Take A Break

Take A Break

Take A Break

By Miko Hafez

PROFILES

Yoga Love Magazine - McKenzie Riepen - bio pic
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and our Seattle based team member Miko chatted with McKenzie Riepen who has been teaching yoga for 10 years, about what motivated her to take a month break from teaching. She shares her experience with us here:

You have been teaching for 10 years, why did you decide to take a month break?In my decade of sharing yoga, I had never taken a purposeful break from teaching (beyond the weekend getaway and holiday trip here and there) just to focus on studentship and reconnect to my Self. As a small business owner, I also wanted to take time to evaluate my offerings and ensure my work was reflective of my values. I completed a restorative yoga training in December, and rest in society came up as a big value for me. In addition to encouraging rest in my teachings, I knew I needed to give myself that time to do so.

What does taking a break mean to you?
Especially in a service-oriented business, taking a break means stepping back from others’ needs and attending to your own. It means valuing your rest over the world’s demands.

How was your overall experience taking a month break?
It was an amazing reset, and I highly recommend it. While I know not everyone may be able to take a month off, I highly recommend carving out time once a year to reconnect to your highest Self. I treated my time like a mini retreat: I nourished myself through practices in self care and continued education. I was able to reset some old habits into new behaviors that I am still including in my daily routine like mid-day yoga nidra: a physical reminder to rest and be still.

Learn more about McKenzie and her offerings at MIND.BODY.HUM 

905 Western Ave Seattle, WA

@connectedmindbody

@mckenzieriepen

Yoga Love Magazine - McKenzie Riepen - bio pic