Time to shift focus.

During any given pandemic, I would have predicted that there would have been more time to write blog postings. Now that we are well into our first pandemic, I guess it’s time to recalibrate expectations for intra-pandemic productivity! In this time of ongoing change, I’ve been meaning to check in for quite awhile.

            Over the past four years, I’ve shared some of my experiences as a non-traditional graduate student. The return to school was exactly what the doctor ordered in terms of mental stimulation, exposure to eustress (and just enough distress!), and an opportunity to develop new skills. Over the past few years, I’ve consistently described my return to school as among the best decisions that I’ve ever made. At the same time, the return to school hasn’t been entirely sustainable.

Napoleon Dynamite knows the importance
of developing a repertoire of skills.

The long hours spent studying made me less available with my friends and family, the opportunity cost in exploring new opportunities impacted our businesses, and my shifting focus has certainly altered day-to-day life, even in the best of circumstances. While these adaptations were expected and surmountable, they’ve become progressively less tenable during this ongoing pandemic crisis.

All this to say, I’ve made the difficult decision to take a leave-of-absence from my studies. Early into the pandemic, it became clear that any small business would be fighting for its survival, and our family businesses were no exception. While we are exceedingly fortunate to have navigated this first chapter of the pandemic relatively well, the almost-daily changes arising from COVID-19 asked for a renewed focus on both the near and long-term trajectories of Pilates on Harrison and Scott Anderson Yoga.

As a first step, many you may have heard that Scott Anderson Yoga and Pilates on Harrison merged! This combining of talent and resources allowed us to quickly deliver 15+ classes/week to our online subscribers, and to continue refining and developing our skills in delivering online content. We are only beginning our foray into this new-to-us delivery medium, and are learning more each day on the ins and outs of building community online.

We are grateful for all of you – your kind words, critiques and support have buoyed our spirits over the many long days spent figuring out lighting, video, platforms, web-hosting and all the many other expected (and unexpected) nuances of online education. As we continue delving into this new chapter, my leave of absence will extend at least through the remainder of 2020, if not beyond. In the meantime, a deep bow of gratitude for you all, and a commitment from me to continue sharing what I know and continue to learn about the body and mind.