Joseph CascianiGeropsychologist, Consultant, Public Speaking, Freelance · Podcast Host of the Living to 100 Club | Clinical Strategies for Senior Residential Settings & Lifestyle Directors | Geropsychologist | Keynote Speaker

Empowering Midlife Health: A Conversation with Heike Yates

13 Nov 2024 · 1 min

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In this interview segment, Heike Yates recounts her transition after leaving the Foreign Service, describing a period of aimlessness and a lack of fulfillment in traditional motherhood roles and PTA activities. She explains how teaching fitness classes, specifically the Dancersize program, became a pivotal outlet that provided community, a sense of purpose, and supplemental income. Despite the significant time investment required to learn and prepare routines, the experience ignited her passion and helped her rebuild a meaningful professional and personal identity in midlife.

Chapters

I had quit my job at the Foreign Service and I had no purpose. I didn't know what to do. I didn't see fulfillment in being a mother, although I love my children. But it was not a moment where I said, I drop everything and I will be a mom. I go to PTA meetings and do all these things. I was like, that's not my jam. So fitness gave me that outlet to, number one, make even, okay, we made $8 an hour back then for teaching a class, which took us, I don't know how long to prepare, 'cause we had to learn the routines, had to memorize them, bring the, mix the tapes together and the time. So there was a lot of investment involved, but it was again, a great community of people that just wanted to get healthier and fitter. And when I saw what I could do with just teaching Dancersize, I was on fire.