My ass is so nice in fact, some people can't stop themselves from shouting it through their car windows as they drive past me, even when I'm standing with my kids.
When a stranger has the audacity to open his mouth and make any comment about your ass, what he's really saying is, "You might think you're all that, but you ain't shit." Manners do not apply.
Well, it's been exactly one month since the last time I posted, in the final days leading up to the opening of Barre & Soul Harvard Square. Those next days were a blur of dirty hands, takeout food, and little sleep, as we hustled to get the studio open. It would NOT have been possible without the generosity and hard work of some amazing people I'm lucky to have in my life, including my friends, kids, partner, the Barre & Soul staff, their parents (I'm not kidding) and more. THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this happen!
Fortunately, everything went perfectly and I also looked really good the whole time.
JUST KIDDING! At 1AM the night before we opened, I was leaning over a mop in the middle of the yoga studio LITERALLY SOBBING LIKE A CHILD.
We did manage to open, and the studio looks stunning. I especially love how it looks at night.
There's still a lot of decorating I want to do, like in the lobby (below), but the details are coming together.
Classes are in full swing, and I'm working on the finishing touches.
(How crazy is that magnetic conveyor belt that lowers your cart down to the parking lot at IKEA?)
Update: this piano still needs to happen. Anyone have a lead on a used one in or near Cambridge?
I've managed to sneak away for a few days here and there over the past month to visit my hometown of Ogunquit, Maine. I love it here. So so much.
I also got to stop into the beautiful Portsmouth studio, which is lovely and I don't visit enough. Its 1 year anniversary is TODAY!
Speaking of birthdays, Elise turned 9! She's been doing gymnastics camp, had a friend visit from out-of-town for a week, sprained her ankle, made lots of messes, (cleaned up a small percentage of them), has been keeping me busy, and is generally a very sweet and adorable child... We went shopping and found a few great back-to-school items I hope to share soon. Now she and Roman are both on vacation and Jason and I are without kids for the next week or so... I'm hoping we might make a little getaway, at least for a few days!
(A photo of my good side, obviously.)
Something I've really been wanting to share... I took a fantastic weekend yoga immersion with Goldie Graham the weekend after the Harvard Square studio opened. The topic was sequencing and hands-on assists, and if you're a yoga teacher, I would highly recommend it. Goldie has a very genuine, plain-spoken way about her and a true passion for yoga that really comes through and that I found inspiring.
On the one hand, signing up for a weekend of anything was probably a crazy idea at such a busy time, but then again it was probably the only thing that could have gotten me to slow down. On both Saturday and Sunday of that weekend, we practiced for about 90 minutes, which gave me the opportunity to hear what the wise little voice inside of me had to say.
First and foremost, I realized that I have worked hard, accomplished much, and need to chill the f*ck out and appreciate it!
I was also reminded of how important it is for a yoga teacher to maintain her own practice -- Goldie mentioned that she practices 5-6 days a week! -- and how little I've been doing that for myself.
I know, but had maybe forgotten, that I can do ANYTHING, but I can't do EVERYTHING.
Ironically, the workshop that I took to keep my teaching inspired, ended up inspiring me to cut back on teaching for a while.
I am choosing to take some time to do the things I am MOST excited about right now, the things that nourish me creatively and make me feel self-expressed. Right now, that's writing my blog and creating the most beautiful yoga and barre communities ever through Barre & Soul -- planning amazing programming and events, continuing to build and foster the dream team and to beautify our spaces.
I'm grateful that weekend gave me the pause to notice what I need and to get more of it! I'm happy to be back to the blog and grateful to you for reading!
Till next time!
Andrea
This post is written in semi-delirium as we sprint to the finish line of opening day for Barre & Soul Harvard Square! I thought I would check in with a quick photo-heavy update on what's been happening, as well as share a little something you might find valuable. First, the update:
This quote comes from Steven Pressfield in The War of Art, a book that inspired me to start my business, Barre & Soul®. I'm sharing it with you all this week in the hopes that it inspires you too.
When I decided to start Barre & Soul®, I did feel fear. I am grateful someone asked me this question:
Immediately, I knew. It was on.
This has served me well each time I get ready to take a new risk. When I laid eyes on the space for the new studio in Harvard Square (which is currently under construction,) I was overwhelmed by the fear of NOT creating a studio there, which is how I knew it had to be done.
Even though construction is stressful (is 'predictably unpredictable' an oxymoron? Because it describes life pretty perfectly at the moment...) and I have no way of knowing yet whether this studio will be a success, or whether it'll just turn out to be the most expensive mistake of my life, I couldn't NOT find out.
After all, what's the worst that could happen? (Answer: zombie apocalypse, obviously. And totally unrelated to the success or failure of my business.)
Here's to feeling the fear, and doing it anyway.
Love, Andrea
