Coffee Talk #177: Pivot

It’s Tuesday. This time, I’m sure. The days have blended, but I’m glad to have our weekly coffee chat to serve as an “it’s Tuesday!” reminder. Grab your cup and let’s start chattin’.

Here’s a throwback photo from my very first Yoga Teacher Training weekend, in honor of my FINAL YTT training weekend! RYT coming your way so very soon.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that I started keeping track of all my activities the past two weeks. It’s been TWO WEEKS of an abnormal schedule and I’ve managed to squeeze a ton of life into those two weeks. It’s amazing how much extra time I have when I’m not zipping to and from places constantly. We’re in this state of pivoting — trying to keep some normalcy but learning how to operate in this new way.

[Does anyone else think of Ross in Friends when you hear the word PIVOT?]

Related, if we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that I’m writing this in between “packing” breaks – we’re moving soon and no item is safe! It didn’t seem real until the other night when we broke down our guest room bed and took ALL the photos off the walls. This is happening!

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that I’m enjoying the current ‘normal’ state of things. I do, however miss a few things from the “life that was”:

1. Regular iced coffee or an iced latte that I don’t have to make. Post yoga.
2. Mani/pedi therapy. I really miss this — it’s my treat, my me-time, and I’m feeling the effects of all the hand-washing and hand sanitizer.
3. Hot yoga. I can heat up my practice room, but nothing compares to the sweaty hot love of a hot yoga class. I also miss my post-hot yoga Playabowls trips.
4. Listening to podcasts. Yes, I know I can totally do that from anywhere, but I prefer listening in the car, and I haven’t gone anywhere far enough to listen to any of my shows.
5. More MBRT work/other work balance — I love working from home, but there’s something different about the way we’re working now. And, I created a new project that I’m doing on top of my regular work, so I feel like I’m working more than my allotted hours each week. Week 2 was better, and I’m putting on more brakes this week.
6. Weekly date nights (out) with husband — we like to hit up 3-4 grocery stores and enjoy dinner at a restaurant. We always eat dinner together anyway, but this was our extra special night.
7. The super happy “zomg she’s home!!! I need to greet her and tell her how much I love and missed her” from my pupper — we’re here all the time now, and there’s no excited greeting at the door that I’m not leaving.
8. Taking fitness classes. I’ve been teaching so much (and doing MORE since I’m filming everything) that I haven’t taken a class since…March 8! I’m excited for my YTT weekend coming up (we’re doing it virtual) just to have the opportunity to take a class. I miss body pump and hot yoga.
9. Regular fitness paychecks — I’m having to hustle a little more to make it all work, which is a little more stressful, but I’m also excited to have control and use my creativity! THANK YOU to everyone who has taken a class, donated, or joined a group during these past two weeks. This is literally my passion and my life. I’d go crazy if I wasn’t able to offer fitness to you!

Things I don’t miss, like:

1. Paying for gas! That really adds up, y’all!
2. Having to rush in between all of my jobs and appointments. I legit sat in bed drinking coffee before teaching my 9:00 a.m. Zoom Zumba class this weekend. Goals. I feel less stressed about having to get everywhere.
3. The stress of working for someone else’s gym — I’m super thrilled for all of the opportunities I’ve had, teaching at 10 different gyms. But I’ve really enjoyed being in charge of my fitness schedule these past two weeks. It’s been nice not having to adhere to rules of each gym, and it’s definitely made me notice where I might’ve been trying to make something work when it was clearly not meant to be.
4. Real clothes. Not gonna lie, I could get rid of half of my wardrobe if I had this work from home life. I’ve been wearing a ton of my fitness clothes (I’ve somehow managed to create MORE laundry…?) but I don’t miss wearing non-athletic clothes.
5. Hierarchy/bureaucracy. I feel like lines are a little blurred right now and that puts some people on EDGE, but it also creates room for others to grow. I’m a challenger  and I don’t like rules that serve no purpose except keeping the top people at the top or those rules that are in place just so people can feel like they are in control. I think everyone is capable of achieving great things, regardless of where they fall on the totem pole at work. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE to build yourself up! All ideas go right now.

I’m sure there’s more, but that’s all I could think of right now. What do you MISS? What are you HAPPY TO LEAVE BEHIND?

My word of the week is “EMBRACE.” You are allowed to miss things, you are allowed to grieve. Embrace that this is the new normal, and we’ll continue to create new normals as we move forward.