|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome back to The Bend!
|
|
The Bend follows a simple rhythm each week. The Eddy Line opens with a one-line thought or
observation, something short enough to remember but worth thinking
about. What the Current Pulled Toward dives a
little deeper into where the previous week’s energy went, whether that’s
a project, a partnership, or a personal lesson learned. Signal Fire highlights a person, place, or initiative
that deserves some attention. And One Thought Worth
Sitting With closes things out with a brief reflection or quote
that will hopefully help guide you through whatever you may be dealing
with.
It’s part journal, part field note, and hopefully
something that makes you pause for a moment before diving back into the
current.
|
|
|
|
|
|
A new year felt like the right moment to pause, take a
breath, and clarify who we are and how we show up. After taking some
time off over the holidays to step back and reflect, it became clear
that the full Oxbow name needed to evolve. You may (or may not) notice
it looks a little different now on some online platforms:
Oxbow
Strategies.
The work hasn’t changed, but the name better reflects
what it has become: thoughtful, values-driven strategy work at the
intersection of parks, recreation, culture, and community.
It’s more than just planning and consulting
work.
Less about chasing everything, more about being
intentional with what I feel matters most.
As we step into the new year, I want to wish you a
happy, healthy start to 2026 and
give thanks for being part of this journey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Mindfulness begins the moment you realize you’re not
being mindful.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What the Current Pulled Toward
|
Over the past several weeks, the current pulled toward
mindfulness.
I’ll be honest, I’m not
very good at it. Like, not at all. Not even close. Over the holidays, I
had to force myself to take some time off and even then my mind kept
wandering back to work. Will that project come through? Am I giving
clients what they’re expecting? Am I scaling too fast? Am I not scaling
fast enough? Am I meeting my own potential and expectations? The list
never really ends, it just changes shape. The crazy thing is (as you’ll
read more below) my wife owns and operates a yoga studio so I really
have no excuse.
What I’m learning and
working on, though, is that mindfulness isn’t necessarily about just
quieting your thoughts or getting it “right.” I think it’s about
noticing when your mind drifts and then making the conscious decision to
come back, even if it’s several times over. It’s about being
intentional, even when you’re terrible at it. Let me rephrase that:
ESPECIALLY when you’re terrible at it.
What’s been most uncomfortable about slowing down is how
clearly it exposes the noise I try to outrun. When the meetings stop and
the inbox quiets, the questions get louder. Am I choosing the right
projects and initiatives? Am I saying no often enough? Am I building
something sustainable or just staying busy? Even on a hike with my mom
and Noli on January 1 (pictured left, a moment that I should have been
fully present in), my mind drifted back to gearing up for work and
worrying that I’d taken too much time off. Mindfulness doesn’t offer
quick answers but it does force you to sit with the questions long
enough to hear what actually matters.
I also recognize that mindfulness isn’t a solo practice: it
shows up in how I work with others. Being present in conversations,
listening without planning my response, noticing when urgency is
self-imposed rather than real. Those small moments of awareness shape
better decisions, healthier partnerships, and work that feels aligned instead of reactive.
I’m not there yet but I’m committed to staying with it. Because even
when mindfulness feels awkward or unproductive, I’m hopeful that it will
cement in me something I’ve been missing: progress doesn’t always come
from pushing harder, sometimes it comes from paying closer
attention.
I’ve always believed that
sticking with something imperfectly matters more than doing it well
right away. Sucking at something is often the first step toward being
really good at something. Or at least more present. And for now, that
feels like a pretty good way to start the year.
- Mike.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uttara
Yoga Studio is a welcoming, community-centered yoga space in Roanoke
that invites people of all levels to cultivate strength, awareness, and
calm through body-mind practice. Classes range from gentle and
restorative to more dynamic flows and many incorporate mindful
breathwork and meditation alongside physical movement.
What makes Uttara special is
the environment it creates. The studio exists to help students become
healthier, happier, and more connected to themselves, with instructors
who guide people through alignment, breath, and presence in ways that
resonate off the mat as much as on it.
As the owner and operator, my wife, Laura, brings that
intention to every part of the practice and it’s shaped how I think
about mindfulness in my own work. Living with awareness takes practice,
community, and space to experiment, all of which is is provided
here.
If you’re thinking about
building a more mindful culture in your team, consider practices like
yoga, breathwork, or guided reflection as part of organizational and
employee culture assessments. These certainly won’t fix everything but
they’ll open up the space for people to show up more fully.
If you’d like to give it a try (or return if
you’ve been gone for a while), try a class on Oxbow. Follow this link to
set up a free account and then send an email to
info@uttarayogastudio.com with the code
THEBEND (notice the dual meaning
😁) and you’ll be given one free class pass.
To keep current with
everything going on at the studio, you can follow Uttara on
Facebook
and
Instagram.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Thought Worth Sitting With
|
|
This week’s theme: Mindfulness.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky.
Conscious breathing is my anchor.“
-Thích Nhất
Hạnh
|
|
|
|
|
|
Let’s Go to Germany and Austria!
|
|
In less than 10 months, Oxbow is heading overseas, and
you’re invited. We’re partnering with
EF Adventures for a guided
multi-adventure journey
through Germany and Austria, exploring Bavaria, Tyrol, and Salzburg
by foot, bike, paddle, and rail.
It’s part cultural immersion and part active escape,
with alpine trails, lakeside yoga, village cafés, and the kind of views
that make you forget your phone exists. This isn’t a tour bus vacation;
it’s a chance to travel intentionally, move through landscapes at a
human pace, and connect with a group that values
curiosity
as much as comfort.
Monthly payment plans are available.
If you’ve ever wanted to explore Europe beyond the
postcards, this is your moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Follow Oxbow on Social Media
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
