About Rachel Pitts
The First Steps of a Dream
The very first day of dance class in my small town of Martinsville, Virginia, I came home and told my mother I wanted to be a dancer when I grew up. And, that’s exactly what I did, pursuing the discipline of dance at a performing arts high school. Even though I graduated valedictorian of my class (sure, it was only 7 people, but I earned it), acquiring full scholarships to two different universities, I bypassed those opportunities to pursue my dream of becoming a professional dancer.
The life of a dancer is spent in front of audiences and in front of a mirror. At a pretty young age, I was informed that I was the “little fat girl” in the family. After that, the girl I saw in the mirror could never get skinny enough. Smiling and performing on the surface, I plummeted emotionally into the dark cavern of low self esteem, eating disorders, and self-soothing through alcohol and drugs. Despite this internal battle, I continued to achieve: reaching my goal of becoming a professional dancer, successful on stage, TV, movies, and even earned my IFBB Pro Card in the dynamic bodybuilding division known as Fitness.
The razzle dazzle of showbiz life was enough to fool people into thinking I was ok. I found myself in an abusive marriage, which I escaped. I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, which I gained control over. I sabotaged my relationships until I found sobriety. I failed spectacularly in my attempt to run a dance studio business. After all of these challenges, I experienced what I can only call the death of ego. I felt lost, anxious, and unworthy.
Shifting Careers, Discovering Resilience
I have entertained thousands of people from the stage beginning at a young age, followed by an extensive career as a performer on stage, television, and film. When I had my daughter in 2008, I moved away from my love of the stage into the world of real estate, seeking financial security for my family. Although I became a million-dollar producer in real estate and then in the mortgage industry, I only succeeded because of my lifelong pursuit of excellence in everything I do, not because I had any love for the work. Behind the scenes of the stages where I performed, I led a parallel life developing a career in the fitness industry. I have worked at every type of gym imaginable, leading group classes and private 1:1 sessions, helping people improve their health. My consistent discipline led me to earn my IFBB Pro Card in the bodybuilding division known as Fitness. I have been told many times that I inspire people by embodying what it is possible to attain through the relentless aspiration for excellence in the realm of fitness, nutrition, and mindset.
The Journey to Breathwork and Self-Discovery
I moved back towards my love of dance in 2021 by taking over as Director of a prestigious dance studio. Although I used my lifetime of knowledge in the art of dance and performing to inspire my dancers to excellence, I found that I was not suited to manage a staff of employees, run a business, and maintain balance. What felt like a spectacular failure when I decided to close the doors of that business turned into my greatest gift. I was forced to seek within myself for answers on why things had turned out this way. I discovered breathwork and my world turned from black and white to full blown technicolor. The benefits I experienced were calming my anxiety, increasing my athleticism, improving my sleep, and gaining clarity. The most profound change was through the experience of Transformational Breathwork. I was able to let go of the limiting beliefs that held me back from unconditional self-love. I realized that my True Self had been hiding all along underneath layers of a False Self I thought I needed to put on in order to be worthy. Realizing that I was worthy all along inspired me to want to bring this message to as many people as I could.
We are all worthy of greatness. The power of the breath is the key to unlocking the cage we have built for ourselves. What I discovered through the implementation of breathwork was my own healing, and the desire to bring this modality of healing to everyone I possibly can. Developing my skills as a breathwork coach has allowed me to help people unlock their full power and potential. It’s the most rewarding work of my life, far beyond any amount of applause or award. I have witnessed profound transformation of people’s life experience through this work. I have come full-circle in my knowing that I can expertly blend my passion and knowledge of breathwork and mindset optimization with my gifts and experience on the stage to entertain, inspire, and inform.
I have a close relationship with my inner Villain. I spent a lifetime battling her, watching her sabotage my life every chance she got. I have done a huge amount of personal development and therapy since 2012. Nothing worked as quickly and healed more deeply than breathwork. I am a recovering addict sober for 12+ years. I am an IFBB Fitness Pro and a Level III Coach for Mental Management Systems, well-schooled in the habits of high-performers. I am an experienced Breathwork and Mental Management Coach with a 30+ year career behind me on stage, film, and TV. I have self-published 2 books (The Gift of Wreckage and Bodybuilder Basics), created a fitness journal, and writing a third now called Breathe2Win. I’m a Mom and I am the Hero of my own story. I am here to help you be the Hero in yours.