Sponsored story by Anne Franco McAndrew
Long before COVID-19, Wanessa Anderson was already seeing her business in a new light. Anderson, the owner of W. Rhythm and Fitness Studio in Kent, is always one step ahead of the curve. She knew her next move was going to incorporate social media and exercise. With pieces of her cyber expansion puzzle already in place, Anderson hasn’t suffered the panic that most business owners have experienced during the shutdown. Instead, the crisis has served as her springboard.
Undeniably she has one of the most loyal clientele in the area, recently voted The Best Barre Studio in Litchfield County for the second year in a row. Her online class idea had been percolating in her brain for quite a while. But it wasn’t until she spent some time this past February in Cartagena, a port city of Colombia, that the format became defined. “The idea to visit Cartagena came to me in a dream”, she said. So she followed her dream and it provided her with the energy she needed. Whether it was the blazing bold colors of the architecture or scrumptious ceviche served in jammed eateries, she didn’t say. But internally a shift took place. She returned home, just barely making the re-entry cut off, and immediately put the wheels in motion for her video classes.
If the body of Anderson’s business is her fitness expertise, the soul of Anderson’s business is her message of love and light. As she challenges and nurtures physical conditioning, she furthers the experience through movement and mindfulness. Wanting us to reach our highest performance level physically, mentally, and spiritually, she talks about this throughout the classes to reinforce the message. So much of worldly discord, she believes, is because people are disconnected from their bodies. People need to make movement part of their daily routine, “like brushing your teeth”, she remarks in her Brazilian accent. “The cure for boredom is movement.”
Anderson’s online platform can be found at wtotalfitness.com. Here you will find a varied range of classes including yoga, barre, pilates, and cardio party. You can subscribe for an extended time or rent a video for a couple of days. Either way, every class is a complete body/mind workout which also incorporates stretch and flow. Anderson is offering a week of trial classes for free (click here) as an incentive to add movement to our daily routines and to help battle the isolation blues.
It’s not as if the anxiety of the world’s situation hasn’t affected her. It has. But she deals with it by making time for her self care as well as encouraging others to do the same. “I start my day gently, with a hot bath, essential oils, and candles. I meditate. I used guided imagery.” The unique challenges that a pandemic poses are new to all of us. Anderson strongly urges people to establish a routine that nurtures our souls to better enable us to deal with anxiety. Another part of her formula is to absorb the beauty of the world and reflect on her blessings. The message from her is simple and direct. “It’s a scary time but we are all strong. We will rebuild. Start by taking care of yourself and the rest will follow.”
W. Rhythm Fitness
25 North Main Street, Kent
203.788.7818
