From Rare Illness to One Love with Nicole Valan

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living Presents, Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:30
I hope you feel stronger. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. For some people, that journey starts with a workout. For others, it starts with a challenge they never expected to face. I am joined today by my lovely co-host, Tammy Wingeru. And our guest today, Nicole Valin, discovered that yoga could be both a lifeline and an launching pad. We begin as a personal practice during times of health setbacks and physical limitations evolved into a passion 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02
completely 

Rich Bennett 1:02
that transformed her life. From discovering aerial yoga and pushing beyond her own perceived limits to become in a highly trained instructor and studio owner, Nicole has dedicated herself to helping others find strength, balance, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:20
balance, and confidence, 

Rich Bennett 1:22
both on the mat and in every day As the founder of One Life, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:27
life. 

Rich Bennett 1:27
as the 

Tammie Wingrove 1:28
of One Life, Founder 

Rich Bennett 1:28
founder 

Tammie Wingrove 1:28
of One Love Mind Body, 

Rich Bennett 1:31
Nicole has created more than a yoga She's built a welcoming community center on mindful movement, breathwork, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:39
studio. 

Rich Bennett 1:39
self-awareness, and 

Tammie Wingrove 1:41
personal work. 

Rich Bennett 1:43
Her mission is 

Tammie Wingrove 1:44
parallel, simple 

Rich Bennett 1:44
simple 

Tammie Wingrove 1:44
but 

Rich Bennett 1:44
but 

Tammie Wingrove 1:45
parallel. People 

Rich Bennett 1:47
where they 

Tammie Wingrove 1:47
are, can 

Rich Bennett 1:48
help them thrive. Can I miss anything there?

Nicole Valan 1:51
No, I think that covers it. 

Rich Bennett 1:52
Well , she's holy, I'm not 

Nicole Valan 1:55
you. That's a lot. 

Rich Bennett 1:56
And then while you you send me your biographer. And that went on the website, say, which I said, when you first came 

Tammie Wingrove 2:06
in, you 

Rich Bennett 2:07
told me your story. It's like, Oh, my God, I wasn't ready for that. 

I 

Nicole Valan 2:12
came in wide awake this morning. 

Rich Bennett 2:14
Oh, but what blew me away who's looking at your website, all the different types of yoga classes you offer into, which we will get into. 

Tammie Wingrove 2:23
Because 

Rich Bennett 2:24
like yoga for kids is like, an aerial yoga just blows me away too. That's the scarves, right? 

Nicole Valan 2:32
Yeah. So some have referred to them lately as a twin bedsheet, but yeah, they're silks. 

Rich Bennett 2:38
That's what yeah, that's 

Nicole Valan 2:40
a 

Rich Bennett 2:40
scarves what you wear 

Nicole Valan 2:42
around your 

Rich Bennett 2:42
around your neck. 

Nicole Valan 2:42
neck 

Rich Bennett 2:42
They're long silk 

Nicole Valan 2:44
scars. Yeah, so long silk scarves twin bedsheets. No, I mean, we've heard it all, but there it's a different way to move your body. It's a different form of resistance. 

Rich Bennett 2:55
We'll get into that because I try to probably end up hang myself somehow either that or if it's because they're, yeah, I'd end up going to see on the 

Tammie Wingrove 3:06
sounds like 

Nicole Valan 3:06
day. 

Tammie Wingrove 3:06
we're recording live from the studio 

Nicole Valan 3:08
Yeah, 

Tammie Wingrove 3:08
one day. 

Rich Bennett 3:08
Oh, that could be fun. All right. So what 

Tammie Wingrove 3:12
is it that got you? 

Nicole Valan 3:14
So I that's a big question, right? It's like everybody, what's your why? I talk about it, I think in broad terms in the biography, right? So I was probably 12 years old, 14. And I started having these episodes, they were random. I didn't really have like a lot of understanding why. 

Rich Bennett 3:40
Right. 

Nicole Valan 3:41
So I would have, I could get up in the morning, I couldn't get out of the bed. My muscles just didn't work. I was 12, I was 14. I should be up and out of bed, no problem. Fast forward to like 18. The problem got worse. The one thing that I was always able to kind of do athletically was yoga. My mom did it from the time I was really small. So she, I mean, she did videos, she did yoga, she did whatever she could. She was raising me full time. So I think it was whatever she could fit in. Thank heavens she did, because I found it. I loved it. It's what I would always go back to to kind of stretch my body. 

Rich Bennett 4:29
As a teenager. 

Nicole Valan 4:30
as a teenager 

Rich Bennett 4:31
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 4:31
and also just not understanding what was happening and so when I was 18 I started with these acute onset attacks they basically landed me in Hopkins so I went through a series of doctors they were trying to find the right department you 

Rich Bennett 4:48
Right. 

Nicole Valan 4:48
know the right place to put you neurology or a gastrointestinal doctor liver doctors it was I went everywhere 

Rich Bennett 4:58
holy 

Nicole Valan 4:58
cow 

Rich Bennett 5:00
sounds like a lot of people 

Nicole Valan 5:02
it 

Rich Bennett 5:02
that get was a fibromyalgia? 

Nicole Valan 5:04
Exactly. 

Tammie Wingrove 5:05
Yeah 

Rich Bennett 5:06
quite. 

Tammie Wingrove 5:06
can't 

Nicole Valan 5:07
just had different indicators like I had different numbers that would elevate on charts that even at Hopkins they had never seen before 

Rich Bennett 5:15
I 

Nicole Valan 5:16
so they would they would blast off a chart at check-in in the emergency room in triage and within 48 hours they could regulate the numbers there were just symptoms and they would change depending on the attack 

Rich Bennett 5:32
right 

Nicole Valan 5:33
so eventually there was a fellow at Hopkins and his best-case scenario was that I had CPT2 deficiency which was a genetic metabolic disorder. 

Rich Bennett 5:44
All right so real quick for those people that don't know because every time I hear a fellow I think of the Tracy Morgan sketch or saying I have explained what a fellow is it's not just a guy. 

Nicole Valan 5:55
He was he was doing his like rounds or his 

Rich Bennett 6:01
and 

Nicole Valan 6:01
session neurology so each each doctor has to do a specific study to see if they like that focus that specialty he just happened to be on the neurology floor and honestly if it wasn't for him I wouldn't know where I would be because he kept digging he kept trying to look at these rare disorders which at the time there were only 100 cases of mine so it was again best-case scenario they took my case to grand rounds at Hopkins so I sat in a huge room and listened to all these doctors kind of throw ideas out and tests I was a test subject 

Rich Bennett 6:49
you were a test on me 

Nicole Valan 6:51
no in every in every sense the word I was what you if I was in the building there was a doctor in the doorway 

Rich Bennett 7:00
how long was this going on 

Nicole Valan 7:02
for it for me the height of it was when I was fresh out of high school I had moved to New York to go to musical theater school 

Rich Bennett 7:11
oh wow 

Nicole Valan 7:12
yeah I mean it was it was the kids dream you know you work you go through high school you do all these things and you get released and 

no it stopped dead in its tracks 

Rich Bennett 7:25
okay I'm 

Nicole Valan 7:25
so 

Rich Bennett 7:26
at once you got the Hopkins once they started all these tests how long was all of that 

Nicole Valan 7:34
that was two three years of going back and forth so it's like you're you're trying to function in between and each time there was an episode it would it would take at least a week week and a half to kind of get me back on my feet literally and then I would have to rebuild rebuild meant just figuring out how to walk in a target and have the stamina to do it getting up and getting a shower and then I would have to take a break 

Rich Bennett 8:02
were they able to give you anything to help you 

Nicole Valan 8:05
there's no medication it was then understanding your body and not to fight against it so I can't 

Rich Bennett 8:12
that's a good thing too though because when they're still trying to figure it out they they could give you the wrong medication and make things worse or give you something else that you didn't want 

Nicole Valan 8:23
yeah and a hundred percent I mean we did that like they were trying to stop the pain and they were giving me all sorts of things they were trying to stop nausea and I would have reactions so the other component is now you're trying to separate out if this is setting off the CP or if this is actually me having a allergic reaction to it so we went down we went down a windy road for a good period of time and I mean the thing is is you start to become not that I would recommend it for anybody but it like 18 or 19 you start to become an advocate for 

Rich Bennett 8:59
yeah 

Nicole Valan 8:59
yourself Again, you're struggling because you're not the average 20-year-old. You know, you're not out at bars. You're not going out drinking. Your body can't handle it. I would pay a huge price. So it wasn't until I really started to understand that disorder. And I couldn't fast. I couldn't dehydrate. I can't miss sleep. If I start to do those things, that's where things can go haywire. 

Rich Bennett 9:31
How in the hell do you set your mind to be because I'm seriously because I'm thinking that it's got to be number one, a lot on your mental health. Anxiety had to be off the charts and probably even depression, yet you got 

Tammie Wingrove 9:47
sleep. 

Rich Bennett 9:47
to 

Nicole Valan 9:48
Well, 

Rich Bennett 9:49
can you 

Nicole Valan 9:50
and on top of it, it was the idea, right, that this is maybe what you have. 

Rich Bennett 9:55
Yeah, 

Nicole Valan 9:56
so you. Smirking. Well, you add all those things together and like, where does that leave anybody? You know what I mean? You're sitting there in a room full of, well, we're just going to go with maybe and see what works. So it really did come down to that. It was trying to see where I could push the threshold really listening to my body, starting to know, oh, we can't go any further than where we are right 

Rich Bennett 10:20
Right. 

Nicole Valan 10:20
now. And, and I would, I mean, my mom hands down was. So important in the process because we talked about everything we talked about the possibility of having like me having kids and what that would look like with this disorder, no one knew. So it was really only kind of being able to dialogue with my mom back and forth on, okay, here's best case scenario. Here's worst case. But here's what we know we can do today. Like, this is what we kind of control. So from that, it was formulating a plan that kind of worked and I started to get into a rhythm. 

Rich Bennett 11:02
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 11:02
The problem is it's metabolic. So like, as I changed all of my numbers, all of my charts change. Right. 

Tammie Wingrove 11:09
Exactly. And so much is changing because you're a young adult and everything is shifty. And how do you convince a young adult to do any of those things 

Nicole Valan 11:20
exactly 

Tammie Wingrove 11:20
slow down and listen to your body because you're in your early twenties your late teens and you just want to go hard and 

Nicole Valan 11:28
who wants to be different. 

Rich Bennett 11:29
Right. 

Nicole Valan 11:30
You know, I mean, I don't know what person out there like raise your hand if you're in a crowd and you want to be the guy that's like, oh, I can't. I can't do that. Oh, I have to get home and go to bed. 

Tammie Wingrove 11:39
I have to go 

Nicole Valan 11:39
Like, 

Tammie Wingrove 11:39
to sleep now. I can't, 

Nicole Valan 11:40
yeah, 

Tammie Wingrove 11:40
I can't hang out. 

Nicole Valan 11:41
Absolutely. Even as adults, it's still hard to take yourself out of that situation and be like, oh, no, I've got to get up. It's, it's a learned process and I didn't really talk about it. I mean, until I really started to like, have my kids raise my kids, come into the studio. I really wasn't owning what had happened three, four years ago, I was fortunate enough because I would go back every so many years for research. They, they established a blood test. So it wasn't until four years ago, I 

Tammie Wingrove 12:15
officially 

Nicole Valan 12:16
found out that it is, in fact, what I had. 

Rich Bennett 12:18
Wow. 

Tammie Wingrove 12:20
That's a 

Nicole Valan 12:20
So 

Tammie Wingrove 12:21
long time. 

Nicole Valan 12:21
it's a very long time. 

Rich Bennett 12:23
Yeah, but if it wasn't for that fellow, 

Tammie Wingrove 12:27
who knows, 

Nicole Valan 12:28
right? I mean, like we talked about it too. It's, I was lucky in so many ways because I grew up in an area with so many hospitals, different resources. So originally yes, I was a union memorial until union memorial was like, oh, you're, you're going to need more. 

Rich Bennett 12:47
Right. 

Nicole Valan 12:48
It just was a constant evolution of my own body. And having kids changes your makeup, you know, and what your body has happening to it. So you would have certain setbacks. I couldn't really identify them. It would just be me trying to process where I was 

Rich Bennett 13:09
and 

Nicole Valan 13:09
keep moving and then learn as much as I could about whatever was out of line. So for a period of time, my thyroid was an issue and it was learning as much as I possibly could. And then again, it was running into a doctor. And at one point, she, I was getting really sick. I was having several attacks. And she looked at me and was like, I think we need to talk about gluten. Excuse me. I'm not giving up bread, you know, and she goes, no, I'm, I'm being serious. She said, I think if you could just try it. Sure enough, I mean, I don't even know how long it's been. It's probably been probably like four or five years. And I have not had gluten. 

Rich Bennett 13:58
Really? 

Nicole Valan 13:59
Yeah, it made and it made a huge difference and I'm not saying it's for everyone out there, but mine definitely correlated with inflammation and anything that would start to slow down how my body processed certain foods. So you do really have to do your own research and it does take a team. You know, wellness isn't a one person job. 

Rich Bennett 14:27
Right. 

Nicole Valan 14:28
I mean, that's the way I look at it. And I don't think. Yes, th were days that were hard, but I don't think I ever stopped with the desire of learning. Like there had to be more. There had to be more information, there had to be a different way. I didn't need to give all these things up. So it was really trying to find people that I could trust that then I could start kind of picking their 

Tammie Wingrove 14:56
brain 

Nicole Valan 14:57
asking them what 

Rich Bennett 14:58
and 

Nicole Valan 14:58
they thought. So yeah, stress is a trigger, fatigue, and I would sometimes call it a perfect storm. Like I had bronchitis one year. I ended up in the hospital because well, I can't cough like that. 

Rich Bennett 15:13
What? 

Nicole Valan 15:14
Yeah, and and that's the stuff that is really hard to explain to another person, which again is why for me, I go back to that thing of people can have all sorts of things going on. And we all get up and we go out into the world every day. 

Rich Bennett 15:32
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 15:34
You shouldn't have to know all the things that they have going on. You should just accept 

Rich Bennett 15:39
are. 

Nicole Valan 15:39
them where they Just meet everybody where they are that day. So if they look like they're a little sluggish, or maybe you should offer to carry the bag. maybe they need to put the bag down. I mean, that's kind of where we're at. And for me, that was the hardest part. Like I never thought. 

Rich Bennett 15:58
Yeah, 

Nicole Valan 15:58
I was like, no, mom, I'm fine. She's like, do you understand. You're not fine. And you have bronchitis. And I was taking care of three kids. I thought it was okay. I went to the doctor. He was like, there's a bed for you at a hospital. 

Rich Bennett 16:12
Wow. 

Tammie Wingrove 16:13
But it's that half, I have to be okay and getting yourself to the point where it's okay to not be okay. 

Nicole Valan 16:20
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 16:20
Yes. 

Tammie Wingrove 16:21
Say it. 

Nicole Valan 16:21
Exactly. And let people in. That's the biggest piece in the whole process for me was I was so concerned with not feeling weak or having people see me differently. That I focused on the fact that I had to be so much more. No, no, no, I can take care of this. I can do that. And I can have dinner on the table. 

Tammie Wingrove 16:44
Right, because we're moms and we're magical. And I'm sure. You 

Rich Bennett 16:49
mom 

Tammie Wingrove 16:49
know, 

Rich Bennett 16:49
and dad attitude. 

Tammie Wingrove 16:50
right, like, I'm not, I'm not a dad, but I'm a mom. And I'm sure dad's struggle with the same thing of, you know, I need to do this and provide and be there. And the moms need to provide and get it out there and carry the kids to where they need to be and, 

Nicole Valan 17:03
And 

Tammie Wingrove 17:04
and carry babies and all of the things and everything's okay. And especially now in social media because everything is great and wonderful, 

Nicole Valan 17:12
right? Right? 

Rich Bennett 17:12
Look 

Tammie Wingrove 17:13
behind my camera and it's a hot mess. 

Nicole Valan 17:15
Exactly. We, and I like how now in a lot of ways you can have like the filter behind you. You don't really see what's behind me. Thank 

Tammie Wingrove 17:24
goodness for that some days. 

Nicole Valan 17:26
I mean, it's so true. And it's, it's not a gender specific thing of letting people in. It really isn't. I think kids to kids have the element of really feeling safe and needing to open up. And if we start there, if we start as people grow up, as kids grow up, making that more normal. Then I think that's a great first step. But again, my mom and I just had that relationship. We still do. I mean, where I could take anything to her. And we would kind of try and troubleshoot whatever was happening as best we could. I think we did not at the time have, you know, internet, Google AI, like we do now. 

Rich Bennett 18:21
Right. 

Nicole Valan 18:22
So even still there are decisions that I make health wise. And it doesn't just happen. There's a lot of research. There's a lot of questioning. There's a lot of thought that goes into it because of CPT being different. So I take a pause on those things. Even in the studio I teach a couple classes a week. Not because I don't want to physically. I have to monitor the output. 

Rich Bennett 18:57
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 18:59
I have to be aware of what I can do and what my body will tolerate in addition to all the other things. But I laughed because years ago I had a friend of mine and they were like, "You're a really good facilitator." "Tater." Like, you can put it all together. You can make the things happen. And so that's been the goal. I just want people to have a space where they feel safe. They feel seen. And they can ask the questions. I would say to clients when they come in, like, you can ask me, odds are probably I'm not going to say no, but I am going to say, "Give me a second. I'll figure it out." Because if it's something that people are looking for in the studio space as a class, as a mindful offering. I want us to be able to think about that 

Rich Bennett 19:53
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 19:53
collectively and how we can make it happen. Maybe it has to morph into something else. But we need to find a way to get people talking about the things they feel they need. 

Rich Bennett 20:04
So, crazy question with that. I know it's a yoga studio, but Mental Health plays in a lot. Yoga helps with that. Do you, or have you thought about having, like, little support groups there as well? 

Nicole Valan 20:20
It's definitely not out of the 

Rich Bennett 20:22
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 20:23
question. I mean, one of the very first things, and I would say this was in the first four months of being open. I had people coming in asking if they could just do community events. Like, they did yoga. That was enough to pull them 

Rich Bennett 20:37
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 20:37
together and to have in common. But they just wanted to be in the space. 

Rich Bennett 20:42
Okay. 

Nicole Valan 20:42
They just wanted, and it wasn't, it wasn't a singular support group. They just wanted to support each other. 

Rich Bennett 20:50
Right. 

Nicole Valan 20:50
They just wanted to be around each other. 

Tammie Wingrove 20:52
Yeah, the community, 

Nicole Valan 20:53
exactly. I had clients on their own that wanted to organize dinner. Like, not necessarily in the studio, but because they felt the space that was being created was so special. They wanted to find a way to get us all together. It's the idea that, like, currently right now, we have one of our clients is a retired art teacher. She does mindful art classes now once a month. But she brought those to me. That's the kind of interaction 

Rich Bennett 21:25
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 21:25
that I want in the space. The formats that we teach there are simply because I worked through life knowing that those were formats, modalities of working out that could be tolerated and not tear up my body. I can't go across it. I can't burn out a specific muscle group. It's like I just want to be an all-encompassing. 

Rich Bennett 21:54
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 21:55
So, 

I can, again, facilitate a format. I can put things out there. And then from that point, we're going to move it and tweak it according to what we need as a community. And that's so far what we've done. I mean, we're only a year and a half in. 

Rich Bennett 22:16
So, you have a question for you, especially only being a year and a half in. 

Why did you decide to start your own studio, launch your own studio? And because of everything you've been going through, I'm going to try to get it right. With CPT? 

Nicole Valan 22:35
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 22:35
Yes. I got it right. How scary was it? 

Nicole Valan 22:41
It was super scary. It's still scary. B here's the thing. If something doesn't scare you, is it worth 

Rich Bennett 22:53
it? Especially in business. 

Nicole Valan 22:55
So, I think because it's scary to me, it means it matters. 

Rich Bennett 23:01
Yes. 

Nicole Valan 23:02
It means I'm invested. It means I know I'm going to show up. 

That's what I want the community to understand and grow into believing in. I don't expect people to walk in the door and believe that I'm going to be there and listen and have open arms and all the things. But, through showing up, through expanding, through having that continued dialogue of where are we, what are we growing into? I hope they start to believe in the process. 

Rich Bennett 23:43
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 23:43
Why, 

I think the first part of the question was why did I open my own? So, I opened my own studio because I think 

Tammie Wingrove 23:57
we put... 

Nicole Valan 23:58
There is a lot of access in downtown in Bel Air. There's a lot in that area. I wanted to kind of outreach into another part of the county. Aberdeen happened to be growing and believe me, you know, my family kind of knows the story. I was looking at a couple different areas. They didn't work out. This spot, it just happened. It was. I will say it was divine. It was a series of incidences that kind of happened and literally had me on the doorstep with the person who rents the property. I didn't call them. They just happened to be there when I showed up. 

Rich Bennett 24:47
Oh wow. 

Nicole Valan 24:47
So I could not have planned that any better. I kind of took it as a sign. 

Rich Bennett 24:55
Yeah, 

Nicole Valan 24:56
and even in the path to opening the space. I had a lot of people seeing the vision and I don't mean clients at the time. This, it was business people. Whether architects or friends that knew me and they were builders and what have you. They were coming together and it rapid fashion. Saying, oh no, this has legs. I think where you're where you're placing this makes sense. 

Rich Bennett 25:26
Wow. 

Nicole Valan 25:27
And then for me, it wasn't just about opening a studio space. It was really about immersing ourselves in the community that we're in. 

Rich Bennett 25:36
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 25:37
So I wanted to make sure that wherever we were, there was enough space that we could make an impact in that area, in that community. 

Rich Bennett 25:50
Where is an Aberdeen? 

Nicole Valan 25:52
So we're on church filled road. We're in with the dugout in Blackstone Plaza right in front of Ripkins Stadium. 

Rich Bennett 26:00
Oh, okay. 

Nicole Valan 26:01
The American State house. 

Rich Bennett 26:03
where 

Nicole Valan 26:03
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 26:04
everything is. 

Nicole Valan 26:06
hopefully soon, yeah, 

Rich Bennett 26:07
Well, 

Nicole Valan 26:07
where everything is. 

Rich Bennett 26:08
The way they're built because not you have what tropical smoothie, screen and beam. 

Nicole Valan 26:12
Yeah, cold stones coming in. I think there's signs up for a diner. So there are a lot of things that are happening in that area and the revitalization that they're doing in downtown Aberdeen. We partnered with Watchtower brewery. So we have yoga 

Tammie Wingrove 26:27
in there once a 

Nicole Valan 26:28
month. 

Rich Bennett 26:31
Okay, wait a minute. You know, I have to ask are in a brewery. How does yoga where I guess they're not drinking while doing yoga? 

Nicole Valan 26:40
No. And several breweries throughout the county do it. And 

Rich Bennett 26:44
A 

Nicole Valan 26:44
I. 

Rich Bennett 26:44
real. I didn't know that. 

Nicole Valan 26:45
Yeah, but I think it's a great way to make it accessible. 

Rich Bennett 26:48
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 26:49
Which this is the goal. Let's make movement accessible. It's not about yoga specific, but that's an offering. So where can you meet people where they are? Why not a brewery? 

Rich Bennett 27:04
right. So it's not like goat yoga where guys are taking it or women are taking a pint and putting it on their back and 

Tammie Wingrove 27:09
All 

Rich Bennett 27:10
trying not 

Nicole Valan 27:10
They 

Rich Bennett 27:10
to. 

Nicole Valan 27:11
get the pint after the Pines the reward. So you do the stretching, the bar opens, and the food trucks land. So it's 

Tammie Wingrove 27:20
it's a great reward. 

Nicole Valan 27:22
It's, 

Rich Bennett 27:22
yeah, 

Tammie Wingrove 27:23
you meet the people where they are. 

Nicole Valan 27:24
Exactly. And it really is about creating relationship. 

Rich Bennett 27:28
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 27:29
So I find a lot of times now, especially where we're located. I want things to be a destination or an event. Come take your yoga class, then you're going to go grab a smoothie, you're going to go grab coffee, you're going to go grab breakfast. Now you're spending time with your friends. So it makes it even more impactful when I watch clients come in, they grab their friends, they go after. And they're taking time, me time, girlfriend time, time to really sit with their soul and laugh with friends. And they've worked out for an hour to meet that's the bigger picture. 

Rich Bennett 28:11
So how soon before you have to get a bigger space? 

Nicole Valan 28:14
Well, I think we have more growing to do for sure. 

Rich Bennett 28:17
So here's because you're in a prime location. And with the way they're building up there, because I think was at what lands are sold right? They're going to 

Nicole Valan 28:25
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 28:26
be put in housing there. 

Nicole Valan 28:27
Every time I turn around, though, behind us, there's more being built, which isn't a bad thing. 

Rich Bennett 28:32
But you also, and which is going to leave me into the one area that you teach, especially with Tammy here, she has kids about to have another one too, because you do the children's yoga, which I want to get into. But with Ripkins 

Tammie Wingrove 28:49
stadium being there. 

Rich Bennett 28:51
they do was all the little league baseball 

Nicole Valan 28:54
And 

Rich Bennett 28:54
events. Have you gone and talked to somebody that runs that because those kids doing yoga, baseball stretching and everything, you know what I didn't give her her daughters here, but didn't want to talk. You're doing yoga, but you're very athletic. So, have you talked to them? Because I think that's just like a win-win. 

Nicole Valan 29:16
So I think for what their specific setup is, the kids, it's a lot harder, and I just speak in that sense from the sports parent. 

Rich Bennett 29:26
Uhm. 

Nicole Valan 29:26
You're coming in, your children are there for a specific function, not necessarily taking them to do yoga. Because they're on their training program that their coach has them on, you could, yes. And there are health days at Ripkins Stadium, so we have a couple of folks now that are, I think, that work those events that are trying to bring us in and tie us in. There are some different organizations that we're partnering with in the area. To do wellness events as well, we do have parents that come from Ripkins Stadium events and the ballpark training 

Rich Bennett 30:07
Right, 

Nicole Valan 30:07
fields with the kids there that are there for the weekend. And the moms are looking, or dads are looking to not sit in the stands all day long, so they'll get up first thing, they'll come and try out a class. And then they know that it's there when they come back. So it does fit the bill. 

Rich Bennett 30:25
yeah. 

Nicole Valan 30:25
I think for the drop-ins and the pop-ins, it's a lot harder when folks are in and out for the weekend. However, they're opening Goddard, I know, right behind us. 

Rich Bennett 30:37
Really? 

Nicole Valan 30:37
Yeah. I'm telling, Aberdeen as a whole is expanding so quickly, and it's exciting because if you talk to the folks in the community, it is what they want. They want to see small businesses, they want to be able to support them, they want more diversity in the offerings that are there for them. It's easier, right? Gas prices, the whole thing right now. People don't want to have to travel super far to entertain. If you have it all now in your own backyard, like just in our complex, it's nails, you can do yoga, you can grab a bite to eat. And it's all right there. And for some of those homes, it's in walking distance. So we've now added the benefit of walking to and from your practice or whatever your event is. Grab a friend, you're doing that activity together. So, the possibilities are endless on, I think, how we can shape wellness and making it part of our daily lives. 

Rich Bennett 31:42
I think also you need to go talk to the electricians union, I be EW-24. 

Nicole Valan 31:49
He's gonna give me here. 

Rich Bennett 31:51
Well, they did it. They just their name is on the stadium now. Electricians need yoga. I'll put you in contact with my son. 

Nicole Valan 32:02
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 32:02
He's with the union is like all these electricians need yoga. I mean, like him. He's just sitting on his butt all day. 

Tammie Wingrove 32:09
love to hear this 

Nicole Valan 32:10
I'd 

Tammie Wingrove 32:10
episode. 

Nicole Valan 32:16
Well, 

Tammie Wingrove 32:17
yeah, 

Nicole Valan 32:18
no, I was gonna say but I think we all need some form of movement. That's a given. 

Rich Bennett 32:22
Yoga is important. 

Nicole Valan 32:23
But again, whether it's yoga, which of course I would love. But if it's not yoga, it's some form of movement. 

Rich Bennett 32:32
I'll be honest with you, I think a lot of people men especially for some reason, you say yoga or meditation and they get scared. They don't think it's manly. 

Nicole Valan 32:47
I think the other piece is most people go to, I'm not flexible. That 

Rich Bennett 32:54
You're gonna make 

Nicole Valan 32:54
is the first 

Rich Bennett 32:56
sure 

Nicole Valan 32:56
thing you 

Rich Bennett 32:56
you're there, 

Nicole Valan 32:56
hear. 

Rich Bennett 32:56
isn't it? 

Nicole Valan 32:57
I'm not flexible. I can't do yoga. Yoga isn't about being flexible and especially with our studio, it is about meeting you where you are. So we're a heavy prop based studio. Blogs, bolsters, we'll have straps in the classroom bolsters if you need them blankets, whatever to make the process accessible. I think walking in with an open mind is really where you need to begin. We have beginner classes. We have class offerings that kind of mix stillness and movement. So there's something that each person can find as a place to begin. But I think you have to have the open mind of walking in and asking questions. I tell people all the time, come on in, let's talk about it, let's figure out where you would like to start, figure out what you're looking for, and then we'll tailor a week's schedule to what you need. I think the idea that one fits all is also not necessarily true, you don't have to do every single class this way, you can mix and match. So I think having different offerings of the way you move your body is really important. 

Rich Bennett 34:24
But with the children's yoga, how young can they be to start? 

Nicole Valan 34:29
Gabby 

is our kids' mat, yoga teacher, and I always say we teach it in an authentic way, so that the kids as they grow older are familiar with the poses, yet it's fun and engaging. So there are themes that they can relate to, she keeps them moving, there are fun activities that make it light and airy, so it doesn't have the, I think, focus that some people think a regular yoga class would have. Again, we're meeting kids where they are and it's an age-appropriate setting, and whether we do a craft at the end of the class, or we start to talk about breathing, and how what we can do with our breathing, even with kids. It's starting the conversation, starting the understanding that even in some of the props we use, they can see visually what breath can do, how it can slow you down when you're upset, how you can relax through yoga, through a certain pose. So it's starting to connect mind-body awareness for kids at a younger age, but making it again accessible where they are. 

Rich Bennett 35:54
I think your kids would love it. 

Tammie Wingrove 35:56
Oh, I think they absolutely would, 

Rich Bennett 36:01
especially. 

Tammie Wingrove 36:01
And now we're family, we have openly raging ADHD. Absolutely raging. That is, I am not ashamed to talk about it. My kids know I tell them it's never going to be boring, it's always going to be exciting because you never know where we're going to go with this. But also trying to remind my kids that we have to slow down, and it's so hard because my brain has 8,000 tabs open all the time, so I think it could be so beneficial, especially for the littles if they can be trained up from a young age to learn to take that time and breathe. And Claire has breathing techniques. 

Rich Bennett 36:45
It's important. 

Tammie Wingrove 36:47
I read somewhere that on one of the memes or reels or whatever and somebody said, you're always three minutes from death, but every time you take a breath, the timer resets. I will never breathe the same again. It's so true. But how you breathe, and so clear we do work with her on breathing techniques, but I think it would be so good just for her to center and my other ones to my little guy is still too little. You're not ready for that yet. 

Rich Bennett 37:22
You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. You know, if you're looking to grow your business in Hartford County, look no further than the Hartford County Chamber of Commerce with over 700 members. They're dedicated to helping local businesses succeed from networking events to business resources, they provide the support you need to thrive. Join today and start making valuable connections in your community. I did it. It's the best move I ever made. And definitely the best chamber. I've ever been a member of visit Hartford Chamber dot org to learn more. The Hartford County Chamber of Commerce is your partner in business success. 

Nicole Valan 38:10
The kid component is a large push with yoga for me. I've used it with all three of my 

Rich Bennett 38:18
right 

Nicole Valan 38:19
it's it's something that even I mean you know kids eight years old they would get worked up about something or they couldn't go to bed. But we've done all sorts of things. I mean as far 

Tammie Wingrove 38:32
as reading 

Nicole Valan 38:33
activities. We've done Kundalini where you have the chanting because it was rhythmic. It was vocal. It was something they could repeat. But it was calming. It would resonate with them. They could hear it. it was a lifesaver at 

Rich Bennett 38:53
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 38:53
times, because they started to understand, and it was one way where, again, whether, It's ADHD or whatever, anxiety, whatever the children are working through, it was the one way that I could reach them in those 

Rich Bennett 39:10
[stutters] 

Nicole Valan 39:10
moments. You know, there's a lot of talk, I think, when you refer to kids and that lid kind of flips, and there's this space where you have to wait for them to kind of regulate and come back down. For our house, the breathwork was where I could kind of connect with them, where I could get them to make eye contact, where I could level out the nervous system and help them, and then give them the tools to take with them out and out in the world. 

Rich Bennett 39:40
Yeah, wow. 

Nicole Valan 39:43
So, there's so much depth to what you can do with the mindful components in yoga that I think starting small by just having conversations and introducing things in little pieces with kids. It's great. It's also if you tie in the aerial yoga piece, you take it to a different level, and then they're doing something that not every kid is doing. 

Rich Bennett 40:11
So, the kids can do the aerial yoga as well? 

Nicole Valan 40:14
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 40:15
Wow. 

Nicole Valan 40:15
well, they're 

Tammie Wingrove 40:16
Really? 

Nicole Valan 40:16
so flexible. I mean, that's the bonus with kids. They have all this flexibility. They also have that inquisitive nature of, "Well, what is it? What do you do?" They just absorb. So, if we put it in front of kids and we show them the pathway, they will embrace it. 

All of my kids, again, I had an instructor years ago. Kim, she's at my studio now, and my kids. I mean, I think they were four. Mia was probably six, and I had them in fabrics at a very young age, and again, they've continued to do it. So, when there's, at the end of an aerial class, yoga is Shavasana, so at the end of an aerial class, we call it Kakun, so you lay in the fabric in a hammock. 

Rich Bennett 41:20
Well, hang in. 

Nicole Valan 41:21
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 41:22
I'd be falling asleep, and everything. 

Nicole Valan 41:23
But, it's so relaxing to finally have that moment at the end of class, but for kids too, it's great because they're fully suspended, so they can stretch. They can lengthen. They can wiggle. And it's something that's theirs, it's different. It's a different way to show strength, to show the body to slow down, to listen, to pay attention, follow direction. 

Rich Bennett 41:49
I mean, to say it also builds up your arm strength, I would say, really good. 

Nicole Valan 41:54
Yes. Aerial yoga is the one spot where, for us, it's where you're going to get more upper body strength. 

Rich Bennett 42:01
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 42:01
A lot of times we focus on pushing in classes, but definitely even with adults. We're pulling. So, that's something that you don't walk in. 

Rich Bennett 42:11
Mm-hmm. 

Nicole Valan 42:11
And start, we build. We build through different classes, drills, drills and skills, I'll call them. And then eventually, you add on. These kids start really young, so they're used to pulling themselves up, monkey bars, 

Rich Bennett 42:27
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 42:27
playgrounds. So this 

Rich Bennett 42:29
Spears. 

Nicole Valan 42:29
just keeps that that too. So it just keeps movement going, but again, making it fun and interesting. 

Rich Bennett 42:40
And I told you before we start, because I've had other 

Tammie Wingrove 42:42
People 

Rich Bennett 42:42
people on 

Tammie Wingrove 42:42
on. 

Rich Bennett 42:42
to teach yoga, but I don't. I think you're the only studio I've heard of that has children's yoga, tha 

Tammie Wingrove 42:51
teaches 

Rich Bennett 42:51
children. 

Nicole Valan 42:52
I think, I mean, there are definitely other places for kids in Hartford County. I always, I always think people should try anything and everything for 

Rich Bennett 43:01
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 43:01
kids, anything that's accessible, and to find what fits, right, there's no perfect thing for any child. 

Rich Bennett 43:10
Right. 

Nicole Valan 43:11
Find what your kids enjoy. Find what calls to them, what makes them feel strong, independent, where they have joy and laughter and they build self-confidence, and strengthen the physical part, that's the bonus. 

Rich Bennett 43:25
Yeah. I see aerial childrens, what other type of yoga, because I know there's all kinds of yoga. 

Tammie Wingrove 43:32
Ask him for a friend. Do you prenatal? 

Nicole Valan 43:36
Actually. Yes. So, it is a thing. So again, Gabby who teaches our children's classes is going to be adding prenatal yoga to the schedule. Again, it's just supply and demand. So, 

Tammie Wingrove 43:53
Starting this summer before, 

Nicole Valan 43:54
yeah. 

Tammie Wingrove 43:55
say September, again asking for a friend, who may or may not be 

Nicole Valan 44:00
That means you'll 

Tammie Wingrove 44:00
due in 

Nicole Valan 44:00
get in 

Tammie Wingrove 44:00
early 

Nicole Valan 44:01
the afternoon. 

Tammie Wingrove 44:01
November. 

Nicole Valan 44:01
Starting very soon. We're, again, we're very excited. There are beyond prenatal yoga. There are more things that we're adding to our schedule and our calendar in July. So, evolving as people is very important as a studio. It's equally important. We had phone calls. Asking about prenatal yoga. So, 

Rich Bennett 44:24
Really? 

Nicole Valan 44:24
of course, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 44:26
Well, 

Nicole Valan 44:26
I... 

Rich Bennett 44:26
thank God you got the fire department right down the room. 

Nicole Valan 44:29
I know. I don't want to deliver in 

Rich Bennett 44:32
thing. 

Nicole Valan 44:32
this That's just not. It's not on my must list. 

Rich Bennett 44:38
Hey, Rich, guess what happened while I was at yoga 

Nicole Valan 44:41
K. 

Rich Bennett 44:41
today? 

Nicole Valan 44:41
She's like, I really like this place. I felt so comfortable. 

Rich Bennett 44:45
Baby Just grabbed on right to the jokes. 

Nicole Valan 44:49
Unnatural. 

Tammie Wingrove 44:51
Straight to child's pose. 

Nicole Valan 44:55
Yeah, I don't... 

Rich Bennett 44:55
You know, that was a thing, prenatal yoga. 

Nicole Valan 44:58
And it's great, really. It's wonderful for mothers to do before it's just important that your... You're guided and you're 

Rich Bennett 45:07
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 45:07
instructed in a safe way. And again, it is about listening to your body. Every pregnancy is different. Every woman's different when they're... when they're going through it. So, it's becoming aware of your body. And having someone that's knowledgeable and knows where you are in different trimesters. We will be adding that to the schedule. Another... 

Rich Bennett 45:29
How far... I gotta ask, how long has prenatal yoga been around? 

Nicole Valan 45:35
It's 

Rich Bennett 45:36
something new. 

Nicole Valan 45:37
No, I mean, it's been around for a while, because I think the idea is, is it focused as prenatal yoga now? Yes. Have women practice yoga until they shouldn't? Sure. I mean, it's usually a, like, doctors will sit out there and tell you, oh, you should do yoga while you're pregnant, or at least at some point. If you were doing it beforehand, so it's always one of those things that I think, if women have a natural practice, they'll adjust the yoga throughout the pregnancy to suit their needs. Now, it's more focused that it's prenatal yoga, it's class-specific. So, you're also building a support group by having it as a specific class. So, you have that kind of community within, instead where maybe you would just go and take a yoga class and be in the room, you would kind of have that conversation with the instructor before you practice. I think now it makes it more focused so that you can have a larger support group, a bigger network. 

Rich Bennett 46:49
You're going to be signing up right away, aren't you? 

Tammie Wingrove 46:51
Yeah. So, I've always just done yoga at home with videos and stuff, especially through my pregnancies, because we've 

Rich Bennett 46:57
The 

Tammie Wingrove 46:57
been 

Rich Bennett 46:57
videos 

Tammie Wingrove 46:57
down 

Rich Bennett 46:58
are probably with her mom. 

Tammie Wingrove 46:59
to… 

Nicole Valan 46:59
Yeah, 

Tammie Wingrove 47:01
just with, for breathing 

Nicole Valan 47:02
my mom, 

Tammie Wingrove 47:03
through labor and just braxton, hiks, and everything that you have, like, that comes up, but it's been very helpful for me. So, I know, but also, I've always thought, I don't know if I want to go to like a yoga class while I'm pregnant because it's the adjustments in the middle and you don't want to be different. Like, we talked about earlier where, you 

Nicole Valan 47:25
right, 

Tammie Wingrove 47:25
know, obviously, people can see that I am, you know, just about to be my third trimester. There's no hiding it anymore. But, you know, you just 

Nicole Valan 47:33
well, 

Tammie Wingrove 47:33
have to, how far do you push yourself, or I want to keep up with the rest of the class? 

Nicole Valan 47:36
And that's not just with pregnancy. I mean, it's really with anything. You want to be able to go to a class ahead of time and have a conversation with an instructor and at least have them aware of whatever you have going on in the body. So, I also think that that's important to be in a place where you don't feel like you're going to walk in and you can't say something or you're uncomfortable making an adjustment in class. Then, that kind of maybe not be the space where you want to be. But, I think if you're walking in and making adjustments and you have an instructor that's working with you through the entire process, I think it's something that everybody should stay with 

Rich Bennett 48:23
yeah. 

Nicole Valan 48:23
as long as they can throughout pregnancy. 

Rich Bennett 48:25
Nate, you guys have a newsletter so people can sign up and they're notified 

Tammie Wingrove 48:29
when he's 

Nicole Valan 48:31
So, I do everything through 

Tammie Wingrove 48:33
Instagram, 

Nicole Valan 48:34
Facebook, social media, mostly. 

Rich Bennett 48:37
We do that one way or 

Nicole Valan 48:38
Yeah, we'll do our like event posts. 

Rich Bennett 48:41
another. Right? 

Nicole Valan 48:41
So, at the beginning of the month, and then, we'll put those up on social media so they're there for folks to see. We'll have them on the chalkboard in the studio. We post them on the door. We do what we can to kind of let know. I'm a chatter box about what's going on in Aberdeen itself and the studio. And then we'll do announcements in class. So, I think it's always, it's always about how we can grow and change. So, of course, we add those classes as people come in and they're like, "Cheryoga was another one." Folks, we're calling and asking, "So, of course we added "Cheryoga." 

Rich Bennett 49:20
"Cheryoga?" 

Nicole Valan 49:22
Yeah, that got added, I think a couple months ago, actually. 

Rich Bennett 49:27
What is 

Nicole Valan 49:27
We're in our 

Rich Bennett 49:28
"Cheryoga?" 

Nicole Valan 49:28
third or fourth month. So, "Cheryoga" just uses a chair as a form of support. It also helps limit actually getting up and down for those with mobility issues or you can use the chair as an additional support if you're standing and using it for balance. So, we have that on the schedule once a month. Again, Audrey's our teacher for that. So, she comes in and we'll set the chairs up. So, we provide those props. 

Rich Bennett 50:00
I guess somebody in wheelchair could do it too, depending on their mobility part. 

Nicole Valan 50:06
I don't see why not. I think it's all in, it's all in meeting people where they are 

Rich Bennett 50:14
Yes, 

Nicole Valan 50:14
and being as, again, having as much communication with someone as possible. So, letting us know what you're looking for. We have a lot of clients who will call and they'll ask those questions. "Is this accessible? Can I do this? Would this class be suited if I've had these procedures?" So, we try to walk, we try to walk people through what would be the best course act, you know, and of course we're working they're working with physical therapists and they're working 

Rich Bennett 50:44
with their 

Nicole Valan 50:44
doctors and what they're released to do. So, in certain circumstances there are ways to make things movement accessible. 

Rich Bennett 50:54
Do you ever get special instructors in? Like Diamond Dallas page, for example, or any other ones, and if you

Nicole Valan 51:00
it. Not 

Rich Bennett 51:01
I was 

Nicole Valan 51:01
yet, 

Rich Bennett 51:01
going to say if 

Nicole Valan 51:01
no 

Rich Bennett 51:01
you 

Nicole Valan 51:01
one's 

Rich Bennett 51:02
tell me 

Nicole Valan 51:02
banging 

Rich Bennett 51:02
you 

Nicole Valan 51:02
on 

Rich Bennett 51:02
had 

Nicole Valan 51:02
the door. Not yet, no one's banging on the door to come in be a guest instructor. I welcome it. Again, it's about the experience. So, whatever we can bring to the studio that kind of changes the game for our clients, I'm all for it. 

Rich Bennett 51:24
Alright, so Cherry of Ariel, yoga, kid yoga, go. Well, you guys are going to do. 

Nicole Valan 51:30
We don't do go yoga, 

Rich Bennett 51:31
go, yoga, puppy yoga, all that. 

Nicole Valan 51:33
Sound Emourjans? 

Rich Bennett 51:34
Huh? Sound 

Nicole Valan 51:35
Emerjans? A sound bath? 

Rich Bennett 51:37
Oh, you guys have that? 

Nicole Valan 51:39
We do those. 

Rich Bennett 51:40
Really? 

Nicole Valan 51:40
Yes, restorative. So, all passive poses to help reset the nervous system. 

We try to keep a well-rounded space. So, the goal is to really again, we'll provide a general format. 

Rich Bennett 52:01
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 52:02
And then we fill in the needs where they show up. So, as they're requested, as folks are like, "Oh, hey, have you thought about, sure, why not?" 

Rich Bennett 52:14
How big is this place? 

Nicole Valan 52:16
Our studio, it's a single studio. So, the schedule gets pretty tight at times. But we have, I guess, 650 square feet. 

Rich Bennett 52:25
That's it? Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 52:25
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:26
And you had the sound emergency thing and everything in there? 

Nicole Valan 52:29
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 52:30
Wow. 

Tammie Wingrove 52:30
Wow. 

Nicole Valan 52:31
It's a lot of fun. So, like last month, we did sound in the silks. So, we had our clients come in and they were in cocoon. So, they're laying in the fabric. And then we had our sound-- Specialist Ana was in and she did the entire sound immersion while everybody was suspended in fabric. So, it changes the way, the vibrations, bounce in the room. You also have the ability, I think, in the cocoon or in the fabric to kind of let the world drop away. 

Rich Bennett 53:08
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 53:08
It's a little more isolating so that you can kind of focus on yourself. 

Rich Bennett 53:12
I 

love that. That's one of the things, because when I meditate, I gotta have the tie-button balls playing. 

Nicole Valan 53:20
Yeah? 

Rich Bennett 53:20
You get going to just oh god it feels so 

Nicole Valan 53:24
So 

Rich Bennett 53:24
good. 

Nicole Valan 53:25
our studio space has open ceilings because of the fabric, so the sound, when you have a sound immersion in their just karies, it's so big. 

Rich Bennett 53:53
How'd you come up with that name? 

Nicole Valan 53:57
So I think the best way to explain it is the idea 'Yoga brings everything together', 

my goal, my idea, is to have everyone feel welcome. 

It's just that simple. It's one love. I love that. To bring everybody into a space, we're all there because we love ourselves enough to show up. 

I think the mind-body piece speaks for itself. 

Rich Bennett 54:43
I 

Nicole Valan 54:44
think if I just said 'Yoga', it makes it one thing, 

but I wanted it to be all things. I didn't want us to just take a path of, we're only 'Yoga'. 

Rich Bennett 55:03
Right. 

Nicole Valan 55:04
I wanted us to be able to expand. I wanted us to be able to find different ways of moving and dive deeper into what that looks like, what the community needs, what the response was. And I think so far it's working. 

Rich Bennett 55:24
You are a very big community. I love that. That is awesome. 

Nicole Valan 55:30
I think the goal is that we need people. 

Rich Bennett 55:33
We 

Nicole Valan 55:35
need to be able to walk into a room and see at least one familiar face. It makes walking into that room so much easier. And I just had somebody outside the studio the other day. The door was closed. I was talking to her on the sidewalk. And she was asking me questions and I kind of giggled because I'm like, 'Yeah, it is what's behind the door.' So if you don't have a friend that's on the inside of something, it is harder to know. It is harder to open the door. If we can take that and build a bigger community and have people that enjoy being there and then they're going to spread the word and they're going to bring a friend, we're one person at a time, kind of making the move for a community a bigger thing and movement. So you're having one person plant the seed for someone else to say, 'Oh, hey, yeah, did you see this base?' So you come in and then maybe that person then talks to the next person and is like, 'Oh, I went to this sound immersion. What's a sound immersion?' So we start taking each other on a journey. That's why I think community's important. We learn from each other. And there's security in having a friend or a buddy when you go in to do something. And then not only is there security, but then you leave and it takes us back to where you're having coffee. So you're feeding your soul. 

Rich Bennett 57:10
Do you actually, because you're very good at speaking, do you go out and talk to groups? I don't mean networking groups. I mean like different organizations and all. 

Nicole Valan 57:20
No, I have not been invited to do that yet. 

Rich Bennett 57:28
But if you've been listening, okay, I'm talking about your American leeches, especially anything dealing with veterans, w all that, get ahold of Nicole, lines clubs, let her come talk to you because everybody could use yoga. 

Nicole Valan 57:43
But that's the piece that's important to. We're so close 

Rich Bennett 57:47
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 57:47
to the military base and most of our clients have some connection that really dialing in to what's happening. 

Rich Bennett 57:58
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 57:59
The military locally and being present and being a constant for people who work on base 

Rich Bennett 58:08
who not just 

Nicole Valan 58:08
and 

Rich Bennett 58:08
the 

Nicole Valan 58:08
have gone through 

Rich Bennett 58:09
base 

Nicole Valan 58:09
so much. 

Rich Bennett 58:10
You have Perry Point Hought, VA Hospital right across the river too. 

Nicole Valan 58:14
And that's the piece, is 

Rich Bennett 58:16
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 58:16
it where there are so many people who are connected through the military, through teaching, through EMS. And to then come there and have people that they can kind of, oh, you work here, is this where 

Rich Bennett 58:35
I 

Nicole Valan 58:36
watch it happen in the lobby all the time. [BLANK_AUDIO] They would have never had those connections. They would have never found that support had they not been in that space. So it's also an area where to a certain extent there are people that are here on contract. So when you have folks that are in the area we've also been a great resource because they come here and it's great. You put up in a nice spot. You're here for six months. What do you do now? So we become a resource of what's around farmers markets, fairs, festivals, places that you should go check out, hiking trails. It's also then a touchstone for them to make connections while they're here. For them to feel grounded and also then get some movement when they're putting in 12 hour days. So we're in a location that has the ability to benefit a lot of different organizations. A lot of different. I think job circuits 

Rich Bennett 59:43
so 

Nicole Valan 59:44
it's going to be exciting to see where where we grow. Of course you talk to me and my theory is what we just keep we just keep going we just keep adding. 

Rich Bennett 59:55
I can see within I'm going to say within five years you're going to 

Tammie Wingrove 1:00:00
need either bigger space 

Rich Bennett 1:00:02
or you're going to have more than 

Tammie Wingrove 1:00:04
one. 

Nicole Valan 1:00:05
Well I have certain clients. If she listens to this you'll know I'm talking about her who have already made plans for additional space. So I you know fingers crossed that those things happen. But again, for me my mission's simple it's really about bringing people together and moving whatever that looks like for you. I'm happy to be able to be part of someone's journey. I don't have to be the only part of your journey. It's move in ways that that make you happy. Find something to feel strong about and put positivity out there. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:52
Yes. 

Nicole Valan 1:00:54
Getting up getting up is just half the struggle so recognize to and that goes back to the earlier piece recognizing that everybody's working through something everybody comes in with a story. I don't I don't need to know your story but I need to welcome you with open arms because for me I'm just happy they're there. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:21
The story's amazing as it is and I want to thank you for sharing that. Timmy do you have anything? Don't go into labor right now. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:01:32
Not yet need to 

Nicole Valan 1:01:33
and you're due when I'm sorry 

Tammie Wingrove 1:01:35
not 

Rich Bennett 1:01:35
for a while 

Nicole Valan 1:01:35
we have time 

Tammie Wingrove 1:01:37
early October where I just wasn't a doctor's appointment this morning. Everything is is where it should be. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:42
You're at Nicole's 

Nicole Valan 1:01:44
yeah 

Tammie Wingrove 1:01:45
right right or you want to book me for well will record sometime like mid September at that point it could be go time. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:52
I just can't wait to say and can't wait to be holding the 

Nicole Valan 1:01:56
Oh 

Rich Bennett 1:01:56
baby. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:01:57
there you go double babies because you have my sisters too. 

Nicole Valan 1:02:00
Oh my word it'll all be here before we know 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:02
It will 

Rich Bennett 1:02:02
it. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:03
be 

Nicole Valan 1:02:03
December's right around 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:05
My kids keep reminding me that you know we're almost halfway to Christmas and this is what I think I'd like. One of them she hasn't even had a birthday yet. Have 

Nicole Valan 1:02:14
the corner. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:15
your birthday first see what you get and then we'll build your Christmas list. 

Nicole Valan 1:02:19
Kids are planners though they're gonna have it itemized and the you know stock number where you can find it. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:26
Oh exactly where to find it so I have to ask are you a Bob Marley fan also with the one love or like I understand I totally see like where one love but also. 

Nicole Valan 1:02:37
No I again I won't lie I'm 

Rich Bennett 1:02:39
you said Bob who? That 

Nicole Valan 1:02:41
right would be bad no I won't lie it was actually the year the movie came out. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:02:50
Oh okay 

Nicole Valan 1:02:51
so I I went I saw 

Rich Bennett 1:02:53
the Marley 

Nicole Valan 1:02:55
movie. The movie about Bob Marley had come out I think in February whatever year I was tossing around the studio name and the message was clear. It's again it's just about people coming together. So what better way to kind of drive at home but yes so last year we were at a concert and I had one love performed live. And it was just a moment of being able to stand there listen to the song I believe it was Ziggy singing. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:33
was the 

Nicole Valan 1:03:34
No 

Rich Bennett 1:03:34
how in the world 

Nicole Valan 1:03:34
it 

Rich Bennett 1:03:35
did you go to a Bob Marley concert. 

Nicole Valan 1:03:37
Yeah no and. But that was the piece 

Rich Bennett 1:03:42
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:03:42
to stand in that moment with all the people singing those lyrics, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:03:50
just like a full circle like, 'it's 

Nicole Valan 1:03:52
a full circle moment, but you can also just feel the love'. 

Rich Bennett 1:03:56
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:03:57
And the capacity that we all have for it and community itself. So, to me, it makes sense. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:04:06
It makes complete sense to me, so... Jealous, 

Nicole Valan 1:04:10
I wish always that. Uh, it was, it was a good time. I was with my girls, so a lot of fun. But, yeah, some people always questioned why you didn't, why not put yoga in the title? I was always the one going, why does it have to be so obvious? 

Tammie Wingrove 1:04:24
Right, or don't pigeonhole yourself. 

Nicole Valan 1:04:26
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:26
That's... 

Tammie Wingrove 1:04:27
People, oh, like, it's only yoga, I don't want to, 

Nicole Valan 1:04:29
Right. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:04:29
you know, go there. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:31
I see that all the time with People put podcast in the title of their show. 

Nicole Valan 1:04:39
podcast. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:39
Like, 

Nicole Valan 1:04:39
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:04:39
we know it's a podcast. You don't need to put it in there. Yoga, you're more than yoga. And it's like you said, if it's just yoga, then people are going to think that's just it. 

Nicole Valan 1:04:50
We had a 

Tammie Wingrove 1:04:51
framework. 

Nicole Valan 1:04:52
And now I just keep, I just keep broadening the framework. So, yeah, I think it's when you don't want to be pigeonholed. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:00
Mm-hmm. 

Nicole Valan 1:05:01
And again, I don't think any of us should be pigeonholed. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:05
No. No. 

Nicole Valan 1:05:06
Try all the things. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:09
I love that. All right, Nicole, do you have anything to add before I get to my last question, which you're going to choose? 

Nicole Valan 1:05:14
Ooh. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:16
I 

Nicole Valan 1:05:17
think, uh, no, let's hop to the last question. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:20
Well, no, wait, what do you mean you don't have anything to add? 

Nicole Valan 1:05:22
What? 

Rich Bennett 1:05:22
Something very important. What's the website? 

Nicole Valan 1:05:25
Oh, our website, all of the things. One love mine body. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook. Our website is just that one love mine body. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:34
One spelled out. 

Nicole Valan 1:05:35
One spelled out. All one word. I tried to keep it all the same anywhere. You type it in. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:43
Before you pick the last question, I have to ask you this. I'm going back to the beginning. 

Musical theater. Did you ever go? I know you didn't get it in New York, but 

Nicole Valan 1:05:54
you ever? I 

Rich Bennett 1:05:55
did 

Nicole Valan 1:05:55
did. 

Rich Bennett 1:05:55
You went back to New York? 

Nicole Valan 1:05:57
I went right from high school, so I graduated in May. I left and moved in June. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:03
So you got to 

Tammie Wingrove 1:06:04
musical 

Rich Bennett 1:06:04
agree 

Tammie Wingrove 1:06:04
theater? 

Rich Bennett 1:06:04
on 

Nicole Valan 1:06:05
I was halfway through my conservatory program in New York, and they brought me home. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:12
No, that's not me, but did you finish? 

Nicole Valan 1:06:15
I didn't get to finish. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:16
Okay. 

Nicole Valan 1:06:17
No. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:17
Any plans on? 

Nicole Valan 1:06:18
On finishing? 

Rich Bennett 1:06:19
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:06:20
I think at this point, life has taken me in a different direction. Which again, I tell my kids all the time, embrace the journey. 

Rich Bennett 1:06:29
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:06:29
I understand now why things happened the way they did, and I think that's part of my journey. Is understanding where that next chapter took me. 

And you're 

Rich Bennett 1:06:49
happy? 

Nicole Valan 1:06:49
Yeah, that's the whole piece. Is it finding yourself throughout your journey? There's no right way, there's no wrong way, just keep walking through the doors. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:00
And that's why I brought that up. Because a lot of people, you know, they have a goal, especially after school and everything. So they're like you want to get into musical theater. 

Nicole Valan 1:07:09
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:10
Your journey took you a different path, and you're happy and you're making other people happy as well. And I think that's something that a lot of people have to understand. Sometimes that journey's going to take you on a different path, and it's for the better. 

Nicole Valan 1:07:25
And that's the key. Is it always defined by better? I define it as you're where you're supposed to be. 

Rich Bennett 1:07:33
Right, okay. Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:07:34
You know, I think I don't ever look at it now that that had me lose something. It changed a course, and now I'm where I'm supposed to be. in five, ten years, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:07:51
So 

Nicole Valan 1:07:51
that'll be where I'm supposed to 

Rich Bennett 1:07:52
Right. 

Nicole Valan 1:07:52
be. Because I just kept walking through the doors. I just kept asking questions. So that's what makes life interesting to me. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:00
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:08:01
So we, we as individuals are always learning. I think you and I talked about it earlier. We're always trying to learn something new. Level up as it were, or understand something about ourselves. If I wasn't on that path, I wouldn't be where I am today. So because I kept kind of evolving, and learning, and rolling through the weeds, as best I could. Yeah. I'm where I'm supposed to be. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:08:32
I like to call it the scenic route through life. 

Rich Bennett 1:08:35
Oh, I like that. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:08:37
That's what I, I have always said. I take the scenic route. Just see where it goes. Go through that door. We don't have to just stay. Knows to the grindstone the whole time. If you, if you do what you're going to mess. Go through the door and take the chance, take the risk, go take the class, sign up for it, you listening, you heard Nicole's voice, she sounds very 

Nicole Valan 1:08:57
! 

Tammie Wingrove 1:08:57
friendly, even if you don't have a friend that you know in the room, go through the door. 

Nicole Valan 1:09:17
Next time she gets a mic. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:20
Now I need you to 

Nicole Valan 1:09:22
pick it. Oh, 

Rich Bennett 1:09:24
no, because this block, I got it in blocks. Values, purpose and definitions 

Tammie Wingrove 1:09:28
of, 

Nicole Valan 1:09:28
I 

Tammie Wingrove 1:09:28
I 

Nicole Valan 1:09:29
mean, 

Tammie Wingrove 1:09:29
mean, 

Nicole Valan 1:09:29
oh 

Rich Bennett 1:09:29
so 

Nicole Valan 1:09:29
my, 

Rich Bennett 1:09:29
now pick a number between 41 and 60. Just to let you know, I don't know what these, 

Nicole Valan 1:09:35
49, 

Rich Bennett 1:09:37
49. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:09:40
Is that a, oh, because she's 29? 

Nicole Valan 1:09:44
Yes. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:09:45
Yes, that's a good, good one. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:50
I miss something here. 

Nicole Valan 1:09:51
She should have had a mic. 

Rich Bennett 1:09:53
Oh, okay. All right, so, huh, I guess this goes with it, Right. So she doesn't know I'm lying. 

Tammie Wingrove 1:10:02
Okay, nope, I see it right there. Oh, okay. Number 49. 

Nicole Valan 1:10:06
Oh, holy 

Tammie Wingrove 1:10:07
cow. What does it mean to truly know someone? 

Nicole Valan 1:10:15
Wow, deep. You saved that for the end. 

Rich Bennett 1:10:20
Oh, I got 100 different questions here. I'm not gonna ask your 100. I only asked to guess one. 

Nicole Valan 1:10:29
For me, to truly know someone, 

again, I think I say it over and over. 

It's to really accept them as they are 

to see them to embrace their imperfections, 

to love them no matter what, but also to show up. As their friend. I think to know someone, you have to be able to listen. 

And 

I believe on any given day it's meeting people where they are. It truly is. 

Rich Bennett 1:11:22
Yeah. 

Nicole Valan 1:11:24
Because we all have facets to ourselves that we're going to hold back, even to your best friend, even to your partner. You don't need to know all of those things to truly know a person. But you need to be okay with how they show up. 

And I think lead with an open heart. So as long as you're taking in what people are saying to you and you're not trying to change them or force an answer, then people will allow you in and let you see maybe the less perfect Instagram versions of themselves. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:13
For the answer, god, you're good at this. Those of you listening, this is her first time on. Which I think she was 

Tammie Wingrove 1:12:21
long. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:22
Nicole, thank you so much. Tammy, thank you. And thank you for not having the baby today while recording. 

Nicole Valan 1:12:29
my word, I feel like I'm in now. Now I want baby updates. Like there has to 

Tammie Wingrove 1:12:34
Oh, 

Nicole Valan 1:12:34
be a baby blog. 

Rich Bennett 1:12:35
Christmas card. I get a. 

Today's episode wasn't just about yoga. It was about life. Nicole's journey reminds us that sometimes the path we planned isn't the one we're meant to walk. 

or being able to touch your toes. It's about listening to your body taking care of your mind and giving yourself the grace to grow at your own pace. I also love something Nicole said throughout our conversation without always saying it directly. Meet people where they are. We never know what someone else is carrying, a little kindness, a little patience, and a little understanding can make a bigger difference than we realize. Whether you've been practicing yoga for years, have never stepped onto a mat, or you just look at for a healthier way to handle the stresses of everyday life. I hope this conversation encourages you to take that first step. Maybe it's trying to class. Maybe it's practicing a few minutes of mindful breathing. Or maybe it's simply giving yourself permission to slow down. Whatever your journey looks like, remember, you don't have to have it all figured out before you begin. And I have to say, after hearing about aerial yoga, sound immersion, children's yoga, chair yoga, and even yoga at a brewery, I'm starting to think the only excuse left is I haven't signed up yet. Although, knowing me, if I tried aerial yoga, they probably have to untangle me before the class was over. A huge thank you to Nicole for sharing not only her expertise, but also her incredibly personal story. And of course, thank you to my wonderful co-host, Tammy Wingrove, for helping make this such a meaningful conversation. Tammy, we're all officially on Babywatch now. And who knows, by the time many of you hear this episode, there may already be another little listener in the world. And we can't wait to meet the newest member of the family. Until next time, I'm Rich Bennett. Thanks for listening and remember, every great conversation starts with someone willing to listen and someone willing to share. And now it's your turn. Join the conversation by sharing this episode. Leave in a comment or reaching out to me directly. Take care. Be kind to one another, and I'll talk with you again soon.