It’s back to school, but different this year

Although it still is hotter than a cat on a hot tin roof (or a sacred cow in the middle of rural India), it’s the time of year again when kids, young adults, teachers, professors, administrators and learners of all ages are going back to school.  But this year is different.  Because this may be more challenging than it ever has been before, the mere mention of the word “school” could cause blood pressure to rise. This is understandable and somewhat expected during this time in each of our personal histories, but mindfulness can help.        

Whatever the changes and implications for school mean to you and your loved ones (virtual, in-person, hybrid, remote, e-learning, home-schooling, pods, boarding, teaching, administering), we hope that you allow yourself enough grace to acknowledge the challenges therein while being aware of the stress it may be causing for you and your loved ones.  Patience and persistence are certainly required, but maybe more is needed.  Maybe we have to dig deep as we navigate the ebbs and flows of the emotional rollercoaster we are currently riding, especially as we figure out school.  

Big challenges like these are a major reason why we take what we do so seriously.

The many changes over the past 6 months have caused all of us at Flow to You to find renewed and invigorated belief in our mission and objectives.  We know that people need our services.  They deserve to feel better and find tools that support improved well-being.  Finding stable mental space is challenging for most people these days, self care is of the utmost importance, and more likely than not, most of our wellness aspirations are falling to the bottom of the list of priorities.

For these reasons (and more), we’ve spent the past 6 months refining our offerings to be completely virtual and, working with the most amazing leaders and coaches, have expanded our workshops and classes to include more personal development, team building and self-care services, while keeping the core of our business strong with physical practices (like yoga, pilates, Qigong, meditation, massage and barre).  

Last Spring, our top priority was to offer donated yoga classes to local schools for the teachers and staff, who we were happy to support.  We then shifted our focus towards crafting mindfulness packages for schools that support the whole community of parents, teachers, staff and students who are all stretching beyond their comfort zone to make this school year count.  

We decided to sponsor a peaceful opportunity for the community to come together, unify and take a break with a weekly outdoor yoga class at Zen, in Downtown Greenville – Wednesdays at 6:30pm. 

This class is limited in attendance and requires early online registration and will be taught by Abbey Garcia in the beautiful and socially distanced garden at Zen.  We hope you will join us.  

And, we developed a proprietary, quick, 30 minute “Chair Recess” that can help counteract the effects of stress and staring at a screen during those lengthy virtual calls or from sitting at less than optimal places while working from home.  This virtual class is perfect for the busy individual who could use a chance to step away and reconnect to breath and movement in the middle of a stressful day.      

The times are difficult and emotional, but, as a people we must remember that we have entered the season of learning – and the opportunity to learn a new way of existing, growing, and thriving is being forced upon us. How we react to this opportunity is our choice. We are flexible and able to handle much more than we believe we can.  We are resilient and we are stronger together. So hang in there.   

If we can help you, your organization or school customize a mindfulness plan that supports your people, let us know.  We would welcome the opportunity to tell you more about our services.

In the meantime:  Keep on going.  Keep on flowing.  

Whatever it looks like, welcome back to school.