We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bee Creel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you ever experienced a times when your entire field felt like it was taking a U-Turn?

After spending the first few years of my professional career working full-time as a journalist and part-time as a yoga teacher, it was as if my path could not help but lead me to fully immerse myself in teaching yoga. In early 2019, I was working for Yoga Journal magazine and they issued big round of layoffs. I was one of the editors affected by the change and I knew in my heart that it was time for me to step into teaching yoga full-time. It felt like everything was going so smoothly until March 2020. The pandemic hit and all of the yoga studios were shut down completely, along with everything else. Initially, I panicked. For a split second, I wished that I had a backup plan, or a steady job to fall back on. Little did I know, the pandemic would be the birth of my business. I started teaching donation-based classes on Instagram Live, which later turned into classes on Zoom, and finally, the start of my online membership. Pivoting to teaching online was never something I imagined I would do but it has been such an incredible learning experience and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started teaching yoga in 2012 for my university’s campus recreation program. Ten years later, I have been fortunate enough to turn my love for health, movement, and mindfulness into a career. I spent 6 years teaching yoga and meditation in New York City, alongside a career in health journalism. In 2020, I launched my own health and wellness business, For Human Beeings. For Human Beeings is founded on the idea that each human is incredibly deserving of feeling at home in their body and wildly capable of embodying their potential.

I believe in meeting my students and clients right where they are. On a group scale, I offer a monthly membership, which allows students to practice anywhere, anytime through live and on-demand classes. I give my students an opportunity to build self-care into their everyday routines. Through supportive yoga and meditation classes, challenging reflection questions, and a sustainable schedule to limit overthinking or planning, I provide the tools they need to take care of themselves with intention. With the support of the community, my students know they are never alone and can create a practice to lean into.

On an individual scale, I offer private yoga and mindfulness coaching. I help my clients rewire their brains to choose self-compassion over self-aggression. I show them that there is a way out of the negative rabbit hole and an opportunity with each practice to start over. Simply by showing up as they are, my clients get physically stronger and mentally resilient. My goal is to show my students that their highest self is just one perspective change away.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Throughout my career, I have had to redefine what failure and success mean to me. I always thought that changing career paths or redirection meant that I could have done better or I could have changed the outcome if I had just tried a little harder. However, looking back, every time there was a challenge, struggle, or redirection, it became a real opportunity for growth. I would not be where I am today without the layoffs, major life changes, or heartbreaks. By shifting my mindset to gratitude instead of self-aggression, I was able to open new mental doors for myself.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I think that the most helpful thing with any career in health and wellness is genuine connection. I try my best to make an effort so that each person feels seen and supported. I knew that when I made the shift from in-person to virtual, there would be a learning curve on both my end and my students’ ends. Even though there is a computer screen that separates us, the interactions always feel safe, meaningful, and significant.

Contact Info:

• Website: beeyourhealth.com
• Instagram: @beeyourhealth
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beeyourhealth
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-creel-70ba1361/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@forhumanbeeings