Pivot: Why, When, and the Messy Middle
his week’s theme: Pivot.
P-I-V-O-T.
Why it’s important.
When it’s not appropriate.
And all the messy considerations in between.
You could also call this transition management, but that sounds like a beige corporate seminar — and honestly, pivoting in real life is a lot messier, sweatier, and occasionally swearier than anything with a PowerPoint slide.
The truth is, many people I know — myself included — have been in pivot mode over the past couple of weeks. Not the trendy “quit your job and move to Bali” pivot, but the “well, crap, this is not going to work, what’s Plan B?” kind.
The Lake Yoga Pivot
My biggest pivot this week?
It started with boxes. Badly packed boxes. The “throw random things in so you can move fast” kind of boxes. Which meant that, when Wednesday morning rolled around, I drove toward the yoga studio only to realize: I did not have my studio key.
I zipped back to my apartment, tore through the hodgepodge piles like a caffeinated raccoon, and — nope. That key was not surfacing.
Which meant I’d be arriving at the studio to find my lovely yogis… standing outside a locked door.
Cue pivot.
It was early. We were in a heatwave, but it was still the kind of warm that feels nice. The studio was only a short drive from Killarney Lake, where there’s green space, birds, and shade.
So I walked up to my yogis and said:
“Hey, want to go on a field trip?”
Five minutes later, we were rolling out mats by the water. The sound of birds in the trees. Early-morning swimmers splashing in the lake. The occasional truck rumble in the background. My usual strong, focused class slowed into something softer. More grounded.
It was so beautiful we decided to do it again — in fact, I’m now hosting a fundraiser yoga class at the lake this Friday at 7 p.m. to support my August challenge: swimming 10 km for the Canadian Cancer Society.
When the Pivot Chooses You
That lake yoga was a no-choice pivot. No key = no indoor class. Easy math.
But pivoting isn’t always that simple.
This week alone:
Heatwave + forest fires → Government bans all forest access in New Brunswick.
My planned August trail race — the Campobello Coastal Challenge — cancelled. (My friend, the organizer, had to do all the work of pulling the plug, issuing refunds, and breaking hearts.)
The September yoga retreat I was attending — cancelled too.
Again, no choice. Safety first. But it still throws you.
And it made me realize:
If I’d had a gym membership, I could’ve avoided some of the “ugh” by training indoors. So, after years of avoiding the gym because I teach yoga and martial arts, I’m signing up again — for the swimming, the spin classes, the winter triathlon training.
Yes, I’m an exercise addict. No, I don’t want to talk about what happens to my mood when I go more than a day without moving. (Let’s just say: you don’t.)
The Benefits (and Burdens) of Pivoting
When you have to pivot, it can actually be easier — there’s no decision fatigue.
When you choose to pivot? That’s where it gets tricky.
Sometimes pivoting is about opportunity.
Sometimes it’s survival.
And sometimes it’s a slow, painful reorientation after something huge:
Divorce.
Separation.
Life-threatening illness.
Those pivots are hard. Fucking hard.
And no amount of airy “everything happens for a reason” fluff makes them easier.
If you’re there right now:
Let yourself grieve.
List the smallest joys you can find.
Lean on people who can actually hold space for you — not just lob positivity grenades and run. (Because sometimes that “cheerleader” energy makes you want to punch someone in the face.)
Some days, you just need to feel the feels.
The Light Pivots
Let’s end on the lighter side of pivoting. The little detours. The Plan Bs that turn into unexpectedly beautiful Plan As.
Because one day — and I swear this is true, even though teenage-me thought my mom was full of crap — you won’t remember the sting of these small pivots. You might not even remember what the fuss was about at all.
And that’s a gift.
So here’s my reminder:
I’m teaching the fundraiser class at Killarney Lake this Friday night.
I’m still teaching at Brookside Wellness Clinic (with my key, promise).
But if I ever need to pivot again… I’ve got a few outdoor spots ready for us to roll out the mats and flow.
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