TAmily Tales: Clare Byrne
TAmily Tales is a series dedicated to the voices, experiences, and personal journeys within our global TA community. In addition to being a longtime TAmily member, Clare’s core values and commitment to the planet and all living creatures make her the perfect person to talk to today in celebration of Earth Day. May her story be an inspiration to us all.
MEET CLARE BYRNE
How long have you been practicing Tracy Anderson?
At least 16 years!
What made you decide to try Tracy Anderson for the first time?
I was a regular runner and gym goer but never really had the body I thought I should have given how often I worked out. I particularly never had a flat stomach so would always do some crunches at the end of a workout - when I saw an article featuring abs moves by Tracy I thought the moves looked like variations on crunches so gave them a try to mix up my boring routine. After about a week of doing them, to my surprise I could see a difference in the mirror. My body had actually started to change shape and that had never happened with any other workout. I got one of the DVDs and started doing that alongside my gym classes, then more DVDs, then I loved it so much I quit the gym and started Meta alongside running. I did that for a few years and my body changed completely. More importantly, the back issues I'd had from other types of exercise seemed to completely heal doing TA and I found that I was more flexible and comfortable in my body than ever. Eventually I started doing the dance cardio part instead of running and by the time streaming launched I was all in - the rest is history!
When you move with Tracy Anderson, when do you feel most connected to your natural state?
I feel very much 'in my natural state' when doing TA generally, but particularly when doing the advanced mat class - it's the original and still my favourite. I find by day 2 or 3 I can get into a kind of flow state and forget about everything except moving. The other possible answer would be during dance cardio. I am not a natural dancer and I'm still surprised I do it at all, frankly, but there is no surer way for me to shake off stress and get a surge of joy in the morning.
How has being part of the TAmily shaped the way you think about living in alignment with your body and the earth?
It's interesting being part of such a big community centered around something I love so much. It's one of the only things that keeps me on social media, which I think is mainly out of alignment with...almost anything natural. I love connecting with people and have met so many friends through it - it's a really supportive, cool thing to be part of. But I do have to consciously limit how much time I spend on social media or how much I think and worry about the fact that within such a big group of course there are a lot of different opinions, concerns, and values and so on. In some ways, being part of such a big diverse community has forced me to be clearer about what I think matters, what I want to spend my time on, and what I think is right.
If you could take your Tracy Anderson practice outdoors, where would it be and why?
I mainly love to work out inside and have the heat and humidity, but my workout studio has big glass doors that look out onto my garden. I have a bird feeder over the doors where dunnocks and robins and finches will come while I'm working out. Sometimes I'll see squirrels, occasionally voles. So it's kind of inside/outside and I love that. I do like to take Heartstone outside sometimes, especially when I feel stressed at work and need a little break. I'll take the Heartstones into the garden and do that for 5-10 mins and take some deep breaths.
What does nourishment look like for you when you're supporting both your body and the planet?
It always looks like veganism. I went vegetarian as a child the day I realised meat was animals. I've been vegan since the day I moved out of my parents' house and was able to make my own food (over 25 years ago) - also because of the animals. Over the years, everything I've learned about human health and the environment has only made me more certain about this choice. I generate and evaluate scientific data for a living and the data very clearly show that veganism is the best choice you can make for animals, for your own health, and for the planet. Anyone still denying this is either ignoring/misinterpreting the science or selling something...usually both. I love that Tracy personally and the TA company have come more and more into alignment with this over time and I LOVE Ali's recipes - I make at least a couple every week.
What does it feel like to move with MYMODE, knowing it's crafted from natural materials?
I love that about MyMode and all the TA equipment. I am definitely one of those people who tries to avoid excess plastic or buying things that actively harm animals and/or the planet. If MYMODE was made with any animal products I wouldn't be able to buy it, no matter how much I loved TA and wanted to try it. In general, in trying to live an ethical life, alongside voting and participating as a democratic citizen, I just try to do as little harm as possible personally. It's awesome that MYMODE is well made with materials I can feel good about buying but also putting against my sweaty skin and in my home (helps that it's so aesthetic!).
What would you share with someone in the TAmily who wants to feel more connected to their own nature?
If they're not already doing these things, I would say build a routine that allows you to do some TA every day (or most days) without rushing or stressing to fit it in, and that allows you some time outside in nature - whether that's 5 minutes sitting in a garden or park with a coffee or an hour of walking the dog/hiking/whatever. And do both for their own sake and to feel your best - not for more superficial or negative reasons. Limit the time you spend looking at screens. And make sure you're living in line with your own values as far as you possibly can. Whether that's in the way you eat, what you buy, how you treat people, how you vote - the more you bring your life in line with what you think is ethical the more connected to yourself you will feel.
FOLLOW CLARE
Find Clare on Instagram
WANT TO SHARE YOUR STORY, TOO?
Get in touch at community@tracyandersonmethod.com for the chance to be featured in TAmily Tales.