Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Noelle Roberts. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Noelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

It began when I was pregnant with my son.

I had been driving about 70 mi (one-way) to teach at a studio I directed in LA. I was doing well, had built up a great community of students and loved teaching my classes but between travel and class hours, I was maxed.

There are only so many hours a day you can teach and even less that the majority of people’s schedules allow them to take those classes. I needed a way to decrease my hours and travel time while simultaneously growing my reach.

I taught up until 2 days before I gave birth. I felt great throughout my pregnancy and had the waterbirth I’d hoped for all in 8 hours- thanks Pilates!

But life has a way of “happening” and we ended up having a lot of feeding issues that led to me being attached to a breast pump about 8 hrs per day.

It seemed the more I leaned into my role as a new mom, the less I was able to show up for my clients and even myself. I was sleep deprived, my neck was stiff from middle-of-the-night pumping sessions and it was the first time my mental health experienced a dive.

If I was going to be a full-time mom while simultaneously pursuing my passion, it had to look different- I had to find a way to prioritize my wellbeing or I’d never show up well in any other role or endeavor.

And I knew there were other women out there like me- high-functioning women who weren’t being reached because their plates were full and they put their needs last- just trying to fulfill their roles while juggling everything life was throwing at them.

They knew they needed to prioritize their wellbeing but didn’t have the time to take out of their day to drive to a studio and take a class on a studio’s schedule. They needed a way to integrate their workouts into pockets of their day and on their own timetable. And they needed something that worked- not just a cute girl in a bikini telling them how to “tone up” but real results they could feel in their own body immediately- creating a baseline of support and health enabling them to meet the demands of their day with a clear mind and calm body.

So I launched Noelle Roberts Studio- An online Pilates and wellness studio that helps women discover how they can live more integrated and whole by prioritizing their health.

Noelle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Back in 2018 when I started NRS I was a new mom desperate to be able to do both- to be a full-time, present mom AND build a successful business from my passions.

But life, as it does, threw me another massive curveball and in 2019 I lost my husband unexpectedly and became a widow and solo parent to my then 19 month old son. Not only was I now the sole parent, I was the sole breadwinner. I was thrust into a world I didn’t recognize, carrying more than I could actually manage.

And my body showed it. I dropped 20 lbs rapidly, my hair was falling out and graying and I was completely depleted. It took everything in me to make it through the day. Forget working out or self-care- I was barely surviving.

I had always known what to do and how to resolve other people’s struggles with their bodies but I was suddenly in a place where the typical fitness protocols weren’t going to work.

So I shifted course. And I became curious about myself.

I began using my workouts more intuitively rather than forcing a robotic routine. I tuned into daily cues my body gave for what it might need.

I increased my resilience on my mat.

I got stronger.

And my reasons for working out changed. They were now about allowing my body to mirror all my heart and mind were carrying- integrating my mind and body to be a place of wholeness once again.

It’s taken me years. A slow, painful process of rebuilding after my entire life imploded- a lot of 2 steps forward and 20 back. But somewhere in all of this happening, I realized I was building the thing I had so desperately needed during my worst days.

A space to understand our bodies and minds
to extend grace and compassion towards our broken places
to nudge us towards the intrinsic wisdom of our bodies instead of the latest trend
and to prioritize our well-being even when “life happens” because if we’re going to do hard things we need to train and build ourselves up to do it.

And I realized that I’m not alone in my experience either.

While many women will not experience being widowed at 35, so many are in a similar space of life happening. Whether that’s death of a loved one, divorce, miscarriage/infertility, illness, loneliness, financial difficulties, career changes, juggling motherhood and dreams etc. they’re trying to carry the weight of their human experience too.

And when life happens the first thing to go is the ability to prioritize your health- the meals get skipped, or take-out increases, there’s no time to get outside, the workouts are hit or miss, your mental health takes a massive dive and having a mindfulness practice feels impossible.

And you wonder why you’ve lost/gained X pounds, why you have more gray hair suddenly, why you’re short and edgy with the people you care about most and why you just can’t feel like your old self again!

I remember feeling all these things and then some and thinking it would be so helpful to have someone’s hand to grab onto as I tried to rebuild my life while carrying all that was mine to carry.
-To know I’m not alone or crazy.
-To understand my body and how to care for her best instead of punishing it for not looking or functioning as if it had never been traumatized.
-And to have practical tools that I could use to nudge my body back towards regulation and also be unafraid of the dysregulated moments.

I don’t know about you, but I want a reason, no, I NEED a reason to get back on my mat every day. We all need a reason that goes far deeper than the superficial aesthetics of a fit body. You need to know that the work you do in your body and mind can be carried and felt in your day long after you leave your mat.

That what you do on your mat shapes your day and your day shapes your life.

This is why we step back onto our mats each day at NRS.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My business has actually gone through a massive change in trajectory due to my own. Experiencing widowhood at such a young age changed me- my ability to show up and do the same work I had always done was non-existent.

I had 0 capacity for the superficiality of my industry.

I couldn’t care less about the latest celeb’s workout when I could barely get out of bed and no amount of positive thinking or hyped-motivation was going to magically eradicate my anxiety.

My way of working out and taking care of myself pre-loss was not going to cut it anymore. I knew I was given something I was ill-equipped to carry. But I also knew my body and mind could adapt to the new restrictions and parameters I was working with.

I realized I needed to shift my business to match my lived experience. I needed to show up authentically- even if that meant I showed up without answers.

I allowed myself space to get curious about what my body and mind needed which meant turning down the volume on the prescriptive voices of my industry. I came back to my mat to explore and study.

It looked different almost daily.

Most days my workouts felt something like failures, but every time I stepped back on my mat was a win.

And I learned a lot. About how interwoven our bodies are with our experiences. How our minds can check out when under stress or trauma but our bodies continue to absorb blow after blow.

My daily struggle became an invitation to actually become more embodied- to embrace my perceived weakness and brokenness and turn toward my body with kindness and courage to see all she’s carrying for me when no one else is watching.

And I started realizing how wise my body actually was.

And yours is too.

If you’re going through a hard season, I hope you know that your body isn’t broken and you can feel good in your body again. And I hope you know how strong, capable and good your body is- even now.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

In a world where you’ve already got an entire wellness industry targeting you with their catchy marketing and hyped up gimmicks, you don’t need another person feeding you more shallow claims. With everything you’re carrying and all life will throw your way, you need to know that when you step on your mat you’re doing exactly what you need to give yourself results that support YOU best.

The one thing I aim to do at NRS is to walk as authentically with my clients as I can. I’m not going to tell you that one exercise can target your belly fat, or sell you a 2 week slim-down program or use the latest trend to sell you a membership.

I’m going to tell you prioritizing your health is hard work and you’re going to have to wake up every morning and choose to do that same hard thing over again. I don’t want you to get fit for a few weeks each year- you deserve to experience a body that’s strong and a mind that’s clear every single day.

Because It’s worth it to feel good and whole in your own body. My hope is that NRS will be the place you show up as you are and get the support you need to build a stronger body while simultaneously building resilience. And you’ll know that regardless of what the day may bring, the micro transformations you get on your mat will pour over into your day empowering you to bring your whole self into the things that matter most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.noellerobertsstudio.com
• Instagram: noellerobertsstudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIyAEcH4kUWd1D-HtwLi7sw