The defining moment for Narween Otto, the instant she realized she was ready to trade her frenetic life as a film producer for a new life as a yoga instructor, came during a yoga class.
Already a part-time instructor, she was at that moment adjusting students into proper alignment. "I was connecting with people," she recalls. "I was being giving and kind and sharing and good to people. Someone asked me how it felt, and I welled up with tears. I liked who I was."
That type of epiphany is shared by many people who opt out of their current careers -- often of the long hours, mega-stressed variety -- and switch to professions in the health and fitness arena, such as yoga teacher, Pilates instructor, dietitian or personal trainer. For them, this is not just jumping from "Job A" to "Job B" simply because of burnout or boredom. They form a deep connection to these careers brought about by a firsthand, life-changing experience: the transformative power of Pilates, the serenity and spirituality of yoga, the renewed vitality and well-being prompted by a healthy diet.
Sheila King, program director of UCLA Extension's certification program in fitness instruction, says students often enroll in the program as part of a mid-career switch. "There's the dissatisfaction with what they're currently doing and the simultaneous draw of getting deep satisfaction out of helping people feel better about themselves," she says. "They've experienced it themselves -- typically most of the people in the curriculum are fit, and they come from the personal experience of transformation, and they want to pursue their passion."
The health club and fitness industry raked in $13.1 billion in 2002, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Assn., even as the population continues to get fatter. It's a scenario that's opened up job possibilities, many tailored for entrepreneurial-minded men and women seeking their niche in a field.
Finding that niche can be a daunting task. After all, making a leap into these occupations isn't without its risks, pitfalls and sacrifices. Changing careers is often accompanied by a dramatically lowered income, radical change of lifestyle and a tough time finding jobs.
Some yoga teachers who have recently graduated from teacher-training programs are finding a glut of instructors in the L.A. area. Several gyms and yoga studios report getting five or more calls a day from instructors looking for work, and top gyms have their pick of the best.
Other people discover that turning a hobby into a job destroys the zeal they once felt.
"I wouldn't give up your day job," advises Mara Carrico, a San Diego-based yoga instructor and continuing education specialist for the American Council on Exercise. "Unless you're independently wealthy or have someone supporting you, start teaching on weekends or in someone's home or rent a little hall." She also suggests that teachers consider heading to areas of the country not inundated with yoga studios. "Be very logical and see how it moves from there."
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Sacrifices and change
Some say that whatever trade-offs they've had to make have been worth it. Otto, 29, realized that after seven years of struggling to gain producer credits and establish a reputation in the industry she still felt unsatisfied. "I had a whole crisis of faith. I wasn't quite sure if I was ever going to make a fantastic movie. The flip side is working for a major studio where you're surrounded by people who want to have sex with bimbos and drive Ferraris. I thought, I'm a smart person -- is this really what I'm supposed to do? I wanted to make a contribution to the world and connect with people. Make people feel better."
Otto, a native Australian, always considered herself "noncommittal" about yoga, taking classes here and there and not wanting to delve into the more spiritual aspects. That changed with a class at City Yoga in Los Angeles about a year ago: "The teacher was talking about how if you're not trying hard enough here, it translates into who you are in the world. Something about that engaged me."
While still producing, she decided to take a teacher-training course as a way to deepen her own practice. But in the back of her mind, Otto was doubting her future in films. She eventually decided to put producing on hold, then ultimately let go of it all -- her job, her nice house, even her husband, a director with whom she worked on projects. The transition wasn't easy. She now teaches at Still yoga studio in Silverlake and at Cal State L.A. But her one-bedroom Los Feliz co-op suits her more than the spacious Westside house. "I'm OK I'm a yoga teacher," she says. "I don't feel fraudulent."
