Meet Kristin!: Personal & Teaching Journey What inspired you to become a yoga/Pilates instructor? I had been a student at Coastal Retreat for years and knew how much I had benefited, physically and mentally, from the practice and community there. When we had to close the studio for the Covid pandemic it really highlighted how important my yoga practice and the relationships I had formed at Coastal truly were to me. As we began to reopen I took the opportunity to become an instructor in order to help others reap the same benefits that I have enjoyed! How long have you been teaching, and what keeps you passionate about it? I've been teaching aerial yoga for 4 years. This year I've added aerial and reformer pilates to my repertoire! My students are one of my main sources of inspiration. Whether they come to me with an injury or show me something they've seen on Instagram that they'd like to try, I'm constantly learning from them just as they are learning from me. Watching them achieve a victory or seeing their practice grow and evolve keeps me passionate about teaching! How would you describe your teaching style? My teaching philosophy is all about meeting people where they are. I want to offer everyone the opportunity to push themselves in their practice but in a way that feels like a manageable challenge, not a punishment. "Pick your spice level.", is one of my often used phrases. I like to approach each class with enthusiasm, curiosity, flexibility and a sense of humor.  Fun & Personal Interests What’s a fun fact about you that students might not know? I have taught preschoolers for 21 years and they've taught me to stay curious, practice patience, and seek joy in the everyday.  Do you have a favorite book, mantra, or quote that inspires your practice? As someone with an anxious "busy brain" I frequently return to the Shanti Mantra for Peace:                                                                        May there be well-being for all, May there be peace for all. May there be wholeness for all, May there be happiness for all. —Translation by Zoë Slatoff-Ponté What are your favorite self-care rituals outside of yoga/Pilates? In addition to yoga and pilates I also do functional weight training. My other self care rituals include a love of cooking/meal prep and walking/hiking at local parks.  Studio & Teaching Experience What do you love most about teaching at our studio? I love that we are a small boutique studio not a massive gym. This means I can connect more fully with students and address their individual needs more readily. We also promote an all inclusive, light atmosphere. While we take our practice seriously, we also enjoy a lot of laughter.  What’s your favorite pose or exercise to teach, and why? One of my favorite poses to teach is aerial inversion. I love making inversions accessible to people that may have struggled with them in a traditional yoga class.  Can you share a memorable moment with a student or class that impacted you? love seeing student's eyes light up when they make a breakthrough in their practice. Recently one of my students commented that she remembered when she was nervous about aerial inversion and could only maintain the position for a couple moments. Now she confidently enters into them with a smile and has progressed to more complex variations!    Advice & Inspiration What advice would you give to students looking to deepen their practice? What’s one common misconception about yoga/Pilates that you’d like to debunk?