Learn how to live your purpose and do more of what you love by listening to stories from other yoga teachers, healers, and coaches about how they first got started.
Discover what they did to first make money, how they actually got started, and how they overcame their struggles like fear and burnout along the way.
Today we hear from meditation & yoga teacher and host of the Mindfulness In Minutes Podcast, Kelly Smith, who you heard from in Ep 202: 3 Ways To Discover Your True Self.
One of my favorite things about Kelly’s story is how there were many points in her journey where she started from scratch because she was either revamping her entire direction (ex. sold brick and mortar studio to pursue online) or a new identity (ex. becoming a mother). Her story lends great advice and inspiration for how we can also embrace the changes in our lives and move in a direction of better things (versus the usual fear that giving up something will leave us worse off).
Listen to discover:
How to embrace the detours on your journey
What Kelly did to fill up her schedule with yoga classes
Kelly’s advice on change, quitting and pivoting your direction
About Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith is an E-RYT 500, YACEP, founder of Yoga For You, and host of the iTunes chart topping podcasts, Mindful in Minutes and Meditation Mama. Kelly believes that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to yoga and meditation and encourages her students to find their own personal practice, listen to their bodies, and find inner joy by accessing their most authentic selves. Kelly is best known for her master trainings in meditation, Yoga nNidra, and restorative yoga and unique guided meditations.
Embrace The Detours On Your Journey
Kelly teaches us that we’re all living, breathing, and growing human beings whose journeys are ever-changing and ever-evolving. Although some decisions we make and paths we walk on won’t be effortless, we should embrace the inevitable changes and detours.
Kelly herself has gone through many iterations of her career. She began her career in management but as her life and circumstances changed, she decided to follow her intuition and start teaching yoga. Inspired by her students, Kelly then shifted her focus and started looking at the softer sides of yoga such as meditation, restorative yoga, and yoga nidra.
She continues to evolve today as she embraces motherhood and brings motherhood, pregnancy, and postnatal journeys into her work.
As we all move along our self-discovery and growth journeys, our motivations and life’s purpose may also evolve. By embracing these changes instead of fearing them, you’ll be able to enjoy the ride!
See below for more key nuggets and takeaways.
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Key Nuggets: Doing What You’re Meant To Do
1. What is your calling right now? [09:25]
Right now, my life’s purpose is to ease into being a mother and accept this new season of my life. In addition, my purpose is to awaken people to start their own journeys to find joy and connect to their true selves.
2. What was that moment like when you decided to go all in and fully committed to doing what you’re meant to? [11:30]
It was when I decided to leave my job in management and follow my husband across the country. It was like the universe was giving me a clean slate. I was kind of depressed at first as I didn’t know anyone, and it was just my dog and me. That’s when I decided to go all-in and start teaching yoga full-time. At first, I had to beg to teach one class a week, but it slowly evolved into having a completely full schedule and opening up my own studio.
3. What was one of the best things you did that eventually made your schedule fill up? [14:25]
In the beginning, I never said no to anything, but in hindsight, I wouldn’t recommend it. Although it helped my exposure, I eventually took on way too much and got super burned out. So, I recommend saying yes but also maintaining some boundaries.
On a more positive note, by reaching out to my students in an authentic way, I was able to gain a steady following and many new students. I was honest and authentic about my intentions and simply asked my students to help me spread the word.
4. Did you have a formal plan or idea for how long you’d do this? [18:00]
No, and I still don’t. Although I love being organized and thinking a few steps ahead, I’ve realized that being too strict with yourself sets you up for failure. People recommend having a flexible schedule but a consistent routine for babies and children, and I love to apply the same to my own life.
I have a lot of consistency in terms of what I do and how I do it, but I keep quite a lot of flexibility concerning the direction and projects I take on. We’re all individuals, and that’s why our journeys and methods should also be one of a kind. We should embrace that we’re all walking our individual paths, and that’s beautiful.
5. What was one time when you really wanted to quit? What helped you keep going? [24:00]
I wanted to quit when I sold my studio. I went from having a full schedule to having nothing again. I then reminded myself that my dreams weren’t worth giving up on and that it wasn’t going to be a quit but a pivot.
6. What’s your biggest resistance? and how do you respond to it? [24:30]
Right now, it is learning how to balance being a mother and also running a business. Trying to fit the old me into the new life is currently holding me back the most.
7. What’s the best thing you did that helped you create this life? [25:45]
I just did what made me happy. If it didn’t feel right and wasn’t in alignment with my authentic self, I stopped doing those things and started doing the things that felt nourishing. It was as simple as that.
8. Top tangible action/tool that you’d recommend? [26:20]
I recommend spending time getting to know your soul and ask it what you’re meant to do. It can truly be that simplistic.
9. Top advice that can help with mindset? [26:50]
Be honest with yourself and look at where you’re getting in your own way. Then start doing things to remove that. Try to stop doing those self-sabotaging things.
10. What do you do to check back and make sure that this is still the path for you (i.e., that helps you decide that this is all worth it? [27:30]
I make sure I still feel good after I do something, for example, after I teach a class or write a mediation I ask myself if it feels uplifting. If it doesn’t feel good, then it’s not in alignment with my authentic self, and I try to stop doing those things.
11. What is a book, podcast, person, or teacher you would recommend? [28:10]
The first is The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele.
I would also recommend any guided yoga nidra practice. You can find yoga nidra practices on my podcast [insert a hyperlink to a specific episode] but also on Youtube, Headspace, or Insight Timer, such as Tanis Fischman’s sessions.
Resources:
Kelly recommends trying Yoga Nidra to get more in tune with your inner self. She suggested Insight timer, Headspace or more specifically:
a. Check out her podcast for Yoga Nidra practices: Mindful in Minutes
b. I also recommend Tanis Fischman’s Yoga Nidra sessions on Insight Timer. She has amazing Yoga Nidra sessions. You can also listen to Tanis teach about how yoga nidra works by listening to Ep 20.
The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele
CONNECT WITH KELLY:
Website: www.yogaforyouonline.com
Instagram: @yogaforyouonline
Kelly’s podcast for guided meditations: Mindful in Minutes
Kelly’s podcast on pregnancy and postnatal journeys: Meditation Mama
Quotes:
“It’s important to recognize that you [and your journey] are this living, breathing, growing thing.” - Kelly [06:57]
“What you may want to do may change over time.” - Kelly [07:20]
“I reminded myself that my dreams are not worth giving up on and that it wasn’t going to be a quit but a pivot.” - Kelly [24:20]
“We’re all individuals, and that’s why our journeys and methods should also be one of a kind. We should embrace that we’re all walking our individual paths, and that’s beautiful.” - Kelly
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