Space to Rebuild

I’m Katie, and I teach Buti Yoga at the Shasta Family YMCA. Buti is a dynamic combination of yoga, plyometrics, tribal dance, and strength training. This practice has changed my life. It’s physically demanding and emotionally empowering.

I had joined the Y last March, primarily due to the thoughtful and safe childcare; being a mother of two, that’s incredibly important to me. I also wanted a gym where I didn’t feel insecure. I was taking a while to bounce back from giving birth to my second child and was looking for a place to be comfortable. It’s intimidating to go into an atmosphere where everybody’s already dialed in – like, ‘I’m not in good enough shape to go to that gym.’ At the Y, I was comfortable right away. There’s no pressure to be anything but yourself at the Y. Don’t get me wrong – you can get an intense workout here with all of the classes and the updated equipment. I need intensity, but it’s also a safe place.

I lost my house in the Carr Fire on July 26.  It was a Thursday. I’m a single mom with a seven-year-old son and one-year-old daughter.  For us, the fire took a lot of very sentimental things and memories and a feeling of “security”. The loss of control was very hard on all of us.  Though the fire was devastating, there was great beauty that evolved from that tragedy.

The fire forced me to realize how being present with my children was what mattered the most. Helping them navigate emotionally through it all, made us all more aware and resilient. I feel like a better and stronger mother after the fire and have been reminded just how blessed we are. My son also had the realization that people truly cared for us, and that kindness has made a huge impact in him that will last forever.

The Y offered consistency during inconsistent times. Everyone at the Y – the child care people, the staff, everyone – is creating relationships. People ask about you, about how you’re doing because they really care. It’s a community. This is a unique time where we are hungry for connection, I am grateful for the authentic bonds we are creating here.

The Y gave me a platform to return to my passion, teaching. Buti Yoga is about reclaiming power in movement. Teaching at the Y gave me the space to do the work to rebuild my confidence. Movement is medicine.
Now, I’m unstoppable.

Thank you for sharing your story, Katie.

– story shared by Katie Noll