Meet Gabbi Ray Robinson | Pilates Instructor & Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabbi Ray Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabbi Ray, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
An affirmation I say often to myself and to my clients is, “You can do hard things”. Getting up at 4:30am to teach class at 5:30am can be HARD, and I can do it. Giving an additional rep or holding a squat for another 10 seconds is not easy, but it’s also not impossible. I like this affirmation because it’s a reminder of truth. Things may not always be easy, but doing hard things is something we are all capable of. I sometimes have to remind myself of that and when I do, it’s a nice motivator to keep moving.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a board certified health and wellness coach who teaches Pilates, I currently work at 3 studios in North Georgia teaching reformer and mat Pilates. In between classes, I have health coaching clients I meet with virtually discussing all things from time management to healthy eating to morning/evening routines. If you would have told me four years ago this is what I would be doing full time I would have laughed in your face, LOUDLY.

Since I was little, movement has always been a big part of my life. I danced and cheered all throughout middle school and up into college. It wasn’t until I was preparing for my wedding in 2019 that I found my love for Pilates. I took classes and became so invested in perfecting my form and engaging the correct muscles. I loved it so much that I asked if there were any training happening at the studio and there just so happened to be! I became certified in Juno Board, Core Reform (reformer Pilates) and eventually mat Pilates. My journey with Pilates came to a slight halt in 2021 after I became mat certified. That same week, my husband and I moved to Alpharetta, GA and if I’m being honest, my confidence in all things Pilates went down the drain. I was so comfortable with my home studio Boom Pilates in St. Louis, MO, and the community that I was afraid to start over in a new place. In the midst of us getting settled in Georgia, my husband was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I was already a health nut and thinking of health coaching programs but hadn’t made any real moves until we got the news about him. I delve head first into a health coaching program, not only for my husband but for myself as well. I needed something that would help me build my confidence back up and allow me to serve people in a similar way Pilates did. I focused all my time on caring for my husband and learning all I could about health coaching that once I was certified, I decided to sit for the national board exam. I studied for the board exam for 5 months and it was the best day when I received my results and passed. The sting of relocating began to lessen and I was so pumped to provide coaching to others. In the midst of this I was approached by a woman at church who knew I was certified in mat Pilates and asked me if I would be interested in teaching Pilates at her hot yoga studio. I was blown away! I hadn’t taught Mat pilates in over a year at this point and only did it at home for fun. To top it all off, a hot yoga studio? You want me to teach people in the heat? I was questioning if that was even safe (which it totally is)! As scary as it was to say yes, I did and it was the best decision I made in a long time. My passion for Pilates came back to me in my first class. I felt electric and back in my element. My experience has taught me a few things. Life will never give you exactly what you want, but it will always give you what you need. I needed to move away from my hometown and be stripped of all things that were familiar to me to come into my own here in Georgia. Change can be scary, actually it is very scary, but it can also be beautiful and show you things in a new light. This journey brought me a different level personal growth and confidence, and I’m excited to see what the next four years will bring!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I am more partial to North Georgia, one of the first stops my bestie and I would hit up would be one of the studios I teach at of course! We would take a class at either, Real Hot Yoga Alpharetta, The Yoga Experience in Suwanee, or a reformer class at JETSET Pilates. After a good workout we would get food at one of my favorite breakfast/brunch spots; Flying Biscuit or Flavor Rich. While she is in town, I would make sure to cook a meal but first we would have to do a bit of grocery shopping for fresh produce. We would definitely hit of the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. We would get in a bit of shopping at the Avalon in Alpharetta and pull out the heels for a night out at Rock Steady for dinner and fun or keep it casual and hit up Slutty Vegan in Atlanta!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to the book “The Power of TED” by David Emerald. In the book the author introduces the concept of a drama triangle that consists of a victim, persecutor, and a rescuer. These roles in our lives, can hinder our success and keep us in a fixed mindset. Emerald counteracts the drama triangle with three additional roles; creator, challenger and coach which transform your mindset into a more positive and productive way to think. This book has helped me to see myself in such a different light and build up my confidence to teach Pilates and health coach full-time. I credit this book for giving me the motivation and courage to think higher of myself and go for the things I want, even if they seem scary. “The Power of TED” taught me that no experience is ever wasted, and we have complete control over how we view all situations we are in. I can now look at all things and ask “Why is this happening for me?” as opposed to “Why is this happening to me?” I highly recommend everyone read “The Power of TED”. It will truly change your life!

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