In case we haven’t made it perfectly clear, we think you should probably know how crazy we are about our bulldog team.
We like to think that we attract a special breed of human to our pack — relentlessly energetic, fiercely compassionate, wildly persistent, super fun, and (of course) #bulldogstrong.
One of the best things about our amazing leaders? They’re multi-faceted, multi-passionate, straight up cool people who have so much to share with our community on and off the mat. Their yoga know-how and physical strength are really just the beginning of their awesomeness, and we feel crazy lucky to have the opportunity to introduce you to them!
Take this month’s Leader Spotlight star, Boulder-based Sophie Numbers, for example. She’s an amazing class leader, but she’s also oh-so-wise. Read on to learn more about what activates, invigorates, and exhilarates her, along with her general philosophies about basically #allthethings.
What activates me: This one’s easy… movement! The practice of moving my body is my medicine, my daily vitamins, and my time to check out of the responsibilities of daily life. When I’m moving, there’s no time to stress, be ridden with anger, or dwell on any distractions. With a clear head, I can truly set myself up with a strong, confident, peaceful, and pure foundation so I can be properly armed for whatever life throws at me. Yoga is my main source of movement. Let’s be honest — you can’t think about stress or anxiety when you are balancing on one foot, holding a handstand, or flowing through a sequence! Yoga forces me to be utterly present, to let go of ego, and to tap into my body space instead of being stuck in my head. Outside of yoga, I’m also a passionate snowboarder, skier, runner, climber, and hiker, and I love exploring other forms of movement like weightlifting, dance, and cycling.
What invigorates me: Perspective! It manifests in a variety of ways, but it most often shows up as either landing myself in a handstand, climbing a mountain, or looking out into the immensity of the ocean. This might sound like a paradox, but I’m totally invigorated by the sensation of feeling less significant than something else. By zooming out of my own life and looking at things with a grander perspective, I often feel like the weight of responsibility has been lifted off my shoulders. It permits me to live life from a lighter, freer place and to be inspired by all the opportunities out there! This feeling lights a fire in me, and life suddenly seems much bigger than all the relatively minuscule things I choose to fill my head space on a daily basis. Finding perspective forces me to let all that stuff go, trust that I am exactly where and how I am supposed to be, and feel ready to take on anything!
What exhilarates me: Sensation and inquiry. At my core, I am a feeler and am curious, always seeking to move away from my baseline both physically and mentally. I fill a lot of my sensation needs through movement, but I also crave human connection and powerful relationships! I especially crave adrenaline-inducing activities (sorry, Mom!), because a split second of uncertainty or fear forces instinct to take over. I get a break from my normal state of planning, controlling, and organizing all things and thoughts! I feel the same way about learning. I have a thirst for knowledge and am constantly asking “why?” In school, I was nicknamed “helium hand” because I would always have my hand in the air with a question! For me, curiosity has a similar sensation to movement and connection, because it gets me away from the norm and allows me to feel more alive and hungry for possibility.
Check out our class schedule to find out when you can practice with Sophie next!
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