This Austin yoga instructor teaches locals how to embrace the week ahead

Kennon Goldreyer founded Monday Movement in Austin last year to energize those stuck in the 9-5 routine, helping them look forward to the start of their week. 

During the summer, the group meets on Zilker Park’s main lawn every Monday for 45 minutes of yoga, followed by a quick swim in Barton Springs Pool.

“I started the event last year based on the idea that everyone dreads Monday,” she said. “And that’s so because if you dread Monday, that basically means you dread your whole life. Because your life starts on Monday, right? Your life can’t start on the weekend.”

Goldreyer said that for a while less than 10 people showed up, and it was mostly just her friends. After a video went viral online of their flow, the group size quickly surpassed 100, catching the attention of the park.

“A couple of challenges came up with Monday Movement, one of which was the permitting,” she said. “It was difficult trying to figure out how to obtain a permit for a group larger than 40. This is where the wonderful people at Austin Parks Foundation come in. Together, we were able to partner and get the event going.”

Carrigan Whiteley leads a Monday Movement session. Manoo Sirivelu / KUT News

Recently, Monday Movement expanded into a broader initiative with the help of Carrigan Whiteley, who started an international retreat business in 2019. Through a shared vision they joined their companies together to create something new. Now, Monday Movement is an event run by their company, Habitat. 

Whether you show up for Monday Movement or join an international yoga retreat, Goldreyer and Whiteley want people to step out of their comfort zone.

“The idea is to really inspire personal growth and development and get us out of our same old, same old so that we can live an extraordinary life,” Goldreyer said.

Goldreyer said she is glad she pushed through the early stages of Monday Movement when it felt like obstacle after obstacle came her way. This journey taught her valuable lessons about perseverance and commitment.

“A little can go a long way, and transformation and change takes time,” she said. “If you’re trying something new and it’s not going your way or you’re searching for something, don’t try once and fail and then give up. You should try to push a little farther than it’s comfortable, and see what happens.”

This event is free and open to anyone. You can sign up at https://habitatretreats.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/habitatretreats?igsh=MTZ2b21remIzcWQ5ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

If you found the reporting above valuable, please consider making a donation to support it here. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org. Thanks for donating today.