Yoga and Leadership – My Personal and Professional Journey

My personal and professional journey has been anything but conventional, and I’m grateful for every twist and turn. When I graduated from law school, I was sure I’d be rockin’ a pantsuit and living the corporate attorney life. Little did I know, life had other plans for me. No matter what direction I’ve gone in or how many times I’ve stumbled (or fallen flat on my face), yoga and leadership have been constants in my growth. 

I’m sharing a little bit of my story with you today because maybe you’re on your own crazy journey and wondering about your next right step.

Listening to My Heart (and My Gut)

I don’t think anyone goes to law school and lives through preparing for the bar exam without planning on practicing law full-time. Wasting all that time and money?? There was a time I couldn’t have imagined not dedicating my career to being an attorney.  

But it happened. Lawyer life isn’t glamorous like you’d think from watching “Scandal.” New attorneys put up with a LOT, y’all! With crazy long hours, tons of pressure, and sky-high stress levels, you have to love it to stick with it. And I did, for a while at least. Then one day, I had enough. I quit my cushy law firm job, started my own firm, and got a crash course in building a business.

Eventually, I started feeling anxious about what I was doing with this life of mine. I needed an outlet for my creativity. Yoga really became a solace for me: No matter how crazy my attorney-hustle was, I’d let it all go on the mat. It wasn’t long before I realized my daydreams of owning my own studio and diving into a world of yoga and leadership weren’t just wishful thinking. It was my heart, maybe even my gut, saying, “You have to do this.” 

Letting Go to Go After What I Wanted

So, who gives up the security of a six-figure job to open a yoga school before they’re even a certified yoga teacher? Me, apparently. I’m pretty sure people thought I was crazy, and maybe a tiny part of me was. But it was a fun kind of crazy. You know that feeling you get right before you take a risk? You audibly ask yourself “What am I doing?” But, I have to tell you that $100K of law school loans aside, the decision couldn’t have felt more right.

Just three years after I graduated from law school, I signed a five-year lease for my new yoga school’s studio space. And just like that, my dreams came true.

JUST KIDDING. What would come in the next several years was a serious ass-kicking in the world of starting a business and becoming a leader. I learned so many tough lessons and was slapped with the realities of being a new business owner. 

I dealt with it all, from a studio with leaky plumbing and a serious pigeon issue (dead and alive, I wish I was kidding) to unreliable staff and sporadic attendance. You name it, I went through it. To say I had occasional moments of doubt about this passion project of mine would be an understatement.

By year four, though, I found my groove. I created a yoga curriculum, had a fully accredited teacher training program, attracted devoted attendees, built a book of private clients, and trained a great staff. I finally had my footing as a business leader and in the yoga world.

It might surprise you, but I’m grateful I had those crazy learning years. They shaped me and showed me I’m stronger and smarter than I knew I was. I took a risk, let go of a fancy career, and rose up to a better version of myself. That experience prepared me for the adventures I had ahead… and I’ve had a few! 

Learning I Didn’t Need to Have All The Answers

Now, I’m not going to pretend like I have it all figured out. Does anyone, really?? Things change. There are days I’d rather stay in bed than “adult,” and I think everyone has those. But I know how to be adaptable and work hard… And, I’ve accepted that even as a leader, you aren’t supposed to know how to do everything.

Had I ever opened a yoga studio before that? Nope. But I knew I was smart and capable. I knew I’d learn. And I knew that with my passion for yoga and leadership, I could create something that would be good for me and for everyone who’d join me on that journey.

In the years since I opened that little yoga studio that could, I’ve started other businesses like tech companies and cyber forensic startups (Crazy, huh?). Each step of the way, I’ve learned and grown as a leader and as a person. I won’t go into anything with all the answers, but without question: I’m willing to figure it out.

Diving Into Yoga and Leadership Was Messy (And That’s OK)

Remember earlier when I had you thinking I started a successful yoga studio overnight? Ha! My experience starting that business was anything but easy. 

It was messy in every sense of the word (Did I mention the dead pigeons? The leaky pipes? The shady landlord?) But those experiences and struggles, the ones where you pull yourself up by the bootstraps and dive in, they’re the ones that teach you the most about how to lead. Challenging myself to grow every day changed me for the better. I learned yoga and leadership lessons that have served me in every other venture I’ve jumped (or fallen) into and led along the way:

• You alone are responsible for your happiness. I opened the yoga studio because I had a passion and a fire in me that said I had to. It was up to me to make it what I wanted to be. That’s a scary feeling, but it’s an empowering one, too.
• You don’t need anyone’s permission to chase your dreams. Guess how many people thought it was a good idea for me to quit my six-figure job to open a yoga studio? Exactly two: my husband and my mom (but they HAVE to support me, right?) But it wasn’t anyone else’s dream. It was mine. And that’s what mattered.
• Life decisions are never black and white. When I realized I didn’t have to pick between my corporate power suit, yoga pants, and mom life, the world opened up. It never has to be one or the other. You can live your life in that gray area and love it.
• Never Underestimate What You’re Capable of. Starting multiple businesses from the ground up has shown me that I can accomplish my wildest dreams… and then some. You just have to believe in yourself and go for it.
• You Don’t Have to Be Perfect. THIS. Trust the process and value progress over perfection. No one knows it all. You’ll see “gurus” out there who promise if you follow their system you’ll be a gazillionaire. But, trust me, they’re in process, too.  

Don’t Limit Yourself

Just because you haven’t done something before doesn’t mean it’s not for you. And just because you’ve poured some blood, sweat, and tears onto one path in your life doesn’t mean you can’t explore others. 

I tried life as a corporate lawyer (a couple of times) and it wasn’t for me. It took me a long time to realize I didn’t have to be just one thing. Like I said, life isn’t black and white. I realized I didn’t have to pick one thing: I could blend my interests, passions, skills, and talents in a creative way that would fulfill me. It was like the clouds parted. I would have missed out on so many amazing opportunities and experiences if I’d kept the mindset that I had to “pick.” I couldn’t have become the leader and business coach I am now.

Where I Am Now

I’d love to say I’ve learned all my lessons, and I know all there is to know about yoga and leadership, but I think by now, you know that’s not the case. Instead, I’ve taken all these lessons (the good, the bad, the ugly, and the crazy!) and created a life I freakin’ love. Now, as a coach, I get to help women dream big, clear mental-emotional blocks, and take action. I’m still learning, and I’m still growing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Do you have a passion you’re itching to explore? Need help navigating your next steps? My Inspired Soul Business Builder VIP business coaching program might be just the thing for you. Check it out!