Stress Awareness Month is a great opportunity to take a moment to think about our wellbeing
As FLexercise teachers, we are often the ‘frontline’ support for many people with mental health affecting their lives. Coming to a class can keep them going. Routine is a lifesaver when it comes to coping with day-to-day struggles, stress or major life events such as bereavement. Exercise is as beneficial for mental health as for physical. Feeling good and having fun once a week can be a respite from loneliness.
It is a big responsibility to provide a safe environment for our class members, and then we have to remember not to discriminate or to judge. Meeting new people and having understanding friends to chat to over a coffee, or on social media can help. Sharing your problems goes a long way to feeling positive about life.
Taking care of yourself
As teachers, it is so important to take care of ourselves. Trying to plan the perfect class with the best music is a tall order. For some, this can be a source of great anxiety and stress. It might be a bit scary to start with but over time and with experience you learn to overcome these barriers. The fitness industry can be a competitive world. However, we are lucky in that our FLexercise community is encouraging and supportive.
Our community friendships
What FLexercise provides is a great support network for its teachers. 
With accessible social media platforms, such as the teachers Facebook page, or by picking up the phone, it is easy to get in touch with others, who will understand what you are going through. Meeting other teachers on training courses puts faces to names, and finds common ground. Building friendships and having a great support network that can support you and advise helps you keep perspective.
Teaching doesn’t have to be a lonely experience. Finding a ‘teaching buddy’ can help so much. Self-employment work requires determination and resilience, and this can be knocked by insecurity and self-doubt. Some of us worry if we’re good enough and then we get those thoughts what if no-one turns up to class. 
Standing in that exposing place at the front of a class can be terrifying. Sharing this fear with other teachers, who really understand what it feels likes goes a long way to normalize what goes on for us as individuals. Afterall we are only human.
The FLexercise philosophy is to be a family to its teachers. We are all from different backgrounds and we are different ages. Lots of us have a wide life experience in the industry, which we are all willing to share. And we are all here to encourage each other as friends in times of need. So if you need some support, send that post or text. Pick up the phone and someone in the FLexercise family will be there to guide you.