Off the Mat with Kate

Since beginning her practice at age twelve, Kate has incorporated yoga into almost all aspects of her life. As such, she didn’t experience a rapid shift in perspective as someone who might have come to the practice later in life might, but rather has found yoga helpful in more subtle ways.

“It’s the small things for me. It’s standing in line at the grocery store and feeling my throat close up because the person in front of me is taking forever and having the ability to take a breath and check in with myself at those moments,” she says. "It’s being able to observe more.”

When she briefly worked for Lulu, she found this notion articulated in their company culture. “They called it the "wonder spot" - if something is challenging or difficult, take a step back and wonder about it,” she says. "I think it’s important to do in daily practice, to take the chance to be more of an observer than a participant. If something is swirly or aggressive, you can take a beat and a breath and wonder about it - not what can I do right away, but just give yourself the space to pause and think."

Even though these things might seem small, Kate recognizes their potential. “Beyond being able to pick up your keys or run around with your kids, I think the smaller benefits of yoga are most helpful for me,” she says. "They’re not revelatory or earth shaking by themselves, but they can be if everyone puts them into practice."