With a sudden change of routines and normalcy, quarantine has allowed many of us to take time to reflect. We wanted to take a moment and check in with PRO cast members to see what they have learned during their time in quarantine.
Through this series, we will interview different cast members at PRO. Stay with us each week as we learn what they have been up to and what they have learned through the quarantine period.
Surabhi Chauhan is a Group Fitness instructor here at PRO Club. You can say hi to her during her Friday Night Club Night Dance class on Friday’s at 5:30 pm.
Surabhi has always enjoyed dancing. Her grandmother used to say, āIf music is playing, Surabhiās feet are movingā¦even in her sleep!ā Surabhi is from India and studied Indian classical dance as a young child. She has experience in Kathak, traditional folk dance and Bharatnatyam. Additionally, she enjoys athletics and hiking. Zumba fitness is a dream come true for Surabhi as it combines dance and fitness.
Quarantine Motto: You can do it!
What have you learned from COVID or this pause or time period?
This slowdown of life during quarantine has taught me to be more mindful of what I want and what I need. Earlier, I would drive out to get one thing from the grocery store, but now that I have to limit trips to grocery stores, I think about how badly I need some thing and how to get creative with what I already have.
It made me think back to the basics/essentials like eating simple and healthy, getting exercise in fresh air, and doing basic breathing exercises for good mental and respiratory health. Mindfulness is something I am always striving for and now more than ever, I am more mindful.
What are you going to change about yourself going forward?
It was hard to motivate myself to workout at home. At the same time, I knew it was important in this uncertain pandemic situation to stay fit and healthy. It was my kids and husband who gave me the motivation. At first, it was my teenage kids who kept up with their PE routine from school. That motivated my husband, who used to only work out with a trainer, to go running in the neighborhood. One day I decided to run with him and now I have renewed my love for running outdoors. Then I added some yoga and weights and barre and now I enjoy working out at home. Going forward, I hope to keep up with running in fresh air even when our northwest rainy season starts!
What you miss most?
The thing I miss most is PRO Club – no surprise there! PRO Club is not only where I work, its where I have built a community. I have been working there for over seven years but there are so many classes I haven’t tried and now when the club opens, I plan to attend different types of classes and sign up for more trainings and workshops to learn more. My family had joined PRO Club a few months before quarantine and I hope we can all return to working out there because it was great way for us to hang out together. I am glad I was able to teach virtual classes through PRO Club during this time and now I am looking forward to teaching at the club starting soon!
Stress is at an all-time high right now, so how do each of you reduce stress?
Stress is part of our modern day life. We cannot blame it on quarantine. In this time of lockdown, hopefully we were all able to take a pause and realize what’s truly important. I was surprised when distant family members from across the globe reached out to me to check on me. Some Facebook friends connected at a deeper level as we all felt the loneliness of a lockdown. In this time of social media, it was nice to see the most positive of people share their low points during this quarantine. So when life goes back to “normal”, remember to slow it down and connect with old friends and make new friends and make time for others.
How do you keep the kids motivated during this time?
I have two teenage daughters, who sometimes think I am cool and other times call me a “boomer”, which is the opposite of cool according to them! I enjoy deep, long conversations with them and also late might giggles over silly stuff. Sometimes, we listen to unfiltered hip hop on full blast in the car on a late night drive, and other times, we just stare at our phones! They teach me about Tiktok and share latest memes with me, but sometimes just want to be with their friends on Google Hangouts. What I quickly realized in the beginning of the quarantine was that we were going to be with each other 24/7 and that as long as they are sleeping good and eating good and getting a good dose of physical movement, I should let them plan their day. So I am there when they need me but otherwise I let them be teenagers.
What is the first thing you will do when you donāt have to physical distance?
The first thing I want to do when social distancing is over is to travel to New York or some crowded city where I walk through crowds of people and enjoy foods and new experiences. I want to get away from TV screens, phone screens, laptops etc. and see real people and life.
Stay tuned for more Lessons from Quarantine with PRO cast members in the coming weeks.
