my constant for the past ten years, it has never failed me. It has brought me joy in my darkest moments, this year was no exception. In order to be my best self as a mother, wife, daughter or sister, I needed any and all fitness regimen to spark my joy!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
In my own experience, I was mentored by two lovely instructors from our local YMCA gym. I was a regular attending classes 5x a week, if not twice a day?! It was easy & enjoyable to get involved in the community and be present any chance I could! Naturally, I met a lot of awesome people at the Y, who are my dearest friends today. What worked for me was being open to meeting new people because everyone has a story & each one of us are unique yet relatable. When you surround yourself with like-minded individuals, life becomes refreshing.
Networking is a great way to put yourself out there especially in today’s world. I am no millennial, but I do have an online present and the ability to connect with people in the same industry in the same town has been nothing short of amazing! Especially since my family & I moved here only a year ago from Washington State! Just syncing with others online, I’ve had many opportunities through referrals or a friend of a friend. When you give yourself grace, doors of opportunities open up. My personal thoughts is to trust the process and follow your gut. When you recognize that it’s never too late to try something new, you will grow and blossom. To this day, I continue to strive to be a better version of myself and never stop learning & growing because that is what makes me authentic.
Contact Info:
- Email: rhythmrosejoy@gmail.com
- Instagram: rhythm_n_joy
- Facebook: Cathy Mac
