It started as a feeling. I walked into a yoga studio. I felt a sense of joy. The joy came not only from the practice itself, but in the people I met. I followed that joy as far as it could go. I chased it like my life depended on it, because it did. That's how I ended up a yoga teacher.
It took me a long time to get to the point where I felt truly comfortable with my role as a yoga teacher. There was a time that I almost quit because I didn't think I could live up to my own standards. But my mind said - just keep going. Just keep learning along the way.
It took me about a year to get comfortable in my role, and another year to truly find my voice as a yoga teacher. I found that I liked blending in alongside my students. It wasn't about me, it was about us, being together - wanting to be feel joy and truth. In sharing via social media, I found being open and vulnerable helped fuel a community.
Around my two year anniversary of yoga teaching, the pandemic forced us into our homes.
Like many of my fellow teachers, I offered yoga classes via Zoom for anyone who wanted to join. I felt a joy again, and I followed it into a virtual yoga business. I named the business after my instagram username in honor of the connection I had made through that platform. We spent eight months together - practicing, learning, laughing. We added yogis and teachers along the way.
I started feeling that I wanted the name to reflect more of our community, and less of me. This felt right, and I followed it.
My idea for the name centers around my tattoo, which says "brave" with an arrow. It helps remind me to be brave, how much I have already been brave, and how I will continue to be brave as I move forward.
From there, I decided to reach out to my people for help. In the past, I did so much alone. I was always hiding my feelings in corners. I think it took me longer to get where I wanted to be because of that. My family and best friends brainstormed some yoga names that related to a forward arrow. When my mom came up with "Journey Forward", I knew it was the one.
I've always used the word journey to describe my jagged, curvy, rocky, beautiful life. The word always made me feel better when I knew I wasn't quite where I wanted to be yet. Journey told me, here's where you are. It's not right yet. But here's where you want to get, and there's still more ahead.
The name is a perfect fit. It reflects everything that brought me here, and everything that WE have become together.
Thank you for coming with us in this journey. Together, we have so much ahead.
Namaste,
Christina
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