A Note From Katie: My Anxiety Story

Before starting Unfold six years ago with my parter, Nicole, I worked in the advertising industry. I loved my job and my peers. I was excited about my work and the future of my career. On the outside, everything appeared to be great.

The truth was, my body was starting to break down and my mind was starting to behave strangely. I had become so accustomed to feeling crappy - an achy body and racing mind became my new normal.

I wasn’t great. I was suffering.

I spent more time in airplanes and hotels than I did at home. I loved my job, but HOW I was working was starting to take a toll on my health.

Back pain became debilitating and I had days where I couldn’t walk without severe pain. My anxiety started to spiral. I had trouble sleeping and noticed I was drinking a little more than usual. I felt lonely, stressed out, and overwhelmed.

My solution at the time was just power through it, but things just got worse.

I knew I needed help. I tried pilates, physical therapy, and chiropractors. I did acupuncture and massage. I tried sitting on a stability ball, a kneeling office chair, a standing desk. My office became a playground of chairs and I remember my peers popping in to see the latest toy.

Honestly, all of these things helped a little… but not enough.

After many years and countless dollars spent, I realized all of my back pain and anxiety solutions had one thing in common… they all were external solutions to an internal issue. If I wanted to feel better I needed to dig in and take responsibility for my health.

I had always practiced yoga on and off, but I began to take a new approach to my practice - one that worked with my schedule. Constant travel and demanding deadlines made getting to regular yoga class difficult.

I began to bring yoga into my actual office by doing a few poses at my desk. I started to meditate on airplanes. I would do a quick breathing technique to settle my nerves before a big presentation.

Turns out, a little bit of yoga every day created a big shift. I didn’t need to do fancy poses or spend hours on end practicing. With consistent practice, I started becoming more aware of how I was actually feeling.

I am now more sensitive to how my body responds to stress. I’m able to pause, slow down, and regulate my nervous system before my body forces me to take a break via a back spasm or an anxiety attack.

After years of figuring out what worked for me, I realized I wasn't the only one in need of a simpler approach to wellbeing. I’ll never forget the day a co-worker came to my office in tears because she missed a deadline. I taught her a breathing technique on the spot and she was pleasantly surprised how big of an impact it made.

This was the inspiration behind Unfold. I am still committed to weaving yoga into my day - even if it’s only a quick 10-min practice. I’m grateful for this approach and beyond thrilled to be sharing it with you. That's why we created Unfold Digital PLUS, an online membership of office-friendly chair yoga and stress reduction classes, right at your desk. Try it for 2-weeks on us - all you have to lose is stress!

Be well,

Katie