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Sneaking in Wellness

September 17, 2019

Sneaking in Wellness by Shuchi Vyas, CEO of Guestbox

This Summer, I got a scholarship to Wanderlust, a global yoga festival to attend at their flagship location in the lush Squaw Valley region of Tahoe. Amidst multiple ‘no’s I was hearing this Spring, Wanderlust was my tiny win just before momentum picked up with my startup, GuestBox. This Fall, we are on fire!

Ten days before the festival, I still hadn’t booked my travel, because, obviously I wasn’t going. Three full days off when we are in the middle of crazy growth, deadlines, and challenging situations? Friends were all so encouraging and helped me see that this was a much-needed ‘indulgence’ and that I shouldn’t think twice about it. So I booked. It took me a day to ease into the festival and stop responding to emails.

Wanderlust was such a gift. The air in Squaw Valley was so pure, the vistas a million shades of green. Each class was held at a unique location within the Squaw Valley Resort. I found myself taking three yoga classes a day, attending workshops on all sorts of manifestation, hiking with a musician who led us all to a viewpoint and played the double bass, giving paddleboard yoga a shot, attending intimate salons where famous musicians played, dancing at a huge silent disco at night, riding the gondola up to the top of the mountain, and more.  I was able to keep the feeling and habits going after I returned, too. 

My time in Squaw Valley was certainly a complete indulgence in wellness, and it encouraged me to make more time for those important pauses. I’ve always sought out my tribe in every city I’ve lived in. In Tampa, my go-to spots are yoga at Lucky Cat and Saatva and a monthly Ecstatic Dance organized by Journey to Bliss. 

While Wanderlust was my reset, I’ve made it a point to consciously schedule in wellness activities whenever I can. Whether it’s walking around a city, yoga on my own or finding a class that speaks to me, I’m in. 
We are in the process of creating wellness boxes for our customers that want to delight guests that check-in after long and often delayed flights or are just weary from their travels. Calm.com has recently partnered with American Airlines to evidently bring meditation, relaxation, and better sleep to those staring at the seat in front of them thinking about their onward journey, experiencing anxiety or general cabin fever from the constant travel. Instead, they can tune in to visuals or audio that is five-15 minutes of meditation. 

I’m a true ‘Wanderluster’ and I am committed to going to Squaw Valley every year. I guess Wanderlust is MY Burning Man!