Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Kristina Shurr with me. Hi, Kristina.
Kristina Shurr: Hi. Toni.
Toni: Welcome to the Project!
Kristina: Thank you.
Toni: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Kristina: I grew up in Berks County. I grew up in Wyomissing, actually. I have jumped away a couple times, but I always come back. I’m a resident here, and I have lots of animals. If it needs a home and it shows up …
Toni: You take it.
Kristina: I kind of take it. What am I passionate about? Yoga.
Toni: Yoga, okay.
Kristina: I go all over the world.
Toni: Oh really?
Kristina: I practice yoga. I do.
Toni: Oh my gosh. I have to introduce you to my son. He loves yoga as well. You’ve probably crossed paths around the world. Let’s go into the Project. What does inspiration mean to you?
Kristina: That was a tough one. I’m inspired every day. Little things. The magic that occurs. I wake up every day exhilarated, and when you have a cause to pause and smile and slow down a minute, I would qualify that as being inspirational.
Toni: That’s great. I love the words “magic” and “inspiration” in the same sentence. Can you give me an example – I’m going to put you on the spot – of when the last time was you were inspired?
Kristina: This morning.
Toni: What happened?
Kristina: I walk up the golf course with my dogs every day and I’ve made it a practice, phone goes away, and I just focus on what’s going on that day. I looked up. The sky was amazing. Clouds were amazing. Just nature in general.
Toni: What happens when you experience that?
Kristina: Just happy to be alive, to be honest. Then the next interaction you have with someone, it’s a little bit better, and you pass it along.
Toni: So when you’re inspired, it’s a very positive feeling.
Kristina: Always.
Toni: Do you know when you’re inspired? Can you feel it?
Kristina: Most times, yes.
Toni: What happens when you’re inspired and it creates I’m sensing this joy about you when you’re inspired? How do you put that into practice here in Berks County?
Kristina: Just with every interaction I have. Berks County is kind of amazing, the resources we have. The people around here, they’re open and they’re friendly. There’s a lot of positivity around. You just try and breed that. There’s a lot of people around here that have their cup half full. I tap into that and spread it.
Toni: And then what happens when you do? Can you give us an example?
Kristina: Yes, I can. Wednesday night we were sitting at Say Cheese outside at 5th Avenue in West Reading. I love to sit outside and just watch how that whole street has grown. There was somebody waiting for a table. The person I was with, we finished up and we’re like, “Come over here.” We just started chatting with them. It was organic. Then we just walked down the street. You just run into people you know and people that you don’t, and you just start chatting.
Toni: Do you think it spreads to people just to be in a good mood?
Kristina: It does. Think about it. When you run into someone that’s maybe not having such a great day, you take a little bit of that on. I would think that it works the same way. If you spread positivity, perhaps you shifted somebody else’s day.
Toni: I absolutely believe that, and boy, do we need to be more conscious about that and do it more and more, don’t we? It feels pretty good.
Kristina: Saying hello and smiling to someone is one of the most simple things you can do.
Toni: Absolutely – and it’s free.
Kristina: It’s free.
Toni: It’s a wonderful idea. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Kristina: Again, that was a tough one. I came up with people living their passion. The people that believe in something. Again, starting the new businesses. You wake up one day and you’re like, “You know what? I believe in this so much that I’m going to do something about it.”
I run with the Pacers – the people that run the ultra marathons. I’ve done a few, but nothing in comparison to the people I run with. You run through Blue Marsh. You run through French Creek. Those people inspire me to wake up someday and say, “I’m going to try this.” People that are just living their passion.
Toni: I love that. You said you do yoga all around the world?
Kristina: I do.
Toni: Is there anybody around the world as far as yoga that has inspired you, or that inspired you to do yoga around the world?
Kristina: Funny story. Last July, I turned 40, and my best friend and I went to a yoga studio in New Jersey. On the way there, I said, “This fall I’m going to give myself the gift of going on a yoga retreat.” I had no idea where I was going to go, but it was a pretty tough year that year, so I was going to do something for myself.
At the end of this class, the woman said, “I would just like to remind you of my upcoming yoga retreat this fall.” I looked at my best friend, Ash, and it was like, “When the universe drops it in your lap like that, you say yes.”
She told me it was in Sri Lanka. I said, “Perfect. Sign me up.” When we got in the car Ash said, “Where’s Sri Lanka?”
I said, “I have no idea. It’s not my strong suit.” So I Googled it. I said, “Well look at that. I’m going to the tip of India!”
That’s how it began. Her name is Kayleen. Because of that, I’ve gone to Sri Lanka. I’m going to Greece in a couple weeks, and then I’m getting certified in March in Baja for 30 days. I’ll be there. That was pretty life-shifting.
Toni: Absolutely! She just inspired you by making you aware.
Kristina: She was just … yes, it was timing. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have gone on that journey.
Toni: That’s fantastic. Good luck to you.
Kristina: Thank you.
Toni: What would you like your legacy to be?
Kristina: I would simply like to leave this world a bit better than it was. A kinder place. Hopefully, I have some impact on that.
Toni: It sounds to me, the way that you’re smiling at people and being kind to people and just caring enough to pass that smile along that you are living your legacy. Thank you for doing that. Thank you for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Kristina: Thank you for the opportunity.
Toni: You bet.
Toni Reece: Hi there. This is Toni Reece, and welcome to the Get Inspired! Project for Berks County Living magazine. Today I have Kristina Shurr with me. Hi, Kristina.
Kristina Shurr: Hi. Toni.
Toni: Welcome to the Project!
Kristina: Thank you.
Toni: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Kristina: I grew up in Berks County. I grew up in Wyomissing, actually. I have jumped away a couple times, but I always come back. I’m a resident here, and I have lots of animals. If it needs a home and it shows up …
Toni: You take it.
Kristina: I kind of take it. What am I passionate about? Yoga.
Toni: Yoga, okay.
Kristina: I go all over the world.
Toni: Oh really?
Kristina: I practice yoga. I do.
Toni: Oh my gosh. I have to introduce you to my son. He loves yoga as well. You’ve probably crossed paths around the world. Let’s go into the Project. What does inspiration mean to you?
Kristina: That was a tough one. I’m inspired every day. Little things. The magic that occurs. I wake up every day exhilarated, and when you have a cause to pause and smile and slow down a minute, I would qualify that as being inspirational.
Toni: That’s great. I love the words “magic” and “inspiration” in the same sentence. Can you give me an example – I’m going to put you on the spot – of when the last time was you were inspired?
Kristina: This morning.
Toni: What happened?
Kristina: I walk up the golf course with my dogs every day and I’ve made it a practice, phone goes away, and I just focus on what’s going on that day. I looked up. The sky was amazing. Clouds were amazing. Just nature in general.
Toni: What happens when you experience that?
Kristina: Just happy to be alive, to be honest. Then the next interaction you have with someone, it’s a little bit better, and you pass it along.
Toni: So when you’re inspired, it’s a very positive feeling.
Kristina: Always.
Toni: Do you know when you’re inspired? Can you feel it?
Kristina: Most times, yes.
Toni: What happens when you’re inspired and it creates I’m sensing this joy about you when you’re inspired? How do you put that into practice here in Berks County?
Kristina: Just with every interaction I have. Berks County is kind of amazing, the resources we have. The people around here, they’re open and they’re friendly. There’s a lot of positivity around. You just try and breed that. There’s a lot of people around here that have their cup half full. I tap into that and spread it.
Toni: And then what happens when you do? Can you give us an example?
Kristina: Yes, I can. Wednesday night we were sitting at Say Cheese outside at 5th Avenue in West Reading. I love to sit outside and just watch how that whole street has grown. There was somebody waiting for a table. The person I was with, we finished up and we’re like, “Come over here.” We just started chatting with them. It was organic. Then we just walked down the street. You just run into people you know and people that you don’t, and you just start chatting.
Toni: Do you think it spreads to people just to be in a good mood?
Kristina: It does. Think about it. When you run into someone that’s maybe not having such a great day, you take a little bit of that on. I would think that it works the same way. If you spread positivity, perhaps you shifted somebody else’s day.
Toni: I absolutely believe that, and boy, do we need to be more conscious about that and do it more and more, don’t we? It feels pretty good.
Kristina: Saying hello and smiling to someone is one of the most simple things you can do.
Toni: Absolutely – and it’s free.
Kristina: It’s free.
Toni: It’s a wonderful idea. Who in Berks County inspires you?
Kristina: Again, that was a tough one. I came up with people living their passion. The people that believe in something. Again, starting the new businesses. You wake up one day and you’re like, “You know what? I believe in this so much that I’m going to do something about it.”
I run with the Pacers – the people that run the ultra marathons. I’ve done a few, but nothing in comparison to the people I run with. You run through Blue Marsh. You run through French Creek. Those people inspire me to wake up someday and say, “I’m going to try this.” People that are just living their passion.
Toni: I love that. You said you do yoga all around the world?
Kristina: I do.
Toni: Is there anybody around the world as far as yoga that has inspired you, or that inspired you to do yoga around the world?
Kristina: Funny story. Last July, I turned 40, and my best friend and I went to a yoga studio in New Jersey. On the way there, I said, “This fall I’m going to give myself the gift of going on a yoga retreat.” I had no idea where I was going to go, but it was a pretty tough year that year, so I was going to do something for myself.
At the end of this class, the woman said, “I would just like to remind you of my upcoming yoga retreat this fall.” I looked at my best friend, Ash, and it was like, “When the universe drops it in your lap like that, you say yes.”
She told me it was in Sri Lanka. I said, “Perfect. Sign me up.” When we got in the car Ash said, “Where’s Sri Lanka?”
I said, “I have no idea. It’s not my strong suit.” So I Googled it. I said, “Well look at that. I’m going to the tip of India!”
That’s how it began. Her name is Kayleen. Because of that, I’ve gone to Sri Lanka. I’m going to Greece in a couple weeks, and then I’m getting certified in March in Baja for 30 days. I’ll be there. That was pretty life-shifting.
Toni: Absolutely! She just inspired you by making you aware.
Kristina: She was just … yes, it was timing. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have gone on that journey.
Toni: That’s fantastic. Good luck to you.
Kristina: Thank you.
Toni: What would you like your legacy to be?
Kristina: I would simply like to leave this world a bit better than it was. A kinder place. Hopefully, I have some impact on that.
Toni: It sounds to me, the way that you’re smiling at people and being kind to people and just caring enough to pass that smile along that you are living your legacy. Thank you for doing that. Thank you for showing up for the Get Inspired! Project.
Kristina: Thank you for the opportunity.
Toni: You bet.
