Today we’d like to introduce you to Becca Gutstadt.
Becca, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have always loved being upside down. As a child, I was always doing cartwheels in the grass, tumbling in my living room, climbing up trees or doorjambs, and jumping on trampolines or beds. My parents put me in gymnastics when I was four, which proved to be the perfect outlet for my physical energy. I spent hours training intensively and competing, and loved every minute of it. However, as I got into my teenage years, the strain on my budding social life combined with the mental stress of training more dangerous skills began to outweigh the enjoyment I once had for the sport. When I was 13, I made the extremely hard decision to stop.
It wasn’t until I discovered Acro Yoga, about 12 years later, that I felt like I had finally found a physical activity that could replace what gymnastics once was for me. It gave me a focus and challenged my body in a way I hadn’t been able to find in my adult life. It sparked a passion in me that had definitely been missing, and I knew that I needed to rearrange my life so that I could follow whatever path it leads me down. As my skill level advanced, I started teaching weekly classes, and eventually left my full-time job as a Pre-K teacher after being presented with the opportunity to travel the country in a brightly colored van, packed with circus equipment, and teach acrobatic workshops in each city we visited. Ironically, San Diego was the first of our tour stops and although we traveled for another two years, I knew immediately that it was a place I wanted to someday call home. Since officially moving to San Diego in April of 2018, I have directed my focus into teaching beginner-level, acro yoga classes in order to introduce as many people as possible to the amazing activity. My greatest hope is that it might change their lives, the way it changed mine.
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth? Definitely not. Worth it? Absolutely! Making the decision to follow an unconventional path is not easy. It is not clearly laid out in front of you and everything is uncertain and therefore, can be scary. When I decided to leave my full-time job in order to pursue my passion for acrobatics, I had no idea where it would lead me. I remember repeating the saying, “Leap, and the net will appear.” And to this day, each time I take a scary step into the unknown, these words help reassure me that things will work out. It has been amazing to experience how they always do. Things fall into place, new doors open, and exciting opportunities arise once you decide to take that path.
Our society puts a lot of pressure on us to conform to its standards; to go to college, to get a ‘good’ job (that pays well and gives you insurance), to get married and have a family. But this path isn’t for everyone, and I want people to know that that is okay too. There are alternative ways to construct your life that might fulfill you much more than the cookie cutter life our society prescribes. Choosing to build a nontraditional life requires thick skin. Everyone, including your own self, will have an opinion about what you are (and aren’t) doing. But, when faced with judgment or self-doubt, I remind myself that being true to my authentic self, and pursuing my purpose is the best thing I can do for myself and for the world around me.
Because of the challenges, I have faced, and all that I have learned from my journey, I became certified as a life coach in 2017 so that I can now help guide others as they navigate these uncharted waters. If you are embarking on your own journey and would like support from someone who has been where you are, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
We’d love to hear more about The Upside Down Life.
Currently, the bulk of my work is teaching group acro yoga classes for beginners. I am very passionate about spreading the practice to as many people as I can, and therefore, making it accessible to beginners is very important. I also specialize in teaching handstands, specifically proper alignment and technique as well as various entrances. I offer handstand lessons privately and also teach workshops at local studios.
Because I have trained acrobatics extensively for about five years and have a gymnastics background, I have developed an understanding of the body mechanics that are required to make movement efficient. I am very technical in my teaching style and know how to make a skill that looks challenging, feel effortless. Acrobatics are all based in physics, and teaching the basic mechanics sets my students up for success as they continue to advance in their practice.
My business, The Upside Down Life, also aims to weave life coaching into the work I do with my acro and handstand students. As I introduce them to these empowering forms of movement, my hope is that I can also support them in making other positive life changes and creating their ideal life.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
There is no way I would be where I am today, without the support of my parents and my sister throughout my life. When I was younger, my parents did not just fund my expensive gymnastics tuition, but they took turns driving me to every practice, which was 30 minutes from home, stayed and waited for the three hours I was at the gym, and then drove me back home. Four times a week. For five years. Without my background in gymnastics, I would not have excelled as quickly as I did once I discovered acrobatics, and for this, I am extremely grateful to them.
My family has also been extremely supportive of all of the non-traditional decisions I have made since finding my passion for acrobatics. Whenever I have told them about one of these decisions, their underlying message has always been, “whatever makes you happy.” And throughout my life, they have given me space to discover whatever that is for me, supported me as I have explored my options, and refrained from questioning my choices. To say that I am lucky to have the family I have is an immense understatement.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theupsidedown.life
- Email: becca@theupsidedown.life
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/theupsidedownlife/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/theupsidedownlifecoaching/
Image Credit:
Briar Nelson, Alanna Airitam, Cristina Crespo, Kristopher Pace
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