Hey Reader, Community is so important. Building community has always been a fundamental part of my teaching. We are stronger and better together. Moving your body is important for lifelong health, but it's even better when you can get together with other folks and move together. And often, when you're surrounded by other people, they way you move your body is different than when you're on your own -- the power of the collective. This is what's so appealing about going to a studio and practicing with lots of people, even when it gets a little sweaty or stinky in a small studio space. It's the only thing I truly miss about teaching in studios and gyms -- that tangible connection with others -- because it sure isn't the pay or the schedule. It's the thing I've tried hard to create within the small community of my online studio, MOVE with Naomi, since I opened it back in 2018. And for the students who show up most consistently, they feel it. Some of them have also come on retreat with me, so they get to know one another even better there. The key is showing up. Creating community starts when you show up. This leads me to my Movement Snack this week. Movement Snack this week: I've been trying to get folks to show up to online classes since 2018 but it's hard. When you choose to do anything online, there are so many other things that compete for your attention. It's easier to get distracted. It's also easier to just opt out because something comes up. I know what has worked for me in the past, but I want to hear from you. I want to know, what would help you commit? What would make showing up to an online yoga or movement class more inviting to you? What would make showing up to an online yoga or movement class more valuable to you? For those who ARE looking for community, but going to a studio in person just doesn't work for you, I'd love to see you on the mat in MOVE. I have 2 options for you: The first is to join MOVE as a member. There are 2 levels of membership and both offer live class options -- Alternatively, you can do weekly drop-ins to my Wednesday flow class. It's a sliding scale payment starting at $5. In order to get access to these classes, you need to sign up for reminder emails every Tuesday. That's the link above. Let's build community together. Show up and move with me, with us. Get a little taste of my teaching here, in my latest YouTube video, which is the second half of the 60 minute class I recorded live for MOVE last Saturday. Question of the week: I'd love to hear you answers about movement community that I asked above. Will restate here: What would make showing up to an online yoga or movement class more inviting to you? What would make showing up to an online yoga or movement class more valuable to you? I look forward to hearing about community and hopefully seeing you on the mat soon, too! Warmly, Naomi Want to stay in touch during the week? Here are a 2 easy ways: Follow me on Bluesky, where I share daily movement practices as acts of resistance, connection, and strength. Follow me on substack, where I write about the intersection of movement, motherhood, and the culture that we are all moving through. Or better yet, subscribe so you have immediate access to regular essays, including my most recent substack which is a conversation I had with Vanessa Scaringi, a licensed psychologist and a certified eating disorder specialist. We discussed the places where our work overlaps, along the lines of parenting under the specter of diet culture and what it means to "keep your eyes on your own practice." You can read it here. As always, if you'd like to support my writing, you can do that by simply reading and liking my pieces on substack. Even better, comment on them and share them with those who might love them, too. And of course the best way to support my work is with a paid subscription, which allows me to continue to do the writing I love. One more quick writing note: I recently published an article about why perimenopause supplements are diet culture garbage. You can find it over on Fit Bottomed Girls, which is my favorite online platform for a healthy, anti-diet approach to movement and fitness. |
Naomi combines playful, powerful movement practices with the science of habit change to make it easier for busy moms to get moving every day. She frequently writes about the intersection of mom life, feminism, diet culture, and the unrealistic standards we hold ourselves to as women. Naomi is passionate about helping moms move more freely in their bodies and feel more at home in their skin.
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