1
Annie
After adjusting the vertical blinds a bit, I greeted several of my clients as they entered my yoga studio this morning. The classroom had floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the east, which was perfect for my morning classes. In the evening, I used another space at the opposite end of my suite. That one faced the west. It allowed my clients the chance to reconnect with nature while watching the sunset. The studio’s views and earthy decor, along with supportive instruction, were the reason my business was always busy even in my small home town of River Valley.
It wasn’t long before I found myself speaking words of encouragement and calmly adjusting their poses. My best friend, Crystal, had just started working with me a few weeks ago, and we were co-instructors for each class. Her job was to stand behind everyone while they watched me and support them as needed. If I saw more than one student struggling with a pose, I’d lend her a hand.
I was so proud of Crystal for finishing her Holistic Health Doctorate, and I knew that she’d be a fantastic yoga instructor when her hands-on training here with me was finished. Crystal and I shared the same passion for overall mental and physical wellbeing, and I was thrilled to have her help in my studio. Once she got the hang of it, she’d be on her way to teaching classes of her own.
And it was also pretty awesome to have my best friend back home with me.
“Very good,” I calmly said to my class. “You may release.”
I sat facing them with my back toward the window. As the sunlight began radiating across all the faces in the space, I finalized our session with a full minute of slow, steady breathing, and then dismissed the class.
Crystal walked over to me once everyone left. “How am I doing?”
I wrapped my arm around her waist and hugged her.
“You’re doing great,” I said. “You’re gonna make one hell of a yoga instructor.” She chuckled as we made our way back to my office. The whole place was exactly as it should be. Calm, peaceful, and serene.
We sat down at our desks, directly across from each other, and took turns making some herbal tea in the K-Cup machine. She and I were alike on so many levels. Crystal wasn’t some fake yoga instructor who partied and did drugs on the weekend. I knew for a fact that she practiced the lifestyle I encouraged at my yoga studio, which was why I was so eager to have her join me.
“What can I improve on?” Crystal asked, adding raw, organic honey to her tea.
I pulled a protein bar from my desk drawer, thinking about her performance over the last week. “I really can’t think of anything.”
It was the truth, too. Crystal was doing an outstanding job, and I was just about ready to assign her a class of her own. “Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
“Thank you so much for letting me work here with you,” she said. “This is, like my dream job… to be able to teach yoga for a living and use my holistic training. I am so stoked to be able to start helping people.”
“Don’t forget everything you learned in school,” I reminded her while sipping my tea. “I’m sure you have all types of tips and tricks to help our clients out.”
She nodded while sipping hers, too. “It amazes me how people just want to take a pill for everything. On the one hand, Western medicine does an awful lot that natural medicine can’t do. But that doesn’t mean that people should eat junk food and avoid exercise.”
I couldn’t agree with her more. It was one of the many reasons that I opened up my yoga studio, and why I wanted to have a line of holistic healthcare products eventually. Taking care of myself made me feel good, and I wanted to encourage people to treat their bodies the same way.
“I’m right there with you,” I said. “Although I could go for some fried chicken right now.”
“You’re so bad,” Crystal said between giggles.
I shrugged my shoulders and took a bite out of my protein bar, silently wishing that it tasted like chicken.
“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“Let’s see,” I said while glancing at my planner.
“Well, I have to leave in a few minutes to meet Julianna. Today’s her final wedding gown fitting.”
It seemed like only yesterday that she had gotten engaged, and here she was trying on wedding gowns.
“Oh, that’s right,” Crystal said. “Time flies by so fast. I bet it’s gorgeous!”
I told Crystal all about the gown, and how my sister had a knack for making just about anything look beautiful on her.“Well, I’m going to head on out and meet her for the fitting. And who knows? Maybe pick up some fried chicken on the way.” I lifted my eyebrows a few times at Crystal, and she laughed while shaking her head.
“I won’t tell any of the customers,” Crystal said. “And have some for me!”
As I left my studio, a few regulars walked in with their yoga mats and waved at me. Many students chose to pay a flat fee to practice on their own. Thankfully, there was a window that looked out onto the room from the office, so Crystal could give them help if needed.
