Spring is in the air and we are (temporarily) back to doing three workouts here at NP NYC! That means we get to spend even more time with each other every week! How normal does that feel?! With all this extra time we’re spending together, we wanted to lend a reminder of our purpose here. We want to continue to be the community that we love enough to show up to more mornings than we sleep in.
A lot goes into a week at NP, and we as co-leaders rely on you all more than you probably realize. For starters, it’s the energy that we know you’ll show up with that gets us there in the morning. We trust that when we give workout instructions, you’ll listen, so you can help our new friends or our friends who arrive late. We rely on your excitement about events, new workout locations, and upcoming races to help drive the sense of community we’ve all come to love about NP.
Everything we do at NP is, and should always be, guided by our community agreements. As a reminder, they are:
- COME AS YOU ARE
- ELEVATE, MOTIVATE, SUPPORT others
- RESPECT individual boundaries, our identities, our neighbors, our environments, agenda free motives
- GROW community
- LEAD together
- CALL IN
Back in November, leaders from all over met in San Diego for the Meeting of the Minds, NP’s yearly leadership summit. In one exercise we did, we were told to talk about our favorite community agreement with other leaders. This was the first time I had given our community agreements any real, deep thoughts other than just, “yeah, those represent us.” What I ended up landing on as my favorite is “LEAD together”.
One of the things that I have always loved about this community is that everyone can have a chance to lead in whatever way they’re comfortable with. Some of us become co-leaders, but some plan socials or cheer squads, help welcome new people, or just send “good morning, are you awake and ready to workout” texts. There’s a chance for everyone to be helpful where they want to be.
The last few years have been tough. Over the last year, Aki, Dana, and I have been working to rebuild an in-person community during/after a pandemic that shifted what was “normal” for us, and really kicked NYC’s butt as a city. I don’t want to speak for my partners, but I think they would agree that this phase of NP has been about showing up, showing kindness and compassion, and being a shoulder for this community to lean on. (Does that mean I’m a pushover? No, you still have to do the burpees I asked for). In a world that sees so much hate, we want to be a source of love.
So where am I going with all of this? Well, I have an ask for you, our community. Over the next few weeks, I want everyone (myself and my co-leaders included) to reflect on our community agreements. Decide what they mean for you and how they drive your time at NP. Reflect on where you’re doing your best, and maybe where you have room to grow. This might include spending your morning with someone you may not know as well, or trying that exercise that’s slightly out of your comfort zone! It will (and should) look different for everyone, and your co-leaders are here to support you in any way we can!
You as members are what drives this community. We show up and tell you what to do, but without you, there is no NP NYC. Something drives you to show up every week, and it’s that energy that will help us continue to grow a kind, supportive, burpee-loving community!
I’m glad you’re here.
-Em
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