It’s that time of year again….you know the time where we evaluate the year that has passed, and we look forward (I HOPE) to the year that comes. I don’t know about you, but I am glad that 2018 is almost over, it’s been a DOOZY! I can’t wait for all the amazing adventures that you and I will have together in 2019, but before I get into that, Like the old Scottish Poem (and Song) that talks about Auld Lang Syne (for Old Times Sake), I thought I’d talk a little about the amazing accomplishments that you helped this Wonderful Thrive Community reach over the last year. I hope you enjoy remembering and that you get even more excited about what’s to come.
2018 a Year in Review for Thrive Yoga and Wellness.
In 2018, Thrive Yoga and Wellness was born. Formerly Yoga East, Thrive Yoga and Wellness came from the idea that this studio was more than just yoga. We were a place where you could come, hang out, make friends, move, breathe, and experience true community. We had a few tears, a LOT of laughs, and a decent amount of food and great times.
Thrive Yoga and Wellness moved to our new location (just two doors down) that offered us the ability to have in-house wellness practitioners, the amazing Acupuncturist, Jamie Jackson from The Mi Lu Center, and the miraculous Ashley Ellis from Illuminate with Ashley. In addition, the new space gave us two practice rooms, which enabled us to offer MORE classes to fit your schedule and your demand! We are still working on that scheduling, so always keep your eyes on the class schedule page, but I hope that you’ve found a few new classes and new teachers to help expand your personal practice!
The BEST news about Thrive Yoga and Wellness is the impact we had on the community OUTSIDE of our studio. You are a part of an AMAZING, GIVING, CARING, Overall FANTASTIC group of people. As this email goes out, we have raised over $5600 in 2018! This SMASHES our 2017 record year! Because of your contributions and the efforts of the always awesome Thrive Teachers, we were able to host classes and programs that gave back to our community in a MAJOR way. We may be a small studio, but we are a MIGHTY Force for Support, Encouragement, and Lasting Impact for our Local economy.
These funds went to programs like McKamey Animal Center, Mending Arrow Ranch, Youth Villages, Wally’s Friends, Yoga Makes Change, and Yoga in Schools Programs. In addition to the GINORMOUS financial contributions, You helped us deliver TWO CAR FULLS of gifts for a local family at Christmas with our annual Chambliss Center for Children Adoption. As usual, you and your friends here at Thrive answered the call to give back over and above what we could have imagined and we were able to supply a holiday for this precious family that lives right here in our neck of the woods. New this year, we also held a food drive for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, where our sweet Linda had to make two full car trips to deliver all the food! I have NO WAY to value what you did for the families here between the food and Christmas Gifts, but I have NO DOUBT it was over $2000.
It’s amazing! No longer can I think of us as a small, suburban studio–no, I have to change the way I think and talk about this wonderful space….although our footprint is not huge physically, and although we are intimate in size during classes, we are GIANTS in the community. I am So incredibly proud and honored to be a part of this amazing group of yoga lovers, and I’m so thankful I can call you friend!
As we move forward into 2019, I hope that you can take a moment to really cherish the contributions you made to those around you. Even if you don’t realize it, you have been a blessing–to me, to the community around us–to this world. Take one moment to breathe in that gratitude and draw out an intention for your year to come. Maybe your intention is to Be Present (I have to work on that one sometimes,) Maybe your intention is to set boundaries (oh goodness, it’s getting warm in here!), maybe your intention is to practice gratitude every.single.day….because, even in the storms, you and I always have something to be thankful for.
Whatever your intention for next year, I welcome you to take a few moments to visualize yourself in the act of that intention and send it forth into the world before you. If you want, shoot me an email, tell me what your intention is, and I will help to encourage you towards it! I just shared my top three intentions (because choosing one was too hard!) I hope you’ll help me stay focused on these visions for myself as we move forward into 2019. I can’t wait to see you on the mat!
Here’s the final chorus of Auld Lang Syne (thank you Wikipedia)– I thought it especially fitting to share with you, my friend…
“And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.”
Here’s a long sip of coffee, juice, water, or maybe adult beverage (depends on when you read this, I guess)for the times that have passed, and maybe let’s do another one…for the times to come.
By Jennifer Dixon MBA ERYT 500