Retirement Became a Beginning
When Chris Manola retired from a 35 year career in commercial real estate in 2021, she did not retreat from public life. Her schedule changed, but her instinct to stay involved did not.
Today, Chris is a certified yoga instructor and sound meditation guide behind Humble Warrior Yoga. She leads monthly sound meditation and breath work sessions in Crete, Illinois, teaches a weekly yoga class and continues to devote time to several community organizations.
It is a second chapter built around a different measure of accomplishment.
“Your inner peace can transform the world,” Chris says.
That belief sits at the center of Humble Warrior Yoga, where she encourages people to cultivate inner strength while making room for something many busy adults struggle to find: quiet.
Turning Experience Into a Wellness Practice
Chris spent decades in a profession where deadlines, negotiations and responsibility were routine. Her work now operates at another pace.
On the last Monday of each month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., she leads guided sound meditation and breath work at the Crete Township Community Center, 25930 S. Cottage Grove Avenue. The sessions incorporate crystal singing bowls, guided meditation and breathing practices intended to help participants settle their attention and develop practical ways to manage stress.
“Our nervous systems are not equipped to handle the relentless demands of modern life,” Chris says.
Her interest is less about escaping everyday pressures than learning how to respond to them differently.
Chris also teaches yoga every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Crete Park on Main, 1374 Main Street. Together, the classes have given her a way to bring wellness into the community on a consistent, accessible basis.
Staying Invested in Crete
Chris’s work in Crete extends considerably beyond yoga.
She was recently appointed to the newly formed Board of Directors for Friends of the Crete Township Community Center, a 501(c)(3) organization. The board supports the center through social activities, classes and civic events, while working to raise operating funds, identify grant opportunities and develop new programming.
Chris also volunteers at the Crete Lions Club Recycling Center at 1215 Douglas Lane and was named Lion of the Year by the Crete Lions Club. Volunteers are welcome Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Even an hour a week can help, and profits from the center are returned to the community.
She is also a founding member of the Crete Community Runners Association and a film actor with 25 IMDb credits.
The range is unusual, but Chris does not appear particularly interested in fitting retirement into a conventional definition.
A Second Act Close to Home
There is a common thread running through these pursuits. They put Chris in rooms with people, whether she is leading meditation, teaching yoga, volunteering or helping shape programming for a community institution.
After a career measured in professional achievements, this chapter is increasingly measured by participation.
For Chris, retirement did not mean becoming less engaged. It gave her the opportunity to decide where that energy could matter next.
Learn More
Sound meditation sessions take place the last Monday of each month from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Crete Township Community Center. Call 708.722.1857 and leave a message to register.
Register for Tuesday yoga classes at Crete Park District. Learn more through Humble Warrior Yoga, Crete Township, the Crete Lions Club Recycling Center and the Crete Community Runners Association.
