Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittney Hall.
Brittney, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I had my first major car accident right before my high school graduation. Finals were the following week and I was driving home from a friend’s house, not realizing how exhausted I was. I started to drift off, but rolled down the windows, thinking the warm wind on my face would help me make it home… but the warm wind was more relaxing than I anticipated. The next thing I knew, I heard an audible voice (God) gently speak my name … “Brittney”… I jolted out of my sleep, and realized I was driving straight towards a tree! I swerved and instead hit a brick mailbox. I then barely missed a light post, and instead hit a stop sign. Everything I managed to hit was destructible and crushed upon impact. The tree and the light post would have possibly had a very different ending. I jumped out of the moving car, feeling extremely fearful as I felt a presence alongside me in the car (which later, I realized was the presence of God). I jumped back in, stopped the moving car, and preceded to run to the nearest residence. I gently knocked on the door thinking everyone would be sleep, but a woman flung open the door, hugged me and brought me inside. When the police arrived at the scene, they kept telling my parents “When we saw the vehicle, we knew it was a fatality”… Onlookers kept saying “She should be dead…” But God spared my life that night.
I continued my life, graduated from college with an Industrial Engineering degree, had a wonderful engineering job and met my future husband.
The second car accident was right before my wedding. A driver on her phone t-boned me on the highway, causing my car to spin out of control. I continued to spin until I hit the last two inches of the railing, stopping me from careening off a 20 ft. cliff. God spared my life again.
I had always been active growing up. I was in gymnastics, taekwondo, roller skating, swimming, acrobats, basketball, and track & field, but after the car accidents, my body did not feel the same. At this point in my life, I had found yoga but was not an avid practitioner. My physical therapist and chiropractor suggested I take my practice more seriously. My back was in a lot of pain, so I was desperate for relief. I found a hot yoga studio, and began to practice regularly, and noticed that with consistent practice, my body was beginning to naturally heal itself.
I fell in love with the practice and decided to pursue my 200 HR yoga teaching certification. I received much pushback from many people who believed that yoga was not of God. I continued to pursue it anyway, with the knowledge of how God had used the practice to heal me.
Today, I am a 500 HR certified yoga instructor, and speak on many platforms about the benefits of yoga from a Christian perspective, discuss the benefits of mind/body exercise and also use my engineering background to discuss the healthcare spectrum, incorporating ergonomics, and human factors.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My car accidents were challenging physically but allowed me to find my yoga mat, and find natural healing.
Presenting yoga to more religious communities and others who are not into yoga for fitness has been challenging. Many people (before taking my classes) believed yoga was simply basic stretching and chanting. It is so much more!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Hall Strategies – what should we know?
I am currently employed at the largest healthcare system in Dallas, Tx as a Management Engineer where I am able to utilize my degree as an Industrial Engineer to optimize processes, labor management, and productivity within the healthcare system. Outside of my corporate career, I teach yoga in the community, offer online fitness courses, and also teach regularly at Gaia Flow Yoga.
My husband Tyler, an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and I created our business, Hall Strategies LLC, and use our platform to reach out to the community. Due to my engineering background, I am able to use yoga as a gateway to discuss STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) careers within the healthcare industry to young people. I also speak to all age groups about connecting passion and skill with purpose as your gifts are an insight into your purpose. As an Industrial Engineer, I stress the importance of body posture in relation to ergonomics/human factors and how daily exercise is essential to maintaining your overall health. My career and hobby allow me to support the entire healthcare spectrum from proactive wellness in the area of yoga, to early detection and more acute patient care where I am able to utilize my skills as an Industrial Engineer, and then to patient rehabilitation, where many look to yoga as a natural method of healing. I also speak to all ages about the importance of core strength, stability, balance, and flexibility and how the practice also manifests itself in your everyday life.
I am a health and wellness advocate who believes that yoga not only benefits the body but also the mind and spirit! I teach that the mind is the software and the body is the hardware and that God intends for us to maintain both. As a Christian, I know that God is the only authentic path to true wellness, and yoga allows me to follow His teachings of honoring my temple while quieting my mind and learning to meditate and focus on Him.
I teach that yoga means “yoked” and we can be yoked to Christ. Yoga is not a religion, but rather a lifestyle and practice that takes on the quality of the student. Yoga in itself is religion-neutral and does not belong to any one culture, religion, or group of people. It is a healing practice that allows the practitioner to become aware of their body, quiet the mind, fully surrender to God, and evolve mentally/emotionally/physically/spiritually. It takes true strength to sit still physically and reflect.
Tyler and I teach all types of fitness classes from cardio, meditative, gentle, and restorative yoga flows to strength & conditioning and weight training. I have also spoken at various seminars where I teach attendees about the importance of proactive wellness, and give insight into how my STEAM career in healthcare guided me on my wellness journey. I am truly honored to be able to impact the health and wellness industry as a certified yoga instructor as well as a healthcare Management Engineer.
“Our minds are the software and our bodies are the hardware – As an Industrial Engineer, I study systems, and I know that our bodies are systems that, when fully optimized to their greatest potential, can exceed our expectations, and surpass our limitations.”@Mrs_BrittHall
How do you personally define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc.?
Success often times does not feel like a success. Many times, it feels like your schedule is busier. You have to step outside of your daily routine and simply reflect. I do not measure my success by the number of followers or views I have on social media, but rather by the number of people who reach out and say that my practice/teaching has changed their perspective on yoga. I enjoy talking with people whose outlook on the yoga practice from a spiritual, mental and physical perspective has evolved. Many people did not feel comfortable practicing yoga until sitting down with me to better understand my approach and love for the practice and then attending one of my sessions. If I only impact one person’s life, that to me, is a success.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc.?
I believe the fitness industry will shift and focus on more mind/body exercises, wellness, and prevention solutions. I recently spoke at a Well Aware Seminar with Dr. Jill Waggoner, a family practice physician at Methodist Family Medical Center with over 25 years of experience, whose mission is to shift the dialogue from early detection to prevention. I am beginning to see this shift slowly through more natural approaches to healing such as diet, mind/body exercises, mental health care, chiropractic care, therapy, essential oils, sound healing, and so much more!
Daily exercise releases chemicals in our body, called endorphins, which changes our mood, triggering a positive feeling in the body. This would help individuals struggling with anxiety, stress, nervousness and other physical, mental, emotional ailments.
Hall Strategies, LLC is an agent of change in the health & wellness community and will continue to sponsor, support, and champion the mind/body/spirit movement.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Both of our parents have been huge supporters from the very beginning. Tyler and I both had very active, and healthy childhoods which shaped us into who we are today. We were both blessed to come from two-parent homes, of which both parents are still living. They continue to support our endeavors and are our mentors, counselors, clients, and friends. They continually challenge us to step outside our comfort zones, because they truly believe in our ability to make an impact. Also, our siblings, our close friends, and mentors have had a major impact in our lives, and have helped us along the way! We are truly grateful for our community and tribe!
Pricing:
- Gaia Flow Yoga – For the price of a drop-in ($25) new yogis can come to try a week’s worth of classes
- Please contact Hall Strategies for individual & group rates
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hallstrategiesllc.com
- Email: hallstrategiesllc@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mrs_britthall/ , www.instagram.com/tyler_hall/, www.instagram.com/hallstrategiesllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrsBrittHall/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrs_britthall
Image Credit:
KSebastian Photography, Atali Samuel Photography and Phallon Lauderback Wright Photography
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