From Fear to Flow –meet Noe Hathaway
From Fear to Flow – My Journey to HOTWORX
My journey toward owning a HOTWORX studio began in the spring of 2020. After fifteen years in corporate America as a luxury retail buyer, my career was abruptly halted, swept up in the wave of job losses that hit our country at the onset of the pandemic. I was furloughed in April, and almost instantly, I was overcome with a fear I had never known.
Yes, there was the fear of financial insecurity. And like many of us, I was afraid of the unknowns surrounding a novel virus. But my fear ran deeper. My father had been diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2019 and began chemotherapy just as the world was shutting down. I was in a constant state of worry, about his health, my family’s safety, and what the future held.
💬 “Honey, once you have that baby, remember to use your coping skills!”
Throughout my life, I’ve held onto little one-liners—anecdotal advice that somehow sticks and resurfaces when I need it most. I never became a lawyer like I once dreamed, but I did meet my husband in a philosophy class. And I never forgot that Nordstrom stranger’s advice about coping skills.
Coping skills aren’t always taught, they’re often observed. And when life feels overwhelming, I’ve learned to lean into mine.
💪 Movement as Medicine
For me, that’s always been movement. Exercise. Breaking a sweat. I’ve practiced hot yoga for over fifteen years, and I’ve always believed that no matter what’s going on, you’ll feel better after your heart rate spikes and the sweat starts to pour.
But in 2020, my favorite yoga studio closed. I was caring for my dad, homeschooling my kids, and adjusting to a new remote job. It was during this time that I truly understood the phrase: health is wealth. I realized I couldn’t be there for anyone else if I wasn’t taking care of myself first.
🧘♀️ From Meditation to Motivation
I started meditating, just five minutes a day. And in that stillness, something shifted. A friend casually said, “You should just open your own yoga studio.” That seed took root. I discovered HOTWORX, and it felt like everything clicked and began to flow.
I knew my happiest moments were when I was working out. I wanted to turn that joy, my coping skill, into something I could share with others.
🔥 Taking the Leap
Leaving the stability of corporate life to open a HOTWORX studio was a leap of faith. But it was a leap I believed in with every fiber of my being.
Whether or not you’re a member of a fitness studio, if you’re able to move your body, do it. Walk, dance, stretch, breathe. Movement is a pillar of wellness that we can all take ownership of. It’s one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.
—
Noe Hathaway
Owner, HOTWORX Bothell, WA
Learn more about Hotworx at our Grand Opening Party and open house on June 7th!
Click here to learn more!