Meet Bridget Bee” Creel | Yoga & Meditation Teacher”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bridget “Bee” Creel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bridget “Bee”, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started my business unexpectedly in March 2020. I was working as a full-time yoga teacher in New York City and when all of the studios shut down due to COVID-19, I knew I had to be creative. I started teaching daily donation-based yoga classes on Instagram Live and then by October 2020, I started hosting monthly challenges on Zoom, where I developed a monthly program filled with yoga, meditation, and community-support sessions (a mix of my three favorite things: mindfulness, movement, and empowerment). The membership created a community of friends that have become family. In addition to my online membership, I also offer private yoga and meditation and host group yoga retreats all over the world and private retreats in The Outer Banks.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I went through a tough time in college when I felt pressure to look a certain way, which led to finding myself in the gym daily. Even though I had the most incredible friends and family support at the time, I felt so ashamed and selfish to share how terribly I thought of myself, that I chose just to keep it to myself. I struggled with this mindset for years and it wasn’t until I started doing mindfulness meditation and therapy that I found a burst of relief.

When I started practicing yoga in high school, I could already feel that it was more than just a workout, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It was a feeling that I couldn’t describe. When I started teaching yoga in college (over 10 years ago—that’s wild!), I would notice the transformation from stiffness to softness and rigidity to fluidity in the course of a 60-minute class. Even in college, I could feel that the way I taught was unique. I would tie in motivating quotes and inspiring music to help my students get out of their heads and into their bodies, but I would build relationships with my students. To me, the real “yoga” happened off of the yoga mat. All of the movement and mindfulness was not intended to make us “better” yogis, but instead the best version of who we already are.

When I moved to NYC in 2015 after college, I would have loved to teach yoga full-time but I graduated with a degree in journalism and it seemed like “the right thing to do.” After 6 months into my first job as a health journalist, I missed teaching yoga so much and knew that I was neglecting a huge part of what made me so happy. I continued to teach yoga in the mornings and evenings before and after my full-time job. I worked in marketing at Wanderlust (yoga festival company) and later, at Yoga Journal magazine. These were all “dream jobs” but I felt the most fulfilled teaching yoga. When I was laid off from Yoga Journal in 2019, I felt a waive of relief and started pursuing yoga full-time. I taught at Wanderlust Yoga Festival in Vermont and led retreats in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. This was also a pivitol moment in my life when I started seeing a therapist weekly. I felt like I was finally stepping into the life I had always wanted.

When March 2020 hit and all of the yoga studios closed, I was devastated but I knew that I had to find a way to keep teaching. What started as donation-based classes on instagram turned out to be a full-blown business where I now run an online membership (The Challenge), teach virtual and in-person private lessons in my home studio, offer 1-1 mindfulness coaching, and faciliate private and group retreats.

My classes are just as challenging and energizing as they are supportive and grounding. Each month in The Challenge Membership, I thoughtfully curate and theme my yoga and meditation classes based on the time of year. Each month, I hold a class called “Mindful Monday,” which can also be known as informal group therapy. We all tune in, meditate, share what is going on in our lives, and support one another through it all.

I help my students see in real-time that they can 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 students get physically stronger and mentally resilient. My goal is to show my students that their highest self is just one perspective change away. With the support of community, my students know they are never alone and can create a practice to lean into.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love this question! After living in NYC for over 6 years, I moved to The Outer Banks in NC. Talk about a whirlwind of a change! If I had a friend visiting OBX, I would scoop them up from Norfolk Airport and we would stop by Morris Farm Market on the way home, grab all of the snacks and peach ice cream, and head to Kill Devil Hills. We would grab dinner at Trio Restaurant & Market, then catch the sunset at Swells’a Brewery. The next day, we would take a long bike ride and stop at Ashley’s Coffee for the most delicious brew. We could have breakfast at Henry’s or The Spot, pack a cooler (filled with sandwiches from The Country Deli), and head to the beach. In the evening, we could go to Brewing Station for live music and play cornhole in the giant backyard. You better believe the next morning we are waking up and doing yoga in my private home studio or at the beach. 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The energy, light, and pure joy behind my business comes from the incredible human “bee-ings” that show up daily to practice with me—my students. They truly inspire me every single day and the gratitude I have for them is endless. My friends and family have always been so encouraging and supportive (especially in the early days when I would film yoga on my parent’s deck or childhood bedroom).

Someone that continues to influence the way I show up in my business (and in my life) is Jenna Hollenstein, nutritional therapist, meditation teacher, and author of one of my favorite books, “Eat to Love.” She worked with me to re-wire my brain to choose self-care and self-compassion over self-aggression. Compassion and non-judgment remain at the foundation of how I show up for my students.

Website: https://beeyourhealth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beeyourhealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beeyourhealth

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkP7r58N3I98gtxyPtuAvnQ