I am thrilled to share these inspirational words from Nina Rutsch, a seasoned SoulCycle instructor. Nina continues to inspire me multiple times per week, from my early days in the spin studio a few years ago in the second or third row to now when I can be regularly found in the front row close to the podium. I’ve been taking Nina’s class for over 2 years in studios throughout the Tri-State area. Without fail, during every single class Nina inspires me to put my soul into my work out and to focus in the moment by just doing “the next thing”, and “putting one foot in front of the other”: As a result I’ve worked out so many things, by trusting in the capacity of my mind and body to have all the knowledge I need need to make the most of each moment. I hope you enjoy the insights Nina shares below.
1) What inspired you to follow your calling as an instructor at SoulCycle?
I was inspired to find my calling as an instructor, however I didn’t realize that’s what I was looking for at the time!
I took a spin class at a small studio near my apartment in Los Angeles, where I had been persuing a career as an actor and fashion stylist. And from that day forward I could not go a day without the emotionally freeing and mental stabilization I felt after a ride.
I describe myself as a “people person” and socializing has always been second nature to me, however when alone I would often hold myself back from success because of my anxiety and fear of failure. When riding – and especially after barely making it through that first class – there was something about the control I felt on the bike that was brand new. My instructor was a huge source of support and motivation to make large choices in my life such as dropping the “peer pressure” of a party lifestyle and honing in on my inner self confidence which was lacking underneath the party girl persona.
I travelled home from LA to NYC for a vacation and immediatly fell in love with the SoulCycle brand as I walked into my very first class. It combined the fashion, the party, the positivity, and that dark room where my head was clear and my body was free. I suddenly felt stronger and more independent for the first time in my life.
Having lived in NYC for 10 years prior after studying classical theater and working on stage and managing a clothing boutique, my clients had suggested I start a personal shopping business I felt the pressure of being a “jack of all trades” in my 30s in NYC and knew LA was somewhere I might feel less pressure to “choose what I wanted to do with my life”… and I quote because that was always the remark I cringed at the most.
I was asked by a fellow student to come teach at her pilates studio as she was adding a spin room, I quickly got my certification and started teaching… I was completely immersed and knew SoulCycle was coming to LA and I transformed my entire lifestyle in order to prepare to audition. The rest, as they say, is history!
2) How do you re-connect to that original calling on a daily basis
I’m inspired everyday by the people I’m with and the places I go: coming from a family of visual artists, I am always impacted visually first, and my love of texture color and costume is what drew me to fashion. As an actor my emotional instrument is also very keen, I will notice the smallest detail in someones expression and want to change their mood, save a ladybug from drowning in a puddle (yes I have bent down and saved many a drowning bug) or a flower wilting and want to set it straight… to fault sometimes! I also love looking a interior design websites, music blogs and of course social media! I have also been impacted by so many movies, books and songs that I can’t put my finger on just one.
At SoulCycle, hearing about someone’s daily life inspires me to use those experiences in class. Mantras have been the biggest source of how to “keep on keeping on”. Just that inner voice and the knowledge that repetition that leads to change has helped me develop this brand new path in my life.
3) Where do you look for new inspiration?
When I learned that a work out was about WORKING something OUT and it no longer became a chore – everything changed.
It became routine, like coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night…I won’t skip it, because if I do I won’t feel right.
My body began to change the day I couldn’t wait to go to sleep on a Saturday night so I could be fresh for Sunday morning spin. When I simply STOPPED chasing relationships that were not worth it, parties that were full of emptiness, and eating food because it was available and I was bored… everything changed: My skin changed, my mood changed, my “inner radience” – the real me – shone through and even my longtime closest friends and family asked “Nina is that you?”. I stopped chasing the imaginary and started living in the NOW.
4) How can wellness and mindfulness positively impact a woman’s inner bliss and outer radiance?
There’s that old saying, “you are what you eat”, and you are also what you think, how you move, and what you say. So when we start a journey of wellness and mindfulness, the changes we make on the inside soon start showing on the outside to our family and friends. Your food choices result in you feeling nourished, the exercise you enjoy creates feel-good endorphins, prioritizing a good nights sleep makes for a focused day. Those changes soon become apparent to those around us so the inner bliss we experience becomes noticeable to those around us.
5) What does the phrase ‘inner bliss and outer radiance’ mean to you?
It represents how feeling authentic on the inside translates to a radiant mood, attitude, and approach to life.
When we pay attention and honor the essence of who we are, we find our inner bliss: that aspect of ourselves that captures our truest nature. When those around us notice a positive attitude, or a genuine smile: that’s our inner bliss radiating on the outside.
Nina Rutsch is a seasoned Soulcycle Instructor in the New York City area. For more information on Nina and to find her schedule, please click over to the SoulCycle website.
