On being a Woman Business Owner:

It was a scary day when I realized that this is what I wanted to do for a living. Yoga. One of the hardest careers to make a living. When I first walked into my new studio, I felt like I was going to puke. I sat down and wrote all of my fears about business ownership. I filled up pages. There is no change without risk or fear; that's the bottom line.

I sold my truck in North Carolina, rented a car, and drove to the West Coast with my Husky Kansas. No prospects and only enough to last me about 3 months. And I didn't feel nearly as terrified as I felt when I decided to be a business owner. That title didn't even feel real for a long time.

But there's only 2 ways to go. Move forward and push through the fear. Or move backwards to what you know life will look like, always thinking to yourself “what if I had taken the risk?” Most people will have doubts. The truth is that you can't depend on anyone to move you forward except yourself. Ultimately, you are the person who has to honestly care and bring that hard work to your business. Starting a business meant something to me. I wanted to teach the people who never set foot in a studio, the ones walking around in pain. How could I reach them?

So, how do you start? You just begin. A tree grows from a seed, right? The mustard seed is the tiniest seed and it grows into the tallest tree. Waking up everyday when you can look forward to your day and actually enjoy the simple task of thinking about your work makes life SO rich. And you can bring that joy to other people when you teach them. You can show them how to feel good in their bodies. You may be a tiny instrument in helping that person lessen their pain and feel stronger.

I grew up on the ocean. It only make sense that some part of my work would lead me back to the water. It's a magical place to practice and to meditate. You can sit on your board in the middle of a lake with eyes closed, deep in meditation. When you open your eyes, there is an overwhelming feeling of smallness. It really reminds me that I am and we are all part of the collective consciousness, every living breathing thing is real & alive together.

Happy International Women’s Day!