Kris on Health

Balance After Covid

Such a strange time this has been – for everyone. We have all had our own unique experiences with this pandemic, whether at home on quarantine, or working even harder than before. Maybe both.

I typically teach 8-10 Yoga and Pilates classes a week, wellness coach part time, and am a full- time mom. My days involve taking kids to school, sporting events, social events, and traveling to basketball tournaments on the weekends. Not to mention walking the dog, cooking, cleaning, and now with the spring, gardening.

When the quarantine began, in all honesty, I took a deep breath, laid back, and rejoiced a little. I was being told to stay home, with my family!? And, those teens of mine were told to stay home with me! Ha! What a gift I was being given to have this extra time to spend with my girls at a time in their lives when being around friends tends to be their preference. I also felt a little guilty, knowing that not everyone was being allotted this time with their loved ones. I knew that sitting around feeling guilty or fearful was not going to help me maintain the positive energy I knew my kids needed, in this very uncertain time. So, like many people, I got busy with home improvement projects. I decluttered everywhere, multiple times. I finished a garden path I had started many years ago. We gutted, cleaned, and transformed the garage into a game room where we have spent many family evenings enjoying ping pong and darts. I planted seeds.

To maintain my teaching chops, I dove back into work on a YouTube channel that I had started a year ago. Creating these Yoga and Pilates classes has given me the opportunity to stay in shape while maintaining a connection to many of my students. I cannot emphasize enough how important mind/body exercises like Yoga and Pilates are at a time like this.

At the time of writing this, I am still not yet teaching live classes. However, I will continue to teach via my YouTube channel, and offer wellness coaching online by creating meal and workout plans for people to do and follow from home. Visit www.healthytothesoul.com for more information and access to my channel.

So many aspects of our lives help us to be balanced mentally and physically. Our work, hobbies, time spent with loved ones, time spent alone, and taking care of our bodies and our surroundings are all part of keeping us whole. And, as we can see, anything can happen, and turn our worlds upside-down. Good self-care is of the utmost importance and can ultimately help see us through whatever may come our way.

Thank you to everyone who stepped out of their comfort zones by going out and risking working through the unknown, wearing masks and social distancing, or finding other ways to serve the greater good. We are all bonded by this experience. Now that we have almost made it to the other side, let’s learn and grow from this, so we will all be a little better prepared. And I’m not talking paper products. Kris

Kris Denning is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and a yoga/pilates teacher at Timberhill Athletic Club.

Contact her at

healthytothesoul.com