The Pilates Truth | Issue No. 2: The Art of Being Present →
The Art of Being Present
By Lori Taranto
Founder | Pure Power Pilates + Fitness
August 2026
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is step away.
There is something strange that happens when you own a small business.
You become the person everyone depends on.
Your clients count on you. Your instructors count on you. Your team has questions. Bills still need to be paid. Emails keep arriving. Text messages don't stop just because you're supposed to be on vacation.
For years, I convinced myself that was simply the price of ownership. If I wasn't available, something would fall apart.
So, like many caregivers, I kept showing up.
Until this past week reminded me of something I had forgotten.
We gather when we can in Montana.
As families grow, life begins to pull everyone in different directions. Careers, homes, responsibilities, and busy calendars make it harder to get everyone in the same place at the same time. This year, my daughter and son couldn't make the trip, and while I certainly missed them, it reminded me of something every parent eventually learns.
When your children are young, you assume there will always be another summer. Another family vacation. Another chance to make memories.
Then, almost without noticing, those little kids become independent adults building lives of their own. And that's exactly what you hope for as a parent. But it also means that time together becomes more intentional—and much more precious.
The week itself wasn't about doing anything extraordinary.
We spent long days on Flathead Lake, floated down the Swan River, shared meals, laughed until our stomachs hurt, and simply enjoyed being together.
Nothing on the itinerary would impress social media.
But it reminded me of something far more important.
The moments we remember most are rarely the spectacular ones. They're the quiet conversations, the shared laughter, and the feeling of being fully present with the people we love.
As Pilates instructors, we spend our careers teaching balance.
People often think balance means standing on one leg without wobbling.
I've learned that's not what balance is at all.
Balance is recognizing when life asks you to lean into your work...
and when it asks you to lean into the people you love.
For me, that's always been the difficult part.
I love what I do.
Pure Power Pilates has never just been a business. It's been part of who I am. My clients become family. Their victories feel like my victories. Their setbacks matter to me.
That's one of the greatest gifts of this profession.
It's also one of its greatest challenges.
Because people who care deeply often forget to care for themselves.
Ironically, we teach our clients this lesson every day.
We remind them that recovery matters.
That rest is productive.
That strength isn't built only through effort—it is built through recovery as well.
Yet how often do we follow our own advice?
How many vacations have we interrupted?
How many family dinners have we spent answering emails?
How many moments have we missed because we were physically present, but mentally still at work?
I know I'm not the only one.
As our vacation came to an end, our flight home was canceled.
Like most travel delays, it was frustrating. Suddenly we were rearranging plans, waiting in long lines, eating whatever we could find, and wondering when we'd actually make it home.
A few years ago, that disruption probably would have consumed my attention.
Instead, I found myself thinking about everything that had gone right that week.
Not because it had been perfect.
But because I had been present enough to notice it.
Sometimes life doesn't need perfect plans.
Sometimes it simply needs our attention.
Joseph Pilates famously said, "Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness."
For years, I interpreted that through movement.
Today, I understand those words a little differently.
Movement is only one part of living well.
Health is also strong relationships.
Shared meals.
Conversations without distractions.
Laughing until your stomach hurts.
Making memories while everyone is still able to make them.
Those moments strengthen us just as surely as any workout ever could.
This trip also reminded me of something else.
As business owners, parents, caregivers, and professionals, we often measure our days by how much we accomplished.
But the older I get, the more I believe the best days aren't always the most productive ones.
Sometimes they're the days we slow down enough to notice the people around us.
The days we put our phones away.
The days we stop thinking about what's next and fully appreciate what's happening right now.
Those are the days that stay with us.
So today, I have a question.
Not just for Pilates instructors.
Not just for business owners.
For anyone who spends so much time taking care of everyone else that they forget about themselves.
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to simply be present?
Not because you earned it.
Not because everything on your to-do list was finished.
But because the people you love deserve the best version of you.
And so do you.
The Pilates Truth has never been only about movement.
It's about building a life that allows you to keep moving through every season with strength, perspective, and gratitude.
This week reminded me that some of life's greatest lessons don't happen in the studio.
They happen around a dinner table.
On a quiet lake.
While floating down a river.
Or during an unexpected delay that reminds us to stop fighting the moment and simply appreciate the journey.
Because sometimes the strongest thing we can do...
is be fully present.
Until next time, keep moving with purpose.
— Lori Taranto
💭 Lori's Reflection
As I unpacked my suitcase after returning home, I realized the things I brought back couldn't fit inside a bag.
I brought back gratitude.
Perspective.
A renewed appreciation for family.
And a reminder that the world keeps turning, even when I step away for a few days.
As small business owners, caregivers, parents, and professionals, we often wear our busyness like a badge of honor. We tell ourselves we'll slow down "after this week" or "when things settle down." But life has a funny way of reminding us that there will always be another email to answer, another task to complete, another responsibility waiting for us.
The moments that truly shape us don't wait until our calendars are clear.
They happen while we're gathered around a dinner table, laughing on a boat, sharing stories, or simply sitting beside someone we love.
This trip reminded me that being present isn't something we accidentally stumble into. It's a choice we make—again and again.
My hope for you this month is simple: give yourself permission to pause. Put your phone down a little sooner. Stay at the dinner table a little longer. Take the walk. Make the phone call. Be fully where your feet are.
Because in the end, I don't believe we'll remember the extra hour we spent working.
We'll remember the moments we were fully present.
— Lori Taranto
The Pilates Truth Question
When do you feel most present?
Hit reply or stop by the studio and share your answer. Some of the best conversations begin with a simple question.
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