I gave up working in education to become a fitness instructor, and I have zero regrets

• Tiombe Huggins began exercising to improve her health and, in the process, lost over 30 pounds.
• She later shifted from working in education to fitness.
• Huggins teaches 10 classes each week so she can cover her expenses while finding joy in her work.

Tiombe Huggins, 29, is a former teacher who became a fitness instructor in New York. She lost over 30 pounds after she began exercising and discovered barre, a type of exercise that combines ballet, yoga, and pilates.

I started my career as a New York City schoolteacher, teaching special education in the Bronx. I did that through Teach for America. That's how I got my master's degree in education.

I stayed in the classroom for about two years before I moved over to working as a talent acquisition manager — basically, being in charge of hiring teachers. I was doing that for about a couple of years, and I wasn't loving it, but it was getting me by.

At the same time, I was really getting into fitness. I was focused on improving my health and losing weight.

I started watching a bunch of YouTube videos on weights and form and all of that. I started going to the gym every day. I tried different routines, and I changed my whole diet.

The only issue with the gym was that I didn't love the lack of connection and community. You can go with a friend, but a lot of people have headphones on and are doing their own thing.

So, I Googled different workout studios. That's when I came across Pure Barre. I took an introductory class, and I fell in love with it.

This was in 2023. I was still working my 9-to-5 and was going to Pure Barre four or five times a week. I had a membership for eight times a month and I quickly had to upgrade to unlimited because I was going so often.

I fell in love with the whole community and the technique itself. It really just gives you a place to focus on yourself and not worry about what else is going.

That same year, I auditioned to become an instructor. I always described Pure Barre as my happy place, and to this day, it still is. I auditioned but didn't get it. I was crushed, but I was still determined.

So I took the feedback I got, and four months later, I auditioned again. That's when I got the role.

Leaving my job

At that time, I was also starting a stationery business focused on self-care. I knew I wanted to leave my full-time job and focus on Pure Barre and my business. Luckily, I had been saving money. My birthday is in March. Leaving my old job a year ago was my birthday gift to myself. At the time, when I gave back my work laptop, I was like, "OK, this is really happening."

After I left, I started focusing on Pure Barre and my self-care brand, Living on the Butter Side. I used the word "butter" because when you think of it, you think of something smooth, something nice and easy. I really want people to focus on that ease — a life that's a little bit calmer.

As fitness instructors, we're part-time workers, so you have to consider the number of classes you teach a week. I had taken an investment course, which helped me calculate my monthly expenses and figure out how much I needed to teach to cover them. I also had to start paying for my healthcare, which my old job had covered.

At first, I taught about six to seven classes a week. Now, I'm teaching 10. That covers my monthly expenses. It doesn't cover my nails and all that fun stuff, but the important ones, it covers.

'So much joy'

When I came to Pure Barre, the staff was not only super friendly and welcoming, but the people who go there were, too.

Pure Barre has done so much for me, physically and mentally. I lost over 30 pounds from including the workouts in my routine. So, when I teach, I teach from a place of "I know what this workout can do." I want to push my clients and let them know this is possible.

Recently, a woman walked into my class who I'd seen at a different location. I said, "Hey, didn't I just see you a couple of days ago?" She said, "I just stalk you on the app — wherever you're teaching, I go." Then she said, "You just bring so much joy to your class." That really touched me because that's why I do this.

I remember how I used to feel coming and wanting that joy, too. I always tell myself, "There's never going to be a perfect class." We're always going to have little mistakes here and there, but as long as I can make someone smile, that's what drives me and keeps me doing this work.

Every day, I get to do something that I like. I didn't even think that was possible. I thought people only worked because they had to. Now, no matter how long I get to do this, at least I got the chance.

Do you have a story to share about your career journey? Contact this reporter at tparadis@businessinsider.com.