"I was always big into the arts. I majored in theater and became a singer-songwriter. I was very introverted, not totally confident, and more shy than I am now. I waited tables for about five years so everything was paycheck to paycheck and very stressful.
My boyfriend at the time, who is now my husband, found this local studio in New Jersey and what they taught wasn't quite like yoga or vinyasa. It was more aligned with energy work. Nikolai signed us up. I was a little weirded out, but at the same time, I loved the person working at the front desk. She was actually one of the owners and is now my very close friend. She invited me to sign up for 50 classes. So I did that and she became my teacher and mentor.
She is Korean and it was as though she was offering something very close to her heart. It wasn't put on. It was authentic. I learned that there were other aspects of the practice. It’s more than exercise.The instructors shared the lineage and philosophy behind yoga practices, meditation, and energy work. They had been taught by well known teachers that were deep rooted in the spiritual realm."
"After taking 50 classes, I recognized a passion that was similar to my music, but I felt a deeper connection that resonated with me. While trying to make it in the music industry, I’d always felt like I was on my own. The voice lessons, songwriting, playing in a band, recording albums are all great, but then there’s the whole marketing/advertising/sales piece which is so challenging. The confidence wasn’t there, so I always had an excuse that kept me from advancing. Eventually, the struggle became comfortable. I became complacent and didn’t ask for the help I could have used. I realized I was standing in my own way. It was almost like I wasn’t afraid of failure, but possibly afraid of success.
I began working at the yoga studio and wholeheartedly embraced practicing. Yoga became my life. The definition of yoga is union or becoming one. It’s a blanket term. The stillness allows us to see things a certain way because we have our own narratives. When we still our minds and get in our own space we awaken to our own potential. I learned how physically strong I was. I never really played sports. I was a theater nerd. I didn't know my body could move like it did and that alone empowered me."
"In 2013, Nikolai and I visited my parents in Baltimore City. We fell in love with the Locust Point neighborhood. We loved the people it was attracting and we realized there weren’t many yoga studios in the city. We were living in the Jersey/Manhattan area where it’s so expensive to start a business. We saw Baltimore as an opportunity to grow into the community and share all that I had been learning. We saw it as a place to call home.
Our idea has come to fruition. For years I’ve been able to teach many students. I appreciate how I help others feel happiness and bring light into their lives. It sounds cheesy, but it’s how I feel. It’s important to me. I enjoy taking care of my students. My husband has since shared that I’ve been preparing to be a mother for years as I cared for and loved all of my students."
"I got pregnant and had my baby while owning the business. I had a C-section so my postpartum experience was tough. I relied heavily on my teachers as I regained strength and adjusted to being a mom. I had a few months of not being able to return to practice as I knew it. Once I returned and began teaching again, it felt amazing to feel the strength return to my body. I realized I could be a wife, mother, yoga instructor, and business owner at the same time.”
