Girl Boss(es) of the Week: Katie and Jessica from Good Vibes Tribe Cincinnati
Welcome back, Risers! We know it’s been a hot minute. We took a break for the holidays and we hope yours were filled with love, happiness, and good food! We are excited to get back to bringing you healthy and fit content each week! We have loads of exciting things to bring you in 2019 and we hope you’re just as excited as us. The new year always brings a level of motivation that no other time of the year tends to achieve, so hopefully, we can all stick together and lift each other up to keep each other motivated!
This week, we’re starting off with our favorite posts: Girl Boss of the Week! Or in this case, bosses! We have Katie and Jessica from Good Vibes Tribe Cincinnati! Good Vibes Tribe Cincinnati is a group of individuals using the power of yoga and community to help heal negative body image.
Their next event is entitled self(Love Letters). It is on January 31st at East Cincy Yoga! You can find more information about self(Love Letters) here!
We asked the lovely ladies from Good Vibes Tribe some questions! Check out the interview below!
Q: Why did you guys start the Good Vibes Tribe?
A: We met by fate several years ago after finding recovery from eating disorders and body dysmorphia. We had both experienced the healing powers of yoga and community during the recovery process, and we knew that we couldn't possibly be the only ones in Cincinnati who had struggled to love themselves and their bodies. We wanted to share that experience of healing by tuning into the body and reconnecting through subtle sensation, but in the support and presence of others. We take that collective energy from a group yoga practice and transform it into permission to be vulnerable with one another, breaking down our own walls and allowing the light to shine through.
Q: What made you guys take that leap? and make it become a nonprofit?
A: The more we shared our stories, the more others would share theirs. We learned quickly there was absolutely a need for a safe space for people to gather, share their voices, and co-create. We filed for our official 501(c)3 status in December of 2018 with the intention of growing our Tribe by creating deeper roots in our communities and increasing awareness. We are opening more doors and want people to know those doors exist. They just need to take that first step, and we will be there to support them.
Q: What would you like to do in the future with the Good Vibes Tribe?
A: Regardless of where the future takes our Tribe, we will always offer free gatherings each month to the community. That is the heartbeat of Good Vibes Tribe Cincinnati. However, we are currently working towards future collaborations with larger festivals and events. Because our Tribe is nomadic in nature, traveling across the southern Ohio region, we would love to have a more permanent solution to our temporary travels. Katie is hell-bent on getting a van to help us run our mobile yoga studio, but Jessica is going to have to park it. ;)
Q: If you could go back now, knowing everything you had to go through to follow your dream and passion, would you do it all over again?
A: Without a doubt. Our individual journeys were often painful, but eventually led us to self-compassion (and each other). In meeting one another along the way, we've grown in ways we didn't know were possible. We've cried and laughed with complete strangers. We've created lifelong relationships in the process. And most importantly, we've learned to embrace our most authentic selves, from the inside out. And that's all we want others to know... that they are enough, right now, in this moment.
Q: What advice can you give to other women who are going through a similar struggle and trying to use their story to follow their dreams?
A: Don't ever let anyone steal your voice. Your story is valid and it matters. Find your voice, and be unapologetic for using it.
Q: Lastly, what are some yoga basics that anyone can do, that can be added daily to help stretch or be part of a great meditation?
A: Everyone's body is unique and we encourage people to honor their specific needs during practice. With that said, we are firm believers that if you can breathe, you can do yoga. So, let's focus on the breath. Find your comfortable seat, whatever that looks like to you. Maybe that means using a chair to support your body, or letting your back rest against a wall. Maybe that means laying down or sitting on a yoga block or a blanket. Whatever feels sustainable and supportive, creating a sense of relaxation and grounding. Your comfortable seat doesn't have to look like anything in particular, because it's YOUR practice. Once you find your comfortable seat, shift your awareness to your breath without changing it. Allow yourself to observe any subtle sensation... the feeling of your own breath passing through your nostrils. A rise and fall of the chest. Maybe an expansion followed by a softening of the ribs. Just let yourself observe and notice maybe how the breath begins to change over time. As you continue sitting with yourself, let yourself acknowledge any emotions that might rise to the surface. Give yourself permission to fully experience those emotions, without judgment. Give them a name. Honor them. And when you're ready, let yourself gently return to your breath, flowing in and out of your body. Feel your body still connected to the earth, knowing that you are safe and supported. Namaste.
Thank you so much, Jessica and Katie! We are so thankful for you and for every woman out there who loves to empower other women!
Stay tuned for what else we have in store for this week!
With love,
Rise. Run. Soar.
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