Mariela’s Sunday Thoughts: Hype
If you’ve been to the studio recently, you might have noticed we’ve installed what we’re calling “Hype Board”. It’s a simple, cork board with push pins, paper, and a pen ready to be used by everyone.
One of the reasons that pushed me to create Grounded was the possibility to create real community, real connections, real support, real solidarity.
When I first made the decision to create it, around mid April, I started reaching out to the amazing teachers that are now teaching the classes you’ve been taking. They all expressed, in one way or another, the need for a supportive environment where people can come in, share, connect, rest, get stronger, more resilient, grow, or simply feel less alone.
Creating Grounded was also a scary decision: something I was doing not because I wanted to, but because I needed to.
So my goal for Grounded was simple: provide a space where people can not only practice yoga, but feel yoga.
I also wanted to offer as many options as possible so people would get to do exactly what they need at that particular moment - hence, the other disciplines came in: barre, Pilates, sculpt, mobility.
With that in mind, I originally wanted to add Reformer beds to the first room. That was until the teachers started seeing the space and co-creating it.
“What if we added a water or tea bar here?”
“What if we arranged a space where people can sit down and visit?”
“What if there was an area where people can chat, and an area where people can enjoy quiet time?”
“What if people could still come in, even when the previous class is not over yet and feel they’re not interrupting?”
“What if we added more surfaces for people to put down their stuff and have their hands free to communicate with someone?”
“What if, with time, Grounded became the third space we’ve all been craving?”
And that’s how that room became “the welcome room”.
One of my favorite moments is when I see people take a sit and catch up, or leaf a book, or check out the upcoming events, or simply have some water and take a moment before class.
Instead of choosing the economical optimization of the space by adding Reformers, we chose to keep the space open and inviting.
A question I asked every teacher, as I was inviting them to be part of Grounded, was “beyond props, what do you need for your class? what do you need to have in the space to feel comfortable?”. Unsurprisingly, all of them replied with ways to serve you, the student, better: aromas for the room, a cleaning schedule that keeps the space fresh, good quality water that does not generate trash, areas to hang out, a good sound system, consent tokens, and many other ideas we’re still working on and hoping to be able to bring in soon (like a full time front desk person, dedicated restroom, etc.).
The point is: Grounded was created with you in mind, for you, and at your service. And every single teacher puts that front and center.
When I asked myself that question, my answer was “real community and support”.
And that’s how the Hype Board came to be.
What if we could genuinely share what’s making us happy right now? What if we could give our community a chance to root for us, celebrate us, support us, cheer us on? What if one of these little notes spiked a conversation? What if that conversation turned into a new friendship?
Funny enough, as I was typing this I was keeping an eye on Ann’s class this morning and watching the sign up sheet growing and growing with reservations to the point that I decided to stop typing and pop by the studio to help her with the front desk so she could take care of greeting the students and get set up for class. What I wasn’t expecting, though, was that the sign up sheet would keep growing and, by the time I reached the studio, we would be hosting the biggest class Grounded has held so far.
And that’s something worth the hype.
A simple journaling (or thought/meditation) prompt to connect with celebration:
Morning: sit or stand in a quite space. Close your eyes and picture a scenario or event that’s taking place in your life (currently or soon) that you’re particularly excited about. See it in detail: mentally describe it to yourself. Picture your face experiencing this moment. Bonus: write yourself a “congratulations” card.
Evening: in a quite space, grab a pen and a piece of paper. Think of someone i your life that’s going through a moment of celebration, big or small. Write them a letter hyping them up. Bonus: send the letter to them