If you missed Part 1 of this series, you can check it out HERE.
Gahhh I’m so happy with the response to Part 1! I loved reading through all the comments and seeing so many people relate to it in some way. The main thing I want to accomplish by sharing my story is to just reassure anyone out there who feels a little lost or unsure about their career path that THAT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL and there really is no “right” way to get where you’re supposed to be. It can be hard not to compare yourself to others and think “why does everyone have their shit together except for me??”—but trust me, 90% of those people you’re comparing yourself to don’t have their shit together either.
Universe Guides Dumb, Unprepared Girl into Fitness Industry
Part 2 | Living’ the 9-to-5 Life and Realizing It Wasn’t for Me
Chapter 2 | My 9-to-5 Life Working as an Editor
Oh man. When my internship turned into a permanent position, I was PUMPED. Not just because it was a great place to work, but because it was the most glorious feeling of relief to just have a “real” job. At that point I was a year out of college and the feeling of anxiety/embarrassment/unsettledness/instability/confusion/failure that was coming from not having started on a career path yet was crushing me.
Growing up, you’re always on the same general track as your friends and at pretty much the same point in your lives: elementary school awkwardness; high school and all that drama; college and all those questionable decisions—then you graduate and suddenly there’s no fixed “next step”. Some of your friends go on for additional schooling, some get jobs, some get married and start having kids (which is by far the strangest part of getting older)—the paths are endless. And at that point in my life, all my friends seemed to have taken the next step (whatever it may be) except for me—I was still kind of a directionless mess. And it was spirit-crushing. 
But now I had a big girl job! I was a real person! I had a salary! I had a title! I had a fucking 401K! And on top of that, it wasn’t just any job—it was one I was genuinely excited about. Life was good. I happily fell into the 9-to-5 routine that so many of us do: Wake up, go for a run, grab a coffee from my neighborhood coffee shop, drive the 20-min commute to work, grind it out at my desk, hit up the office gym at lunch, back to my desk, drive the 40-minutes-with-traffic commute home, make dinner, crash on the couch and watch TV, go to bed. I liked the routine because, well, I’ve always enjoyed routine, but more importantly, this particular routine made me feel like a “real” adult—whatever that means.
I won’t bore you with the everyday details of those years, but let’s hit the relevant, formative pieces:
My office had a gym and I started making up my own workouts to do during lunch. I had been passionate about working out for years, but up until then had always just done others’ workouts—in a class, or routines I found online and in magazines. Now, wanting to go into the gym with a plan so that no time was wasted (it was just a lunch break, after all), I started putting together quick HIIT workouts using exercises I’d done in other classes or seen online.
At first, it was pretty hit-or-miss. Sometimes, I’d finish the routine I’d planned and feel like it was totally ineffective and I’d wasted that time I could have better spent on a real workout. But then other times, my workout would totally kick my ass (in a good way). There’s a whole other level of satisfaction that comes with waking up sore from a workout you created. I started to learn more about which exercises paired together most effectively and became more familiar with the effects different moves had on my body.
About six months into my 9-to-5 life, I started Pumps & Iron to have a fun hobby outside of work. As I mentioned in last week’s post, I had an extremely random blog when I first graduated college that I had deleted after a few months. But I had never stopped toying around with the idea of blogging, and actually really missed it. I knew I wanted to start another blog, but wanted this one to have more of a focus. 
After months of imagining what this blog would look like, I knew I wanted it to encompass health & fitness, but also fashion—oh and DIY projects. I was really into DIY projects at the time. Maybe I didn’t have a direction after all. But then the name Pumps & Iron somehow popped into my head and I thought it was perfectly clever: pumping iron (fitness), except pumps (shoes). I remember I was so excited I had come up with the name and told my mom and her response was: “Yeah, but it doesn’t have a great ring to it.” LOL. But so true—“pumps and iron” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Maybe one day I’ll go all Madonna on you guys and just go by “Pumps”…
Anyway, I made the blog, and while I wasn’t posting very regularly at first, I started playing around with photography and making picture tutorials in Photoshop, and loved the whole process. I did fantasize about being one of those girls whose blog is also their livelihood, but that seemed like a farfetched possibility. Then…
Barely three months into starting my blog, one of my workout tutorials randomly went viral on Pinterest. For any of you who use/have used WordPress (not the self-hosted version—I’m talking .com), you’re probably familiar with Freshly Pressed. Basically it’s the homepage that all WordPress bloggers see when they login, and it features a different selection of blog posts from around the WordPress community every few days. Well my Medicine Ball Interval Workout was unexpectedly featured, which drove a bunch of traffic to it, and a lot of those visitors pinned the pictorial. I wasn’t thinking of Pinterest optimization when I made it—LAST thing on my mind—but the workout tutorial was long and a sort of visual how-to, both of which make for a popular pin. The thing went viral. I was shocked and overwhelmed with both excitement and insecurity.
What if someone I know sees that picture of me doing medicine ball burpees on Pinterest? So embarrassing! What are all these visitors to my site going to think about my blog? It’s still so new—it’s not ready to be seen!
I was a little uneasy about it, but ultimately it was that stroke of luck that made me start to think that maybe it was possible to turn blogging into a career. The boost in traffic was only temporary, but I had gained some permanent readers and the positive response to the workout post helped guide me as far as focusing the blog. I continued working on P&I nights and weekends and watched it steadily grow until, at the ripe old age of five months, it outgrew itself. It was time to switch over to a self-hosted WordPress site and start putting some ads up on this thing!
At first, I was only making like $30 a month through AdSense (whaddup, ¼ of my cell phone bill!), but just the fact that my blog was making any money blew my mind. And brands were starting to reach out to me wanting to send me free stuff—what??? I was so excited and falling more and more in love with blogging and this crazy idea that it could one day be my job. Meanwhile, at my actual job …
I was getting a glimpse at the business side of running a website. I already mentioned I was an Editor—well, how perfect is this—it was for a website. I was immersed in the world of online marketing, web content and blogging every day from 9 to 5, and learned a ton that I could then apply to Pumps & Iron. And then to make it even more perfect, we started working with a PR company, and I got to talk social media strategy and blogger outreach all day. Outside the office, I was the blogger being reached out to by PR companies; and then during the workday, I was the one reaching out to bloggers. Talk about insightful!
While I was really enjoying what I was doing (writing, creating visual web content, working on social media strategies, etc.), I wasn’t passionate about the subject matter. Imagine you’re a substitute teacher and adore teaching, but always end up having to sub a history class when your real passion is math. You’re doing what you love, but it’s still not right. A little over a year into my job, I knew I couldn’t keep subbing history. If I was going to be truly happy, it was math class or bust.
(I don’t know why I used math and history as the examples. English and PE would have made more sense, but whatever I’m keeping it—“math class or bust” is making me giggle.)
Chapter 3 | Meeting My Boyfriend & Having a Quarter Life Crisis
So there’s this little spark inside me questioning—well, just about everything—and then in walks Joe with a bottle of hairspray and it all goes up in flames. Hairspray is perfect for this analogy because it’s flammable and my boyfriend is obsessed with his hair. Anyway…
Joe had just left his corporate job to open a fitness studio. I mean, c’mon, talk about timing! That’s why The Universe is getting credit for me ending up where I am now. I was already starting to question if my job and the corporate world were right for me, and then I’d go out for drinks with Joe and we’d get into these (alcohol-fueled) passionate discussions about how soul-crushing long commutes and cubicles are. My commute actually wasn’t very long and we had open desk cubes, not cubicles—but hey, try telling that to my fourth shot of tequila.
Before I knew it, I was having a full-blown quarter-life crisis. Considering just two years prior I was also an emotional disaster, I think it’s clear my early twenties were a success. Woof.
Everyday, my in-“crisis” mind looked something like this:
My blog will never grow as big as I’d like it if I’m not devoting more time to it—do I leave my job so I can work on it full time? What do I do for money in the meantime? Do I get certified to do personal training or teach group fitness? That’d be great, but will I make enough from that? What if I don’t and then end up having to get another “real” job? That’d be like starting back at the bottom of the corporate ladder. Ugh and having to go through the interview process again? No thanks. Maybe I stay at my job for another couple years while becoming a personal trainer on the side and slowly continuing to build my blog? Yeah. I can do that. I can make it through a couple more years. Wait, but no! Life is too short to settle! I can’t settle. I can’t keep going through the motions. I need to be happy! But rent. How would I pay that? Should I move back in with my parents to save money while I work on the blog? No, they live on an island. So what do I do? WHAT DO I DO? WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?????
I also want you to keep in mind that I worked in an awesome office environment with great coworkers and an amazing boss. Sure, I wasn’t fulfilled by my job, but it was also easy to be content. And that made it even harder when deciding if leaving was worth the risk. I knew something needed to change, but I didn’t know what and I didn’t know how to make it happen. Well, once again, The Universe stepped in to help.
Chapter 4 | Getting Laid Off: Thanks, Universe
Our CEO was let go. A replacement came in. Whispers of big changes started going around the office. Soon it became clear that layoffs would be a part of that change.
I remember driving into work the morning of the layoffs feeling really weird. Could the thing I’d been too chicken to initiate now happen to me passively? Would that be the best thing ever or the worst? I half-hoped I’d be one of the people let go, but was too scared to fully entertain the scenario in my mind. So I tried to just not think about it at all.
It wasn’t far into the day when, one by one, coworkers were being brought into an executive’s office. I was so anxious. Would I be next? Did I want to be next? I was unsure of what I wanted, but ultimately knew that my biggest fear was that I would remain stuck in this stalemate of indecision I’d been living in for months. Good or bad, at least losing my job would put the gears in motion.
And lose my job, I did. I lost the shit out of that job, my friends.
I cried the whole drive home. I called my mom when I got home and cried again. I took a nap and then woke up to cry some more. I met up with my boyfriend and cried one more time for good measure. It was a very cathartic kind of crying though. I was sad and a little scared, but also relieved.
It took a couple days to fully sink in, but I could no longer ignore the big question now staring me in the face: What next? I felt like I had just been given a gift—an easy exit from the corporate world—and now it was my job not to fuck it up.
———–
Third and final part of this series coming your way next week! Stay tuned…
JUMP TO PART 3
Hey there! I'm Nicole, a group fitness instructor, healthy lifestyle blogger (you probably figured that one out by now) and Certified Personal Trainer living in Boston, MA.
I am so enjoying this series, Nicole. I love hearing how people got involved in blogging and fitness and your story is relatable on so many levels. You are always so honest and your personality totally shines through. Looking forward to the next part!
Your blog is the best. Thanks for sharing such a real take on navigating the post-grad world – regardless of whether we have a fitness blog! A very inspiring read.
Well there’s a twist! Didn’t know you were laid off. Wow … okay, so I also didn’t know your boyfriend was a gym owner. That makes so much sense. You guys must have the strangest schedules between the two of you. I am definitely loving this series. Waiting for the next installment!! 🙂
So he actually just helped open the studio and isn’t involved anymore–but my schedule is certainly strange haha 🙂
I’m hooked on this story! You’re making us wait another week?! What is this, Serial?! LOL 🙂
What an intriguing story 🙂 excited to read the next part!
Thanks for this second part! I had totally forgotten about the first one last weekend and now I am pleasantly surprised to find this one! I didn’t want to wait a week when I read it last week and now I dont want to wait another one haha. Im currently in the same position and have changed my career from the exciting world of admin to becoming a personal trainer and devoting more time to building my blog. Thanks for the insight and I look forward to next week!
Part 2 was long, but I am enjoying your series so far. I think it is useful and relatable for people no matter where they are in their career. I’m looking forward to the next part.
I’m loving hearing about how you got started into all this! I think everyone can relate a bit to thinking everyone else has their shit together when they don’t. I know I’ve felt like that many, many times! Things happen for a reason, that’s for sure!
Hi Nicole! I have been following your blog for a while now and I’m so glad you’re telling your story of how it happened for you!! I can’t wait to read the rest!
I feel like I’m going through the exact same thing as you right now, only I’m stuck in the corporate 9-5 world still. I’ve dabbled in blogging for a while then finally had an idea for a website a couple of weeks ago that I can work on, although my 9-5 has left me so exhausted I haven’t gone out to post on it yet. This week I’m going to start making the time to post. I already have an article drafted. I just need to go put it out there!
Glad to know I”m not the only one who has felt this way!
So glad I’m not the only one who has thought, “omg when people see this what are they going to think of me?” Loving this series can’t wait for part 3!
After a layoff is when most people tend to run, not WALK towards their dream. I listened to a guest pastor a few weeks ago who said that 100% of everyone has a dream, only a small percentage ever achieve it because the majority NEVER TRY!!! You went for it, whether the rug got pulled out from under you & you survived, I am very happy for you.
I’m loving this series. I feel very much in the same place. I don’t love my engineering job but….$$$?! I teach group fitness part time but I know I want to make fitness my full time job, I just don’t have the “how” figured out yet. What I *think* I want is to open a group fitness studio, but the how really gets me. And then I look at awesome people like you and steve Kamb (Nerd Fitness) and think “I wanna be that cool too!” I wish the universe would help me out a bit more 😉
“how” is always the toughest part of the equation, isn’t it?? I’m still figuring that one out haha
Ahhh so good! I litereally am going through this struggle right now; teaching fitness classes, loving it, and thinking about how I leave my (draining) job and follow my dreams. Also thinking about starting a blog! Thank you SO much for sharing your story, it gives me hope 🙂
I am loving these posts! I am currently squeezing 3 jobs in the time to do 1 because I am refusing to give up doing what I love (fitness and blogging) but can’t afford to quit my job! I am so proud of you! You are so inspirational! Great job going after what you want!
Interesting read. In my area there are lots of new personal trainers who have been laid off from their original job. It’s causing a bit of trouble with lower prices and competition. Good to see you are doing well.
The ‘ in crisis’ thoughts that you had I went through the exact same scenario during the entire 2014. The only down side is I do not have that great of an attitude towards my job or coworkers so I know that leaving so come soon. There is a lot of details as to why I feel this way, but it boils down to me realizing that I need to move on and follow my passion. Your series posts confirms that I need to take a risk (which I am not use to doing) on move on from what is keeping me stagnate. I’ve been through a lot of similar paths and has similar thoughts that you have expressed in part 1 and 2. I am so glad that you decided to post your transition. Thanks!
Taking the risk is scary (I’m thankful I was forced into it rather than having to do it all on my own haha)–but the reward is SO worth it! 🙂
Loved how honest and real you are in your story. I’ve been a fan of your blog for years and always wondered how you started to become more popular. This post is so inspiring and encouraging for so many of us going through the quarter life crisis. Can’t wait for part three!
WI’ll you please post links for your workout clothes in your blogs!
Yes! I add the outfit details to the bottoms of workout tutorials, but I’ll be better about putting them in other pots as well. Let me know if there’s anything specific I’m wearing in this post that you’d like the link to! 🙂
Oh my word, If I could copy and paste your EXACT thoughts from your quarter-life crisis and use them for myself… I would! Currently, I’m pushing 30, and while I’m not at a job I absolutely hate, I still feel this calling to up my game and enter a career in fitness. Thank you so much for sharing your story and I can’t wait to read part 3!! Thanks for the inspiration – You’re already giving me the ammo I need to move on to this next chapter of life! 🙂
Loving the posts so far. I’m in the same bind as it seems are a few of the commenters here. Looking forward to the next post
Wow, Nicole, this post (and part 1) resonate with me almost to a T. I’m in the EXACT position you were in. I’m a certified GFI and am starting to pursue a Personal Training cert, but I’m still working 9ish-5ish and hating it. Luckily or unluckily, I’m at no risk of being fired, so the choice to leave will be up to me and me alone. Which is scaring the hell out of me. I have to stay for another year at least, given that they don’t have a replacement for me yet, not to mention the training I’ll need to do before I leave. But I’m SO. SCARED. to leave. I know it’s ultimately what I need to do, but I’m in the same boat – how will I pay rent? My car payment? Other bills? Where’s the money going to come from, and what about health insurance??
Anyway, it’s really nice to hear that other people are/were in the same situation. That must ultimately be a fantastic feeling to be in the industry you love! I can’t wait to get there… 🙂 I hope you know these posts are very inspiring and definitely help! So for that, thank you!
You are so welcome and thank YOU for the kind words! The bright side of your situation is that you can ease into the fitness industry while still having that “real” job paycheck for now. Health insurance was a big worry for me, too, and I actually went a year without it (bad, I know) because the tax penalties for not being covered were less than the cost of having it. Finally got some coverage through the Mass Connector/Obamacare a few months ago. It’s all overwhelming but well worth the extra work to do what you love! 🙂
Your story has touched my heart Nicole. I felt the exact same way about always feeling behind everyone, and sometimes I still do. But reading about your success is inspiring! You have turned your passion into your career, which is a dream come true 🙂 Congratulations girl! I am so happy for you. Thank you for writing such powerful content. I was hoping you could write a post detailing your blogging journey. I am in the beginning stage of my blog. Pump & Irons has set the bar and I hope to one day be a blogger as you.
You’re too sweet, and I’m so happy to hear you can relate! I’ll definitely continue to post more about the blogging process in between all the health & fitness 🙂
Hey girl! I know you’re travelling – but – did you post part 3 yet? I’m hooked!
Gahh I forgot to schedule it for while I was gone–I’m a loser haha. It’s up today–hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This makes me want to leave my 9-5 even more then ever and pursue something that I will enjoy everyday! I also just started a blog.. not with the intention of making it a career but like you said in the first post it is a great creative outlet! I worry how easy it will be for me to get stuck into that work life routine and let the weeks pass by without making a change. This makes me realise how much I want a change!
thanks!
http://itstartswithsomething.wordpress.com
I really liked reading this. Can’t wait for the next post!
Thanks for the inspiring story! I’m currently in the process of transitioning into the fitness indusrty. I’m 35, have owned my own insurance agency and decided to sell it last year, because quite frankly it took years away from my life! Very stressful! Needless to say I have been rethinking what I should do for the last couple of months. I have always had a passion for working out and I love helping others so I decided to get my CPT and am now interning with University of Houston But ummm let’s face it, it’s not paying the bills. Luckily my husband has my back for the time being. I also decided to get certified in Zumba and in Soul Grooves, a dance hip hop class and am supposed to start teaching my first class next Tues in Jun 1st. I am so scared, my head is in a whirl-wind!! All while questioning if I am going in the right direction(as far as my career is concerned). But, I keep telling myself I will not be afraid of fear, and I’m still trucking along this (what seems like crazy) transition at this stage in my life. So wish me luck I will need it…lol…
Good luck!! And oh gosh, I remember how scared I was before teaching my first group fitness class, too. But the high you will feel afterwards is worth the nerves! You’ll rock it! 🙂
Hello Nicole,
I got to your blog when searching info about the spinning classes certification. I’m so glad I found you. I’m typing while sitting in my small cubicle working from 7 to 5 and having the same exact thoughts you describe in your blog. My hands and fingers hurt for typing all day and i hate the fact that i’m sitting down all day long. I’ve been wanting to become a trainer, pole fitness and spinning but i’m so scared at the same time. Like you said, rent doesn’t pay itself (would be nice though). Anyhow, i’m so happy i found you. Now my head is spinning and thinking of the possibilities. 🙂
I just read Part 2, and can relate to your comment Olivia! I’m in a very similar situation and am so passionate about fitness and health that I would love to make a career out of it.. but I know my fears are holding me back from it! Can’t wait to keep reading..
This is amazing. The part where you wrote what thoughts we going on in your head was like you stole them right out of mine too. I am in this EXACT situation right now and this brings me a little ease. The struggle is REAL girlfriend.
OMG this is literally what I’m going through. Well, shortly. I’m at a job that’s paying awesomely as a 9-5er, but I’m trainer for the military/boxing/MMA on the side. I’m now just focusing on training my fiancé for our wedding, but my the end of the yr. This job is moving to Texas, which I cant go. So my options now are to prep to start a business as a trainer, join the military active (I am reservist now), or do the 9-5 grind again….. I’ve been looking for a while for someone to talk about this transition. Its refreshing.