Ally McDonald-Bull - Student Story

​“When you discover a good thing and see how it positively impacts people, I think it is natural to want to build and develop it further so that you can then reach more people.”

I left NZ (where I had lived for the past 16 years) in the middle of 2018 for an adventure and have ended up settling (for the time being) in Paris where I continue to work as a Pilates and Barre instructor as well as teaching my own signature class Triple Threat Pilates. I also set up and have started creating online content and classes so that clients can still workout with me no matter where they are in the world.  .

​I am driven (and kept disciplined) by positive energy. I have designed my own lifestyle around feeling good in order to deliver the best quality service as an instructor for the people attending my classes. When you discover a good thing and see how it positively impacts people I think it is natural to want to build and develop it further so that you can then reach more people. To do this I want to be living each day with that type of positive energy that motivates people to want to better themselves and to wake up each day excited to be living their lives. After years of trial and error I now really understand what allows me to perform to the best of my ability; I believe it is my responsibility to turn up everyday as my best self and that's what helps to keep me in check. 

​After I became a Pilates instructor I realised that there was so much more that I wanted to learn about when it came to understanding what makes a healthy lifestyle for both the mind and the body. I did a lot of research and found that the course content that Cadence Health offered as part of their 'Lifestyle, Food and Wellness Coaching' certificate (as it was called back then) was exactly the type of evidence-based program that I was looking for; focusing on non-diet based healthy living principles that were both relevant and sustainable. I knew that both the knowledge I acquired and the skills in coaching that I developed would be directly transferable to both my own life and the lives of my clients. I didn't want to just be another instructor going through the motions. I wanted to give people a real experience therefore understanding what made them click was (and still is) very important to me. ​

"I learnt a lot about psychology and behaviour change through my Cadence Health course which I found absolutely fascinating and 100% relevant to my own life. Implementing sustainable lifestyle changes that are aligned with my personal values as well as gaining a better understanding of the differences between motivation and discipline." 

I learnt a lot about psychology and behaviour change through my Cadence Health course which I found absolutely fascinating and 100% relevant to my own life. Implementing sustainable lifestyle changes that are aligned with my personal values as well as gaining a better understanding of the differences between motivation and discipline have helped me to rebuild the daily routines in my life in Paris that really served me back in NZ. I have to say lots of them aren't very French but they work for me and the way that I want to live my life again so that I can consistently turn up everyday as my best self.

​In the first few years after I graduated I spent some time experimenting trying to figure out what exactly my 'thing' was. Even though this was quite a challenging process at the time (there was no rulebook or manual) I'm really pleased that I allowed myself to do to this as I now really understand where my strengths and weakness lie as well as what I can offer clients that really has value. In the end I realised that what clients found valuable and what I had originally thought was my best offering wasn't necessarily the same thing. Once I understood this everything started to fall into place. Being self employed I think it can be challenging trying to figure out everything by yourself which is why I am always asking for feedback from clients (and even from my social media followers). 

Knowing your target market and how to communicate with them is so vital - I want to know what they want so I can deliver the goods! I absolutely love what I do for work, I get such a buzz out of teaching and I am very grateful for all the awesome opportunities that my line of work has given me so far. When I look to the future I just want to keep growing as both a person and as an instructor and be able to meet and connect with even more people. One of my current business goals? To teach a Triple Threat Pilates classes on the rooftops of Paris! 
​

Follow what Ally is up to:- 
Instagram:  @allymcdonalbull 
Facebook:  Ally McDonald-Bull