By Matt Rothert
We’ve been big fans of Matt Rothert for a long time. If you’re in the LA area, his Sunday night Yin class at The Green Yogi is the stuff of legends. Two years ago, his practice and his life got a lot deeper with the addition of his first son, Matteo (with equally-cool yogi wife Chelsea).
In honor of this year's Father's Day, we got Matt to dish on what he's got his eye on, plus a few words from him on what the “new normal” is like.
FATHER'S DAY WISH LIST
1. Journal
“Splurging on a nice leather journal makes me write in it more when it looks so good.”
2. Water Bottle
“I gave my wife a Hydroflask because she likes her water extra cold. Now I want one, too.”
“I ride my bike to work so a solid bag is key. It needs to be rugged, weatherproof and fit a laptop comfortably.”
4. Online Yoga
“While I always prefer the energy and community of a studio, lately I have really fallen in love with my home practice through online video classes.”
“They need to be easy to slip on and last all season long. These have been my favorites for a while.”
6. Performance Mesh Short in Olivine
“Such a great all-around short I can wear to practice or go to the beach.”
AND NOW...FROM MATT
Having a baby has been an amazing experience in so many ways. I was 46 years old when my son, Matteo, was born two years ago. Having him later in life has given me the opportunity to really focus on his upbringing in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to do earlier in my life. My wife, Chelsea, and I are both yoga teachers, so it was important for us to raise our little yoga baby in a mindful way.
One of the things that really changed for me when I became a father was my yoga practice and finding time to work out. I used to be able to take a class at the studio, surf or swim whenever I wanted. Sometimes, Chelsea and I would even practice together. Now that we have a baby, one of us always has to be with him since we don’t have a nanny or family that live nearby. Adjusting to this new normal, I’ve had to get creative, by biking to work and practicing yoga at home.
Before we had Matteo, I loved my alone time. In addition to yoga, I loved going to the ocean or on a bike ride. I worried about not being able to do what I wanted once the baby was born. An older friend who has grown kids said to me, “All the things you love to do now, you’ll love even more because you can do them with your child.” I wasn’t so sure I believed him, but it turns out he was absolutely right.
I won’t say that there aren’t challenges. Of course there are. We just stay patient, and mindful. Matteo is learning and we are learning. This is our new normal and it’s really fun.
