8.8.18
On my most recent trip to NYC the past & the present were overwhelmingly apparent.
Today, 8.8.18, commemorates the 10 year anniversary of me leaving the nest of my life in Los Angeles, to explore myself, my own potential and to be lost & found in NYC. I remember telling myself that first winter, “if I can just make it through this first year...”
Every street, every stoop, every yoga studio it seems held a memory; some moment, some person, some learning, some love, some scar. I checked out a few of my favorite old haunts, many of which are gone now, or, past their prime. I walk past buildings and know “what they used to be back when.” It’s confrontational to say the least to miss moments, people, places and things that no longer exist. Especially when surrounded by so much new.
And, what is more evident in NYC than anywhere else on earth is how much the yoga scene has changed in the past 10 years. A simple walk down Broadway will take you through the epicenter of the past & present of the yoga scene in NYC.
The yoga industry has exploded the past 10 years, which is what I spoke of at the yoganect venture capital fundraising event in Hamburg last month. I was the keynote speaker for a group of bloggers in the wellness space and curious investors. My job? To paint a clear picture of the yoga boom that is approaching western Europe based off of my experience living through the boom here in the US. Many of them couldn’t believe what I was sharing: 10,000+ student yoga classes, yoga teachers making $400k a year, that new students from across all walks of life will start doing yoga in droves though not in the typical way.
Many of us long for the “way things were” in the yoga scene: a slower, simpler, “less sexy”, pre-Instagram, pre-Internet, pre-ClassPass, pre-chain yoga studios, pre-Yoga Alliance, time.
While walking down memory lane (Broadway) thinking about the “way things were,” I damn near got ran over by a bus.
I was immediately reminded that life is constantly moving and most importantly, that if I don’t keep my head up, stay focused and keep looking ahead, I will be left behind, or, crushed by a slow moving vehicle.
I encourage all of you, on memory lane to stay present, to stay innovative, to stay creative, to stay relevant and TO STAY IN THE GAME.
We need you.So today, on my 10 year NYC anniversary, I honor what was and look ahead, with open arms to what will be.
With love, Ava
PS --- The kids from Fannie Lou Hamer | Radical Futures Project were: everything!
PPS --- If it has been awhile since you took a fresh, creative look at your yoga business, we have (2) amazing options: our best selling one to one ROAD MAP consulting package, or our comprehensive, guided online business school The Catalyst.
PPPS --- if you still didn’t grab your free copy of Top 4 Tips for Killer Negotiating - get it now! Redeem your lifetime access to the series here: Coupon Code: EMAILGIFT.