Posts In: Missy DiDonato

Flashback from founders Amy and Michael Caldwell Assistant Office Manager Laura McCorry on how she joined Yoga One to nurture a family-owned business and a thriving yoga community.

You probably don’t know me. I practiced with Yoga One last week, but the last time I set foot in the studio was in 2014, at the old Downtown location. I have never been to Mission Hills, yet I see it and think about it, literallyevery day.

Let’s rewind.

In 2010, I moved to San Diego with my spouse. Ready for a change of career and a fresh start, I enrolled in a yoga teacher training program. Yoga had always been there for me – through the tumultuous final years of high school, to the liberation of college life, and the isolation of being a young military spouse.

I finished my 200 hour training in 2011 and threw myself into the San Diego yoga market. If there was a renowned teacher, I would go to their class. I worked out trade agreements with three different studios in exchange for classes and exposure, hoping one of them would hire me to teach.

Then a friend told me about Yoga One. She said it was a great studio, highly respected, and that the owners were the real deal.

On their website at the time, after all the teacher bios, there was a line – “do you want to see yourself here? We’re always looking for authentic and experienced instructors.”

I had been practicing yoga for seven years, in four different states with countless teachers. But I had only been teaching for six months and I wasn’t getting the experience I needed to truly grow as a teacher. Imposter syndrome reared its discouraging head.

A few weeks later, I got a round robin interview with Amy Caldwell. I was elated when I got their email response – “we think your teaching style and Yoga One are a good match.”

I started subbing for Yoga One. I proposed a trade in exchange for classes, but instead of front desk work or cleaning, I wanted something more in line with my skill set. I offered to write a blog for Yoga One and Michael enthusiastically endorsed the project. Eventually, I got a regular class on the schedule, then I started teaching corporate classes for Yoga One.

For years, Amy and Michael had run a tight ship, keeping expenses low while trying to reach as many people as possible. It wasn’t just a business, they truly wanted to see more people thrive through the practice of yoga, just like they had.

But the time had come for the business to grow. By August of 2012, our smart, savvy, uber-friendly office manager Missy had more work than she could handle alone. I joined the tiny staff of Yoga One as assistant office manager, working in the retrofitted dumbwaiter shaft turned office, affectionately called the Nook.

It was everything I had ever wanted. I was doing meaningful, paid work, and with people that I truly admired.

Then in the spring of 2014, I moved away from San Diego. I lost my classes, my students, my administrative position, and worst of all, I lost working alongside my friends. It was the closest thing to a career I had ever experienced, and it was all gone.

All except the blog. Yoga One Blog became my thread of connection to the vibrant community Amy, Michael, and Missy were building. I checked in with Michael once a month or so, mostly over email. It was a shadow of what I once had, but it was real. And it lasted.

Fast forward to January, 2020. Michael called and asked if I’d like to return to the Yoga One staff, working remotely to facilitate opening the Mission Hills location. I had barely begun when March 2020 upended the whole world with the spread of Covid-19. Already familiar with the Zoom platform, I suggested Yoga One use their video chat to broadcast yoga classes to students at home. We transitioned the entire schedule to virtual classes in just two days.

These days, my role at Yoga One is mostly behind the scenes. I manage the blog, our social media schedule, and the On-Demand video library. Like a sous-chef, I do a lot of prepping to lighten the load for Amy, Michael, and Missy. Not only do I enjoy my work, I love working alongside these amazing humans I’ve been blessed to call friends for over a decade.

Flashbacks from Yoga One founders Amy and Michael Caldwell on how they nurtured a family-owned business and a thriving yoga community.

“Approximately 20% of new businesses fail during the first two years of being open, 45% during the first five years, and 65% during the first ten years.” – data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shared on Investopedia 

Needless to say, in 2012, we enjoyed a collective and long exhale while celebrating Yoga One’s 10th anniversary. 

We knew there would be more hard work ahead. We knew nobody would be handing out laurels upon which we could rest  (though we did enjoy a lovely savasana.) 

More than any other emotion, we were grateful.

Amy and I were grateful that our labor of love had, for a decade, sustained both our immediate family and our extended family (the community).

We were grateful to be supported by so many caring and genuine individuals. The struggle and effort of running a business has been worthwhile, in no small part, because of the wonderful people we’ve met and have come to know over the years.

Our 10 Year festivities were held on the rooftop of the Porto Vista Hotel, where we had been providing regular rooftop classes. The multi-talented Jennifer Tipton led a strong and well-sequenced flow yoga class. As an added bonus, our massage therapists  Jacintha Roemer and Amber Largent offered complimentary chair massages. 

While reveling in and enjoying each other’s company, we took the opportunity to highlight particular individuals, including the amazing Julie Moore (a.k.a. Student #1). Julie was our very first Yoga One student – she attended Amy’s initial classes in Balboa Park, even before our downtown studio was an idea and before we had thought of the name.

We also passed out dedication and consistency awards to the Summer Yoga Challenge participants (those students who took the most classes in a given period of time).

Michael made a speech and we passed out prizes. We took selfies and staged photos with silly accessories. We leafed through an anniversary scrapbook assembled by Missy. Students left kind messages on a guest board. 

Food and drink were served. Merry-making ensured. 

Thank you to the Yoga One Family for enhancing our lives, we love, appreciate and are grateful for you!!

This monthly workshop led by Missy DiDonato fills up fast! While you’re supported in restorative yoga poses, you’ll receive Reiki and a concert of vibrations from crystal bowls, Koshi chimes, rain sticks and more. This meditative experience will leave you feeling centered, balanced and focused.

Join us Monday, November 15th at 7pm

But don’t take our word for it, here’s what past participants have to say –

“The first Reiki & Sound session I went to was amazing. I left feeling rested, peaceful, and full of positive energy.” – Lydia B.

“As a busy mom of two young kids, Reiki & Sound has given me the time and space to truly relax, unwind, and take care of myself. I look forward to having the dedicated time to connect with myself.” – Dain M.

“A few weeks ago at Yoga One, I attended the Reiki & Sound Bath workshop. It was a completely new experience for me and I had no idea what to expect. After settling in and quieting my mind, I was able to completely relax. The sensations I felt during the session were both warm and calming. For me though, it wasn’t until I went to sleep that night and woke up the next morning that complete inner peace ran through me. It was magical.”- Dana H.

 “My Reiki & Sound Bath experience at Yoga One was both relaxing and transforming. My body released all tension as my heart/mind was transported by the cosmic sound vibrations! Awesome!” – Dawn F.

“Basking in the Reiki & Sound Bath is like absorbing the warmth of the sun in winter or the divine cool of the moon in summer. I leave serene, as if I’ve just had a beautiful massage!” – Chris F.

1. How does yoga show up in your life right now?

Yoga shows up as a savior. I completely appreciate the break it gives me from my daily stresses. Right now, I’m teaching more than practicing for myself, but teaching yoga is such a wonderful way to decompress and to focus on other people’s comfort for an hour. That gives me life. Yoga has always given me life, this is just the new way it’s showing up right now. 

2. Where are you experiencing growth as a yoga teacher and/or practitioner?

I’m experiencing growth recognizing that teaching is not what it was 4 months ago. I can’t see all of my students, or their whole bodies, and it’s challenging to not give as many personal cues. I’m lucky to have known most of my students for awhile. With new students, I’m working to offer all that I could in person and making those personal connections. Of course it’s a bit harder online. I’m growing and adapting and striving to offer comfort through my teaching and conversation.

3. What’s your favorite kind of burrito and why?

Right now, it’s the one my husband makes. When we first started dating, he worked at a deli. He knows how to wrap sandwiches and burritos so well, I’m always impressed. Also, he makes them with love and intention, you can tell the difference. 😉

fiction by Laura McCorry

It was almost time. Christine Tran took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching her face in the mirror. Her straight, black hair was starting to grow back, just as thick as before chemo, which surprised her. It felt weird that she was no longer visibly marked by cancer; even weirder to realize that people she met now wouldn’t know about that chapter of her life unless she told them.

A month ago, she’d decided to try a yoga class with a friend. It was a community class, led by a new instructor, and maybe that partly explained their experience, but from the moment Christine walked in the door, she had felt nervous about reconnecting with her body.

In the middle of class, when the instructor tried to physically assist her into a deeper twist, Christine wanted to run out of the room. Instead, she told the instructor quietly but firmly that she physically couldn’t twist any deeper. What Christine didn’t explain was that she was thirty five years old and in the past year, she had undergone major abdominal surgery and lost several organs, as well as a football-sized tumor.

After class, her friend had been incensed on her behalf. “Did the instructor ask you about injuries before the start of class?” No, Christine shook her head. Her friend wanted to complain at the front desk but Christine stopped her. She didn’t like confrontations and she really didn’t want to explain her medical history in front of everyone.

The clock read almost 4pm on a Friday. The sun was shining out the window, which Christine knew meant it was warm enough she would only need a sweater, even in January, because she now lived in San Diego. Back in Virginia, it could be bright and sunny and still forty degrees outside. Christine shivered involuntarily. It had been more than six months since her last chemo treatment and she still experienced near-daily side effects. It was very nice to live in a warmer climate.

“Are you ready?” Christine asked her reflection. Her dark eyes stared back at her with determination. She knew not all yoga teachers were the same and she knew, or had an inkling, that yoga was a practice that might really help at this stage of her life.

It was a short drive to Yoga One downtown and she easily found a parking spot, most of the offices were emptying that time of day. The instructor greeted her at the door with a friendly smile, “Hi, I’m Missy!” Christine filled out the new student form and briefly wrote out her relevant limitations, not wanting to write down the actual saga. She wondered if Missy would read the form or if Christine would need to bring it up herself.

Upstairs, Missy approached Christine’s mat and talked clearly but discreetly just to her, “I saw you noted down abdominal surgery, do you have any concerns you’d like to share or questions about our class?”

Christine felt a warm glow of appreciation inside her chest. “I still have a lot of scar tissue, so I won’t go very deep into twists,” she told Missy.

“That’s totally okay,” Missy reassured her. “Don’t do anything that doesn’t feel good in your body. Feel free to modify any poses and if you need a suggestion for something else to do, you can just wave at me and I’ll be happy to come help.”

fiction by Laura McCorry

Marcia had just eased her car into a parking spot when she looked out the passenger window and saw the sign which read “one-hour parking.” A few raindrops hit her windshield and Marcia, resisting the temptation to curse, let out a disgruntled sigh. One hour parking would not be long enough. Her brow furrowed deeper and her shoulders were rigid with tension.

Reluctantly, she turned the key in the ignition and circled the block again, then she circled one block north and found another spot in two-hour parking. Marcia was grateful she had intended to arrive well before the start of the Classic Yoga, level 1 and 2 class that afternoon.

If there had been a level zero class, Marcia would have signed up for that. It had been many years and two children ago that Marcia had last taken a yoga class. Her eyes were the same color, but since then, pretty much everything else about her body had seemed to change. She felt like she might as well be trying yoga for the very first time.

Marcia had called ahead yesterday and spoken to the Office Manager Missy, whose upbeat voice had assured her the class was absolutely beginner-friendly.

Marcia turned off her car a second time and took in a deep breath, but it came out in a ragged rush. The skies were grey and turbulent, and it looked like real rain was on the way. She hurried down the street and ducked under the awning when she saw the sign for Yoga One.

Inside there was a curious little opening in the wall (formally a dumbwaiter shaft) which revealed a closet-sized office. Within, a young woman with long, blonde-ish hair greeted her. Marcia recognized her voice right away.

“You must be Missy,” she said, feeling relieved.

“Yes, I am!” said Missy. “I’m glad to meet you, Marcia. I’ll be leading our class today.”

Missy welcomed Marcia into the studio and asked if she had any questions or concerns before closing the door. Then, Missy greeted the class and instructed everyone to take a comfortable seat on top of a folded blanket.

Marcia sat up as tall as she could, noticing immediately how much more effort it took to sit straight than to slouch. Even with the blanket lifting her a bit off the ground, Marcia could feel the tightness in her hips that kept her knees slightly higher than most of the other students.

They weren’t seated for long, just two or three minutes, yet when Missy’s voice guided the class to come to their hands and knees, Marcia sighed with relief. She worried the whole class was going to feel that hard.

“The most important part of yoga is your breath,” Marcia heard Missy’s calm and steady voice intone as she walked slowly around the room. “If you can’t breathe slowly, evenly, then you’re trying too hard. Try to find a balance between effort and ease.”

Trying too hard. Those words repeated in Marcia’s mind. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had said those words to her. Most of the time Marcia felt as though she weren’t trying hard enough.

Her boss was always expecting the completion of some project or another. Her two children always seemed to need supplies for an assignment they were supposed to turn in the next day. Her to-do list was never finished.

If her husband asked her for anything at the end of the day, even something as simple as getting him a glass of water from the kitchen, she sometimes felt herself bristle. Not at him, but at the feeling of being constantly needed. Marcia tried her best to satisfy all of their needs, but it was an impossible task because they always asked for more.

A balance between effort and ease. Did such a thing exist? Where in her life could she do less? This thought tumbled over and over in Marcia’s mind throughout the class. It made her feel intrigued, hopeful, and a little bit afraid. What if something didn’t get done? What if she wasn’t as needed as she thought?

Before Marcia knew it, one hour and fifteen minutes had gone by. The class was over. The students were seated again on the blankets with all eyes closed and hands pressed together before their hearts.

“Take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out,” said Missy. “Thank yourself for making this time to connect mind, body, and spirit. Namaste.”

Marcia breathed in deeply and this time her breath flowed out long and smooth. Thank yourself. Another novel idea.

“Yes,” thought Marcia. “Thank you. Thank me?”

While everyone was putting away the props and rolling up their mats, Missy came over to ask Marcia how she felt. Marcia told her how she often held tension in her shoulders and that the class had been challenging, but that she did feel more relaxed than before.

Missy took the time to show Marcia a few simple poses she could do at work to ease strain in her neck and shoulders. Trying a yoga class after so long hadn’t been easy, but Missy’s friendliness, knowledge, and warmth had put Marcia at ease. As she gathered her belongings, Marcia thanked Missy again for the class and for her suggestions.

As Marcia walked back to her car, her heart felt lighter than it had in a long time. She would gladly leave a little extra time for parking if it meant she could feel this way once a week. Maybe next time she would take the trolley, or a ride-share. Maybe she could go to yoga more than once a week.

Turning the key in the ignition, Marcia nodded her head. It had absolutely been the right decision to take a yoga class that afternoon. It felt like the first step towards the kind of life she wanted to live.

As Marcia thought that perhaps a regular yoga practice could help balance effort and ease in her life, a smile spread across her face.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

by Hannah Faulkner

This article was originally published on Half Moon Yoga and Art Blog.

As I was walking out of Yoga One studio on a lovely July day in San Diego, a posted flyer caught my eye. “Summer Challenge- Complete 20 classes in 30 days- Ends August 30th.”

The following are the lessons that I learned in August from Yoga One’s amazing instructors:

Never Stop Learning
-Amy Caldwell

Amy Caldwell, co-owner of Yoga One and twice featured on the cover of Yoga Journal, is a beacon of light.  She emanates joy from every angle as she is never seen without a smile.  After over 20 years of yoga practice, she is able to bend her body in ways that I didn’t know was possible.  As a teacher, she emphasizes “playing” around with difficult poses.  She offers options with blocks and straps to begin to open up each body to the possibility of getting the pose someday, but mostly it’s all about the journey.

“They might not be your favorite poses, but they are good for you!” – Michael Caldwell

Husband to Amy and also the co-owner of Yoga One, Michael offers an everyday approach to yoga.  Through jokes and references to popular culture, he leads the class through alignment-based intense stretches that he likes to call “Brussel Sprouts.”  These essential postures might not always “taste” the best while we are doing them, but they offer the ease that we need in our everyday life and more challenging yoga poses.  Through deep breathing, we stretch our wrists, feet arches, and shoulders as well as building core and arm strength. My favorite postures in his class were the subtle airport stretches for our shoulders, using the wall, as he imitated waiting around in an airport and joked about the individuals who make a scene doing Downward Facing Dog in the center of the waiting area.  I laughed because I love doing subtle yoga in the airport.

Amy Freeman has been teaching yoga for almost 15 years. Amy’s goal is to help her students find and maintain a peaceful mind and body through effort and ease and she leads as a beautiful example. She starts each class with a slow meditation and develops in to a powerful alignment flow. One of the most unique prompts that Amy gives during Savasana (final resting pose), is reminding us to relax each part of our body individually. “Feet, knees, legs…relax. Hips, back, shoulders…relax. Ears, nose, tongue…relax. Eyelids, eyebrows, space between your eyebrows…relax. Forehead, scalp, chin…relax. Everything relax.”

I’ve been going to Sarah’s class for years. There’s a familiarity and sense of home in the setting that she offers. Her playlist is always the same, but sets just the right mood for connecting your mind and body through sounds. Every week she sets a different inner focus on non-reaction, compassion, or contentment. She has guided me through detailed alignment adjustments as well as encouraging me to pause at the end of every exhale, or squeeze my glutes. During every class at some point she will remind us to soften our tongue and not hold tension in our face, but instead to breathe deeply through any slight discomfort.

Kairou is an enthusiastic and energetic instructor.  I attended her class after hearing students say that they got their butt kicked in her class.  They were not kidding.  Her classes are filled with intense arm strengthening repetitions and core poses.  She creates an interesting flow with side plank and tiger variations that will build your sweat quickly.  One day she started class with explaining how sometimes we struggle through a yoga class because we forget to eat or drink enough water.  She said that she came to this realization this morning when she was light-headed after practicing this sequence.  Then, about halfway through teaching the class she corrected herself and admitted, “or maybe this sequence is just really that hard!” However, because of these intense sequences, I have been able to use my new core strength lift into tripod from the center of a room.  Also, as a Licensed Massage Therapist, she surprised me with a totally relaxing Savasana massage!

Dina has a strong voice of a leader that reminds you to breathe. In her class, I feel that we hold poses a bit longer than in some of the other classes that I attend. However, she challenges me to find the ease in this stillness, after I’ve found my expression of the pose with some tension. This inner concentration is the key part of yoga called Dharana that leads to peace and oneness.

Inspired by an extensive background in the movement arts (Acro-Yoga, Tai Chi, Contact Improv Dance, African Dance, and Rhythmic Gymnastics), Mara creates new poses as we constantly flow with our breath. I feel like a dancer in her class as she radiates the beauty of being one with your body. In Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose with the variation in wide leg stretch, she instructed us to reach up and feel that our knees are facing the same direction and protruding for the same amount. Mara highlights the importance of being balanced and equally stretched on both sides.

I admire Zaquia for her intricate choice of words throughout her class. She has a detailed understanding of human anatomy and she strongly underlines the concept of the greater your effort, the greater your reward. She teaches a power flow, connecting breath with movement, in the early morning that quickly awakens my heart and concentration. From her I’ve learned Fallen Tree and seen that it is possible to rise from Low Squat, Malasana, to Bird of Paradise, Svarga Dvijasana, using a strong balanced core. She has inspired me to take the extra chaturanga.

I only went to one of Terri’s classes during this month, but I enjoyed her emphasis on stretching with the blocks and straps. Instead of giving us the option to use block or not, she gave solid instructions to use the block even if you think you don’t need it. The flow was slow and she accentuated the importance of closing your eyes and focusing on your steady breath in each pose. She used a variety of interesting transitions to slide from one pose to another. I ended up feeling lengthened and spacious throughout my day.

guest post by Missy DiDonato

Remember this beautiful prenatal yoga reflection written by Missy back in June? Well her baby, Olive, is now five months old. Missy shares how her practice has evolved yet again after the birth of her daughter!