Note to reader: I originally had all this info on my ‘about’ page, but it took up a lot of space, so I thought I’d link it here for the people who want to deep-creep, thus leaving the page a little less cluttered.
My productivity era started with Bikram Yoga — it helped me focus in a way I never knew I needed. Then, I learned Vipassana meditation, and taught myself to sit and observe breath for an hour at a time without moving. With those disciplines under my belt, I started teaching, and opened an ocean-view Bikram Yoga studio just outside of Vancouver, B.C.
A large part of the reason my studio was so successful is because I regularly outlined our strategy visually, with big sheets of paper on the wall.
These brainstorms helped the whole team understand and get behind my ideas; that’s how we made business magic. ✨
Unfortunately, the years of stress and hyper-vigilance burned me out, big time. On the verge of opening my second location, I decided instead to sell the business and prioritize my health. Ironically (plot twist) a chronic condition took a turn for the worse, and I became acutely ill for nearly a decade. I’ll go into the details later, but if you’re curious, google “Topical Steroid Withdrawal” — it’s awful.
After such a long time, and trying everything imaginable to heal, I honestly thought my illness was going to end me. Despite consulting with dozens of doctors and specialists, nothing worked.
Hopeless, itchy, and after years of being in non-stop crisis mode, I knew it was time for some big moves.
In 2021, I came to Mexico hoping the sun and sea would finally heal me.
This is also when I found Breathwave. Unlike the yoga and super-focused meditation, it was so gentle and soft. It didn’t give me discipline; that’s not what I needed. It softened me and connected me to my heart in a way that my other practices had never done. That, for me, was the healing I needed.
Fast forward three months and — after seeing my Breathwave teacher every week, swimming every day, and basking in the sun any chance I got — I was healthier than I’d been in nearly ten years.
That level of illness really inspires you to live differently. On top of watching the sunrise most mornings on the beach, I still try to swim every day. I get to hike, travel around Baja Sur, make art, and help other entrepreneurs and creative types to do their thing… without the burnout.