Loving a Life Lived Upside-Down

Theresa Jacobs came to Gippsland from North Island, New Zealand, 12 years ago to help build a commercial dairy goat farm. Along the way a passion for exercising upside-down has taken her life in a new direction with her opening The Red Room of Pole in Trafalgar

Having been told she couldn’t have children she and her husband had found peace with a life without little ones. Then the wonderful surprise of a baby on the way was discovered. Leading a very active life on the dairy farm life changed dramatically with the arrival of their daughter Sheridan. Not expecting a second miracle they were aghast to find a few years later they were to be blessed by a little boy and with the addition of Alexander, their family was complete. 

In between renovating their home, casual work in the dairy industry, running a maintenance contracting business with her husband Michael, who had also returned to university to study to become a Paramedic, Theresa was struggling with finding time to nurture herself.  

“The pivotal moment was my husband booking my first pole class. I had postnatal depression but didn't believe it at the time. I found my strength, and improved my skill and loved the endless variation and the ability to just lose yourself in it.” Although it was really on the pole that Theresa found herself. “I'm sure Michael has regretted booking that first class for me a few times but it has very much changed my life. "

Theresa, as someone who avoided sports and fitness, has shifted completely in her attitude towards being active. Daily she inspires others to work on their strength and skill on the pole. “I'm focused on making pole fitness classes and the benefits more accessible to the people that need it most. My end goal is to help as many people as I can to gain the confidence and sense of self-worth that it has given back to me.”

As well as spending lots of time upside-down improving her own pole skills her family enjoys sparring together at Taekwondo in the gym she shares with Adonis Mazzarella of Gippsland Taekwondo Academy. 

Theresa regrets the years she wasted having low confidence. These days she lives by her motto. “You've got this!  The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Still she says she’s less confident than people think but every day she works overcoming it a little more.