AOC in NYC.

Oh hello. It’s been a minute, I know. But Facebook tells me people are still reading this... I mean, Facebook could totally be a LIAR. I wouldn’t put it past them. But, you  know, if Facebook ISN’T lying, and you guys ARE still here, here’s what’s up!

Basically, I barely write here anymore because I’m doing tons of fun shit. All the time.

I’m working full-time in fitness and yoga. I teach Hot Power Yoga and High Intensity Interval Training (think: bootcamp on crack). I ride bikes, I run really long races (think: longer than marathon distance), I box, I’m training for an IROMAN(!), you know LOTS of things are going on.

I’d love to have you with me if you wanna follow along -- let’s travel together for a while! Here’s where to find me:

Classes!

I teach at PURE Yoga in NYC. You can find my schedule on their webpage. Come try a class! Feel free to message me on this site or any of my other socials if you wanna dig in.

Privates / Personal Training!

I also LOVE working one on one with peeps such as yourselves. I’m central out of NYC but do travel around from time to time so hit me up if you’re interested, let’s chat! Shoot me a message on here or at: aoc dot in dot nyc at gmail dot com  (I think you know the word ‘dot’ is actually ‘.’ and ‘at’ is actually ‘@’. Freaking spambots.)

Blog!

I had to start another one because this one was too narrowly specific in its focus. I’m writing haphazardly on a site called ‘The Shit That Scares You.’ So named because it’s about tackling fears, cultivating courage, and creating change. And really whatever else I feel like talking about. Right now it’s a LOT about my Ironman training. Since that is some pretty scary shit. Follow along if you want...

Socials!

I’m all over this shit. Here are the links:

Snapchat (bits about training, motivating, slices of life, music, EVERYTHING -- (download the app for your phone and search my username)---> aoc.nyc

Instagram (same as above, but in photo not video form): @aoc_in_nyc

Twitter (snappy one-liners): @AOCinNYC

Facebook (my personal page, but message me if you want an add).

“You’re not a failure because you’ve failed… You’ve made mistakes, you are not one.” 

Sometimes I’m struck by how HARD it is to teach yoga. Like, you have to know so much. Sequencing, anatomy, alignment, philosophy… Because you’re essentially creating your class from scratch. There’s no one right way, there’s no ‘structure’ per se to any class other than the one you create for yourself (or the one you learned in your 200 hour teacher training, depending where on train). There are so many ways to do it, so many styles, so many OPTIONS. 

You have an hour, maybe 75 minutes, MAYBE if you’re super lucky 90 minutes, to get in front of a bunch of people and take them through some poses. Guide them in an interaction with their bodies and breath. Hold space for them as they grow and transform. But HOW do we actually do it?! What is the actual process from minute to minute? How do we structure that time? 

It’s daunting. 

More than what you have to know, you have to be BRAVE. Sometimes I’m struck by how BRAVE we are as teachers. We have to make choices, based on our experience (because how the hell else would you make them), and we have to be so bold in offering up what we’ve chosen. Not easy.

I get upset with myself sometimes because I don’t think I take enough risks as a teacher. I feel like I could push myself more in certain areas, I beat myself up for not being brave enough, for being uncertain, for doubting. 

But then I step back a second and realize how brave I am already. To stand up in front of a bunch of tough-as-nails New Yorkers and offer up YOGA as I believe it to be and understand it to be and LOVE it to be, from my heart and soul, in the best way I can every day, knowing FULL WELL I may be rejected, made fun of, poo poo-ed, have a nasty comment card written about  me at every turn... well, that takes a kind of resilient grit and courageous spirit that to be honest, I was never sure I had. 

But I see myself do it every day. ALL of us (yoga teachers) do it every day. And when you step back and really see it from the outside, this ‘teaching of YOGA’ thing is really pretty freaking bold, brave, and BADASS.

More and more, I care less and less about being ‘successful’, and more and more about being KIND. 

Move, breathe, live from your HEART. ALWAYS. 

So here we are, it's 2015. A new beginning, as marked by the calendar, champagne toasts, parties, parades, football, and RESOLUTIONS.

We all want changes, right? In our bodies, minds, lives, whatever. And this is a time we COMMIT to making those things happen.

But it's not just about EFFORT. More than anything, it's about INTENTION. Use this time, at the start of the year, not just to make goal sheets and action plans and timelines, but to ALIGN so strongly with the intention you've set, with the place you see yourself, with the change you want, that you have NO SPACE for anything else.

Keep your thoughts so bright and your faith in yourself so strong, you don't have room for fear, doubt, hesitation, or negativity. Fill yourself up with the good things, and you won't have time or space for the less-than-good things. 

Our VISION of ourselves and where we want to be is the most powerful resource we have. Let's make it good.

1. Coffee. 

2. Sunshine.

3. Days that I can sleep until 8:30am.

4. Cool breezes in the heat of summer.

5. Almond butter.

6. The beach and the ocean.

7. Summertime. All of it.

8. Did I say coffee? I'm EXTRA grateful for coffee.

9. Today.

Emily Gould, as told to Julie Klausner in this interview.