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MEET GLOW MEMBERS & YOUR NEIGHBORS
KELLI: 13 YEARS OF CHOOSING PEACE
This summer, we're celebrating Kelli's 13-year Glow anniversary. We asked Kelli to reflect on her 13-year journey at Glow, please see her words below.
Kelli comes to Glow 6 days a week. In the last 13 years, Kelli has shown up through all the seasons, while living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and through one of life's greatest heartbreaks - losing her mom. She works in property management, leading a team while caring for thousands of residents. Her work asks her to be "on" all day long - solving problems, supporting people, making decisions, and carrying responsibility for others. Yet day after day, she chooses to make time to step away from it all and reconnect with herself through movement.
Kelli reminds us that self-care isn't something we do once life becomes less busy, it's something we protect because it helps us be calmer, stronger, and more resilient for everything else life asks of us.
On a personal note, I absolutely love having Kelli in class. Our dedicated students like Kelli make me a better teacher. She's always eager to learn the smallest refinements, the most intricate details of moving with more awareness. Her focus is unwavering, and she gives every class her absolute best. She inspires me to keep learning, to keep growing, and to keep bringing new challenges into the room.
But what I admire most isn't just her dedication. It's the way she makes everyone around her feel welcome. Kelli has a quiet gift for making new people in class feel welcome. She is kind, encouraging, and the type of person who helps turn a class into a community.
And I have to say... she is also wonderfully supportive of my terrible jokes, you will see her smiling and happy in the most tough moments in class 😂 I just love her attitude!
Kelli, thank you for bringing your strength, your kindness, your curiosity, and your beautiful spirit into our studio for the past 13 years. We are so lucky to have you as part of the Glow family.
We love you!!! 💛
IN KELLI's WORDS:
What made you join Glow? Have you had any chronic pain or specific goals?
- I originally joined Glow looking for a healthier outlet for both my mind and body. I started with cycle classes and eventually explored yoga, barre, and Pilates. At the time, I wanted to build strength, reduce stress, and create consistency in taking care of myself. Like many people, I also had periods of tightness, tension, and general aches from work and life stress, and movement became a way to reset physically and mentally. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and need to be consistent in my daily movements. Over time, it became less about a specific goal and more about creating balance and longevity for myself.
In the last 13 years of regular self-care, what changes have you noticed in your wellness or mood? What did you learn about your body?
- The biggest change has been understanding how connected physical movement and emotional wellness really are. I noticed that when I consistently showed up for myself, my mood, patience, energy, and resilience improved. Movement became a grounding part of my routine, especially during stressful seasons of life. When I lost my mom, self-care was exactly what I needed.
I also learned to listen to my body more instead of pushing through everything. Some days my body needs strength and intensity, and other days it needs stillness, stretching, or recovery. Glow helped me realize that wellness is not about perfection - it is about consistency, self-awareness, and giving yourself grace.
Has the variety of classes been helpful?
- The variety has been one of the reasons I stayed so long. Different phases of life called for different things. Cycle classes gave me energy and confidence, yoga helped me slow down and breathe, barre improved strength and posture, and Pilates helped with stability and body awareness.
Yoga especially taught me how important it is to quiet the mind and be present. During stressful times, those classes became more than exercise - they became a form of mental reset and self-care.
What makes you keep coming back after 13 years?
- What keeps me coming back is how I feel afterward - stronger, calmer, clearer, and more connected to myself. Glow has been a constant through many stages of my life. It is one of the few places where I can completely step away from work, responsibilities, and stress and focus on my well-being.
It also created a sense of community and accountability. After 13 years, it feels less like a workout studio and more like part of my lifestyle and personal commitment to staying healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.
- Kelli
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What 100 yo and 70 yo Yogis Are Like
KEIKO: BROKEN TOE IS NOT A REASON TO QUIT
At Glow, we love celebrating the small (and big!) victories that happen when we choose consistency over perfection. This month, we’re shining the spotlight on Keiko, who recently celebrated her first 30 visits, and did it all while juggling parenthood, chronic back pain, and even a broken toe.
Keiko joined us just this summer, and in only 4 short months, she’s already completed 30 classes. But what blew my mind was what happened a few weeks ago: after breaking her toe at home, Keiko didn’t disappear from her routine. Instead, she showed up to class wearing a bootie, continuing Pilates, and keeping her self-care journey going strong. That kind of dedication is rare and deeply inspiring to everyone around her.
Keiko's Words: From Back Pain to Empowerment
'I’ve had consistent lower back pain for years, and recently it began disturbing my sleep despite medical treatment,” Keiko shared. “I needed to start a regular exercise routine to strengthen my core and hopefully reduce the pain. As a mother of a young child, weekday lunchtime is the only free time I have, and Glow’s proximity to my home was perfect. I'm in the most pain when I don't move, and Glow classes have been a great help. I’ve always loved yoga, but the variety of classes has allowed me to enjoy new tricks and strengthen different parts of my body. After breaking my toe, I wanted to maintain momentum. Even though I couldn’t do yoga, running, or walking, I could still do Pilates to build my muscles. After class, I always feel better, more relaxed and empowered, and that is why I keep coming back.'
A Few Fun Facts About Keiko
Last meal if you could choose: White rice, fresh sashimi, and miso soup
Your Pet's Names: Chako, her Shiba Inu
Favorite band: The Police
Must-read: Novels by Kobo Abe and the classic Slam Dunk manga
Keiko’s journey is proof that self-care isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about choosing to show up even when you’re busy, tired, or recovering. It’s about believing that your well-being is worth the effort and that every class adds up to something powerful. Instead of viewing her injury as a setback, she treated it as an invitation to adapt. And that’s the heart of sustainable self-care: learning how to keep showing up, even if it looks a little different for a while. So next time you see her at the studio, give her a high-five for showing us what dedication truly looks like.
Keiko, we’re so proud of you. Your dedication, positivity, and resilience bring so much light to our Glow community. Watching you show up for yourself again and again, even when it wasn’t easy, reminds all of us what self-care truly means.
MEET ESTHER: 3,100 CLASSES' BADASSS
Today, we’re celebrating Esther - one of our Glow OGs! She joined Glow in her 40s, and in the last 15 years of growing in her career, supporting her daughters to finish school, then graduate college and in the midst of it all, taking 3,100 classes, she's recently celebrated her 60th birthday stronger than ever! 💪
“Since my first class at Glow 15 years ago, I’ve gotten much stronger and more flexible, both physically and mentally. I remember during my first month, I couldn’t twist and put my elbow on my knee because my tummy got in the way and my body was just incapable of so much! Over the years Glow Yoga has taught me patience and even anger management, and today when I have a run-in with a grouchy person, I just shrug and say they need to do some yoga. Glow has taught me little self-care tricks I use daily - from massaging my temples and using my core more to enjoying some stillness. It all adds up.
The variety of classes I take helps me balance my mind, body, and spirit perfectly. Glow isn’t just for exercising; it’s for improving my quality of life.
When I’m not at Glow, I’m hiking and enjoying beach walks with my dog, Buck, and my husband. Movement gives me energy and makes me happy!”
Fun things about Esther:
🎵 Favorite music: Queen and One Direction
📚 Current read: The Myth of Normal
🍴 Dream meal: Anything from The House Restaurant in North Beach (I miss it!)
🧽 Secret pleasure: Washing dishes - it’s my meditation!
Esther, we’re so proud of you! Your strength, kindness, humor, and love for life are a gift to our Glow family. 💛
Please give Esther a big cheer (or a high-five plank!) when you see her in class. Let’s celebrate her incredible milestone together! 🎉
JENNI: SELFCARE ESTABLISHED - PUPPY NEXT
This month, our Glow Member Spotlight shines on Jenni, who joined Glow this year.
Here’s what Jenni shared about her time here so far:
“I love how strong my abs and legs are getting! But even more importantly, my sense of community is stronger than it has ever been, and that positivity has been radiating into every part of my life. I’m always discovering something new at Glow. One day Natasha showed us how the muscles in the back create an X shape and why cross-body work matters. Roxanne shares insights from the lunar cycle. Caitlin deepens my awareness of the mind–body connection. The mix of classes at Glow keeps me balanced in every way. My favorites are Barre, Pilates, KettleBuns, Flow, and Myofascial Roll Outs. Together, they keep me both grounded and uplifted. I’m constantly learning—and loving it!”
And… sweet news! Jenni and her boyfriend Campbell just welcomed a new furry family member, Lulu the mutt 🐶💕. We can’t wait for you to meet her in person soon!
Fun facts about Jenni:
Final meal: Something made with love
Pets' Names: Peachie the orange cat + Lulu the mutt
Favorite band: Taylor Swift (forever!)
Favorite book: The Lord of the Rings
We’re so grateful to celebrate Jenni’s journey of strength, learning, and love as part of our Glow family.
With gratitude,
Natasha & the Glow Team
MEET NINA: THE SOUNBATH BABY
‘I started coming to Glow regularly about 9 months ago, when I had just left a toxic job that had torn me down and my stress levels were insanely high. I was determined to slow down and find a way to manage my stress and anxiety. I always focused on high-intensity workouts and heavyweights in the past, so Glow helped me find balance and a different kind of strength.
The sound baths have been the most healing for me. Sitting still and meditating are very hard - my mind is always racing. But now I don’t worry about where my mind might go while I meditate. I’ve become much more in tune with my body and less in my head. Although I continue to work a high-pressure job, continuing to come to the sound baths and yin classes has been non-negotiable for me - and I’m handling my work stress 100x better now.
I am also convinced that slowing down and doing yoga regularly helped me get pregnant. During a sound bath back in June I had this sudden realization that I was pregnant. But I brushed it off, figuring I was just crazy (lol). Sure enough, about 1-2 weeks later I had a positive pregnancy test. Continuing to come to yoga has helped me manage my anxiety throughout my pregnancy. And I feel confident that practicing yoga has helped prepare my body too - opening my hips/pelvis and keeping me virtually pain-free throughout pregnancy (except now - these final weeks are no joke...).
I’m so grateful to you for providing a peaceful, judgment-free place for me to come to. I couldn’t have gotten through the last 8+ months without Glow.’ - Nina
Please join me in wishing beautiful Nina the sweetest meeting with her adorable mini soon! I’m so touched and inspired by her wisdom, and determination to be a healthy mom and a human. Also, she and I share our favorite book 📖 by Cheryl Strayed and a 🎶 band, woot woot! 😍😍
Nina’s Membership: Silver Glow
Her Routine: 50 classes in 9 Months
Attended Classes: Yin+SoundBath, Yin+Hot Stones, Glow Flow
MEET ANITA: 1,300 CLASSES STRONG
At 1,300 classes and counting, Anita is a true example of strength, vitality, and the joy of staying active! Whether she is camping in Yosemite with her son, teaching her college students, enjoying strolling through the local farmers’ markets with her husband and 🐶, or baking our favorite almond cookies, everything she does, she does with joy. Anita has been a committed member for 9 years, enjoying 3 classes/week.
Her secret isn't extreme workouts. It's consistency.
One class at a time, Anita built the strength, mobility, and vitality that allow her to keep saying yes to the life she loves.
That's empowered aging.
Get to know your neighbor:
1. Your favorite workouts: - yoga, hiking, and roller skating:)
2. Favorite Tunes? - World music, I love Angelique Kidjo
3. A book📚 you recently enjoyed: - Consent, and highly recommend it
4. If you could choose your final meal? - Pappardelle with meatballs from Italian Homemade 🍝
5. Names for your Pets 🐾: - Bootsie and Jack, my adorable rescues Maine Coon and Yorkie.
6. Your secret pleasure: - Waking up before dawn to watch the sunrise with my kitty and a warm cup of coffee.
