What I Hope For in the New Year

It feels vital to be a yoga instructor and studio owner right now. I’m writing this (and hopefully publishing it) before Christmas, and I started thinking about how yoga helps us all connect through the holidays and into the future.

As an instructor, I find that the classes taught before major holidays have the most impact because they set the pace for our students.

Yoga can be seen as a chain reaction. Something happens for the instructor, and I’ll stress the word ‘for’ rather than ‘to’, leading them to bring those lessons into a class. The student attends that class, and whether they have a profound realization or not, all of that is simmering on a deeper subconscious level.

Then the student goes off into the world and interacts with these new lessons under the surface. Each person they interact with becomes infected with this contagious energy. And so on, and so on.

I often mention how thankful I am for the students who show up in class because those are the peacemakers for the day. They are the ones who will remind others to slow down, count their blessings, and move with their breath.

When teaching before a holiday (or, you know..through a pandemic), it feels like the need for normalcy is at an all-time high. Everyone is looking to find their way back ‘home’ or keep their routines moving along without missing a beat.

I challenge you this holiday season to take a few extra breaths for yourself and remind yourself that you don’t need to move at the speed of the rest of the world. You can take a few additional steps here and there to ensure that you are preserving your energy.

By slowing down your own pace, you are encouraging others to slow down. It can be so easy to burn ourselves out yet so hard to recover. A quote that I hold near and dear is, "If you don't take time for your wellness, you will be forced to take time for your illness." I have seen that pattern happen time and time again within myself, most recently with my wrist injury.

I can only hope that I am setting the pace for others by moving slowly and intentionally through yoga, creating a chain reaction, and slowing down the rest of the world in the process. And most importantly, I hope you all slow down and set the pace for those you come into contact with over the holidays.

Right now is a time for community and connection. We need to take a few extra breaths for ourselves and others. Spread the word this holiday season and let this new year bring about a slower pace.

Here is to another year of health and wellness on our mats together! I hope you’ll join me on this mission to spread awareness to slow down—and of course, I hope you’ll join us for a class.