Unveiling the Magic of SoulCycle: A Love Letter to the Dark Room

When I first moved to Boston in 2019, I was so lonely. Like brutally lonely. I didn’t know anyone or anything about Boston, and I had just moved here for my master’s program. I was struggling. I called my dad one of the first weeks I moved here, and he suggested I go to a SoulCycle class to get out of my own head. I had been once in 2017 in New York City with friends and loved it. Well, lo and behold, I took his advice and ended up at my second ever class in Chestnut Hill, taught by Annie Lynch-Carlson (she’s the best). The first song in class was Khalid’s Young, Dumb, and Broke and I was immediately obsessed. The vibes, the dark room, inspirational words, and overall feel of like-minded people next to me. Soon enough, SoulCycle became a regular occurrence for me, and sadly for my wallet. It healed me, saved me, and made me feel a little less alone. Does that sound cliché? Oh well!

I felt nervous when I first showed up to class, due to my own insecurities of how I looked, how I rode, among other things. I quickly realized that in that room, no one cares. Everyone is doing their own thing and is kind and accepting!

Everything between days I felt awful and days I felt unstoppable, I showed up. I remember going to class when I had worked with my first client at my internship, when I was heartbroken, and when I missed my family so much it hurt. It became the consistent piece of my life while I built a routine for myself in a new city. As I continued to go, I started to foster connections with different instructors as well as meet people through classes. It’s inevitable at Soul not to meet other like-minded people.

Through these connections with instructors, I was introduced to other groups, platforms, etc. that I wouldn’t have known about before. I found support, love, and acceptance through so many Instructors. Special shoutout to Madison Ciccone, who is one of the all-time best Boston instructors and has supported me on my own journey with growing up, fitness, career, and healing. I have found my best self in that room, and on days that I am drowning in anxiety or expectations of myself, I know that if I show up, I will find me again.

It's special to have a place where I know I'll feel better if I go. Even doing it in 2020 in a tent outside, I still showed up. It works it's magic every single time. The other day I was so unmotivated to go work out as I was cold, tired, and just not into it. But there was a country soul ride, and you know I had to sing! I'm ended up being so happy I showed up and sang the loudest in that room--it completely changed my mindset. Some people may feel it’s inauthentic to say a fitness studio has changed their life- but it is so much more than that. The community, the common goal in the room, and the opportunities that open because of it. Soul people are simply the best people.   

As I built my life in Boston, I tried out other fitness modalities like Barry’s, yoga (uhm hot yoga sucks), Rumble Boxing, and more. Even through all these new classes, soul is my first and forever fitness love. There is nothing like dancing on a bike to one of your favorite songs. I do find these other types of classes to be great for cross training though!

If you ever have the chance to take a Soul class or just a spin class, I highly encourage it. On days where the last thing I want to do is show up, it’s when I need it most. There’s so much to be said for a fitness community that feels like home. That encourages you to be your best self and pushes you to move through things. I don’t have the same intentional, lightbulb moments of life anywhere but in that dark room Soulcycle. I feel so connected to myself, my purpose in life, and everything feels like it seamlessly flows.

What a gift I got from showing up for myself that first class in 2019.

Love,

Charty