In 2002 my boyfriend and I left the rat race to open a yoga studio. It came to me on my yoga mat to do so, and I finished my practice, then ran downstairs, called my boyfriend at work and squealed, “We’re gonna open a yoga studio! And it’s called Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨!!!!!” He replied, “Ok!”
Sigh, I love him so much.
So on June 29, 2002 we opened our first Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ studio, against all the (well meaning) advice of our family and friends and frankly, anyone who we talked to about it. Some of the fun responses we received:
✨“You’re crazy!”
✨“Whuuuutttt? Why?!?!”
✨“You’re both Ivy League educated, why are you going to leave (x job) to do THAT?!”
✨“You’re making a big mistake.”
✨“You both have graduate degrees, you’re out of your minds!”
✨“Can you make any MONEY doing that?”
✨”There’s no parking there.”
And my very very most favorite:
✨“What’s your BUSINESS PLAN!?!?!?”
The last one is my very most favorite favorite because it was the WAY in which it was uttered, while out to dinner with a dear friend from Brown. She was wicked intense about it and NOT PLEASED with my answer, “To teach people yoga, help them transform and help them be happy. To give them the gift that yoga gave and gives to me daily.” She was LIVID. I still remember the moment. Makes me smile.
We followed our hearts and my strong intuition and did it anyway.
When Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ was immediately successful, you know what those (well meaning) peeps said?
“I’m so happy you did this!”
“I’m so proud of you!”
“Wow, what a great business you’ve created!”
and my most very most favorite favorite:
“I’m so happy I encouraged you to do this!” (they didn’t)
Fast forward to 2014, we had opened 5 wonderful and successful Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ studios in Massachusetts and NYC, and had helped thousands of students transform and find joy, love, balance, alignment and inner peace. Hurray! ✨🎈✨ It was amazing and wonderful, until . . . don da don don… corporate America stepped in and began opening opening opening EVERYWHERE, including (I exaggerate not) right across the street from our very first studio. They also stood outside our studio after classes let out giving out free week passes and attempting to poach our teachers. All good! ❤ Karma and the Universe are always watching. I focused elsewhere, as I coach in my Law of Attraction Coaching practice. I sent light and focused elsewhere, on appreciation and gratitude for so many things.
Fast forward to 2015. I had a strong intuition to dip my toe into LinkedIn. I was reaching out to some peeps and a kewl dude reached out to me and we became friends. Turns out, he was the CEO of YogaWORKS and we are both from the midwest and both lived in towns next to each other in LA (Calabasas and Woodland Hills). He began talking to me about the possibility of selling Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ to YogaWORKS. I was like, “Um, no way.”
Over the year of getting to know Phil, I had a strong intuition to do the unthinkable (like leaving the rat race to open Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨)… to sell our beloved studios. There were many days when I sobbed at the kitchen sink just thinking about doing so.
Fast forward 3 years: we sold Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ to YogaWORKS after I ultimately knew it was the very best thing for Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨, our teachers, our community and our family. Kind of like when a Mom gives her child up for adoption because she knows the adoptive mother will do a better job raising the child. A true act of love, not ego. In the end it felt right in every cell of my body.
On Saturday my husband walked into the kitchen with a look on his face I’ve only seen a few times in our 20 years together. “YogaWORKS closed all their studios. It’s over,” he said. We both stood there in silence, sending light and energy to so many we know who worked for YogaWORKS and to our Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ community who also worked with YogaWORKS. The end of an era. Sigh.
Now what, pray tell, does this have to do with YOU and your life? A lot.
I listened to my heart, my friends, when no one could see the vision (leaving the rat race - opening Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨). It unfolded in unforeseen amazing ways.
I listened to my heart, my friends, when it felt scary and sad (selling Prana Power Yoga ✨🙏🏻✨ to YogaWORKS).
And now I know intuitively that the Clean-crafted™ Wine business is a rocket ship. I’m riding that rocket - with joy, love, excitement, ease and grace.
Is it always easy? Nope. Does everyone support me? Nope. Do I work a lot? Yes. Do I love every minute? YES! That’s how you know my friends. That’s how you know you’re in alignment…if you’re in the Vortex. By what others say? NO! By HOW YOU FEEL and by what’s unfolding in this moment.
I believe in you. 🌈💫❤️😊🙏🏻
Blessings🙏🏻Love❤️Joy😊Gratitude💫Happiness🌈and Infinite Inner Peace☮️