I’m fortunate to have had a wide variety of experiences in my life that have affected me profoundly. Some of these experiences were just an hour or a day, and some of them were confined to a particular time period, yet some are still very much a part of my life.
My college experience is one of those things that, while I graduated (GULP) 20 years ago (OHMYGOSH) has affected almost every day since then. I was fortunate enough to attend the University of Notre Dame, and my experience as an alumna has been as rich and varied as my time as an undergraduate. The strong alumni network of Notre Dame is legendary, and I am here to tell you that everything you’ve ever heard about the fanatical loyalty of ND grads is completely and totally real.
As such, I was thrilled when an alumnae from the Austin chapter of ND Women Connect asked me if I’d be interested in leading a health and fitness workshop for the January meeting. I immediately agreed, as sharing a morning of yoga and wellness with other motivated, thoughtful women is always a thrill.
We had an assortment of attendees, including graduates from classes ranging 1986 – 2013, a mom of a current student, and the wife of an alumnus. One of the things I love the most about any ND alumni event is that age and stage of life rarely matter– it’s all about finding commonalities of experiences. And one commonality I can always count on in this group is an openness to learn new things.
Our morning started with a yoga class in my family room. I wasn’t sure whether the attendees would have any yoga experience or not, and as it turned out, it was a mixed crowd. As with any yoga class I teach, I emphasized the importance of connecting the breath to movement. After all, without the breath, it isn’t yoga. We moved through a series of asana intended to wake up the spine and open up the flow of prana in the body.
After we were all zenned out from our deep breathing and supple stretching, I led a short discussion of tips and tricks to fit in fitness. It’s one of my favorite topics to share with a group, as I love to help people realize that small changes can make a really big difference in their health and happiness.
We shared ideas for quick-fix healthy meals as well, at the request of one of the women who works full time and has a one year old. It was so exciting to hear the group so eager to support this new mom, validating her desires to be a good role model for her young family. Finding people to walk with you on your wellness journey is a critical component of continued success.
In the end, it was a wonderful morning of movement and breathing in a comforting community. Who do you have who can help support you as you work to more integrated wellness in your life? Don’t hesitate to contact me if I can come lead a private class and talk for your group.
Good health and great happiness to you!
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