Celebrating our Sweet 16
August is an empowering month with the strength of Leos.
A month of harsh realities. A month of inner strength. A month of constant change. A month of frustration. A month of tears.
But I don’t wish today’s blog to go down the road of Coronavirus – we talk about it 24 hours a day all over the world. Vaccinations, close contact, isolation, lockdown, closures, tighter restrictions, closures, testing, penalties.
Instead I just want to share what for me, is a joyous time (although I do feel slightly weird writing the word “joy”!!!)
Our Yoga Studio will, on the 22nd of August, celebrate….Sweet 16!!!!
Yes – 16 years old.
So that’s why I feel I need to spread some magic dust, (no balloons, they are terrible for the environment) fairy floss and hundreds and thousands to celebrate.
It feels like a loooong time since anyone has had a party.
I remember the studio’s 10th birthday party at the Clemton Park Bowling club which was so amazing. The turnout of all yogis and their families was wonderful and better than I could have imagined. We celebrated with smaller parties at the Bexley North studio but then, since 2020: nothing!!!
I have wanted to celebrate our new Clemton Park Headquarters but keeping up with all the Covid restrictions kind of stopped me.
On the other hand how do we plan? I feel let’s all go with the flow, which even I will admit is sometimes hard to implement.
But hey – back to 16 years as a full time yoga teacher, Australian Registered Homeopath health and lifestyle consultant, business owner and for the last two years the designer and creator of my Yoga- active- lifestyle clothing range. All of the clothing is made in Sydney with samples, patterns, sewing, and pressing made by two wonderful women, mother and daughter team Chrysoula and Fotini. Even the materials are sourced in Australia, supporting our markets.
I cannot tell you how frustrated I get knowing that most activewear has not been manufactured in Australia. I get sent all the samples of tights, crop tops, bras and then big brands buy them, just stick their label on top and charge you 1000% mark up. Crazy!!!! Thank you to everyone for your amazing support of my new venture. So many of you out there have purchased my clothing way before it was online. My deepest most wonderful thank you.
Thank you also to everyone who has attended my yoga classes. Every single student. Students who came once, a few weeks, months, years, on and off. I feel as though I have met everyone’s families and wherever I go it seems I bump into a student.
Thank you to all the wonderful support of yogis who have attended my yoga retreats, here and in Tonga and of course Greece. Again so glad our retreat at Callala Beach in May was able to happen. I still vote it as the best retreat ever – but definitely more to come.
16 years is a long time but I also feel it just flew. My strength as a business owner and creator is to never give up and to always bring passion to my work. My job is beyond a job, yoga is a way of life. I have been blessed to have changed my business after last year’s lockdown. Big commercial rents and overheads are gone. So I have been able to breathe and not stress but my heart is broken with how many businesses are suffering. Downsizing has saved me this time around.
From the start of this lockdown, I reduced my private teaching fee from $80/90 to $50 an hour. It has been a wonderful experience teaching yogis outdoors and of course keeping up with all the new changes I have been able to work with. Mask on and also currently we have local border restrictions and the 5km rule so from today a lot of yogis will be restricted.
Of course nothing is forever. We will get through this. As lockdowns continue at some point there will be some easing. Most likely we will transition to 10 or less in a group with classes held outdoors. I love teaching outdoors and so many of you have been converted to enjoying yoga in Mother Nature. When we resume outdoor classes I will post on social media and keep you updated with newsletter release.
Planning ahead is not something that can be done at the moment- which is a lesson to be in the present. What we can do today is to be kind, thoughtful and as caring as you can be to yourself and others.
From the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone for all the support and courage and strength you have given me to thrive and work with this small business the last 16 years.
Thank you also to Veronica Robertson from Commotion Marketing for everything you have done for me. Your unwavering support and love. You have held my hand for so many steps of getting my business more technologically updated and so much more.
xxx
Eleni
