2016 was an emotionally turbulent year. So much of what was familiar had started to feel foreign to me — myself included. And so, in the midst of it all, I was desperate for a distraction to take my mind off the chaos within and outside of myself and so I signed up for a yoga class. For the first time in my life, I experienced a still mind: no thoughts. No analyzing. No catastrophizing. Just presence. Just movement. So I kept showing up, week after week. Finding more strength, endurance, and flexibility in both body and mind than I ever thought possible. Surrendering myself to the moving meditation and leaving everything off and on the mat.

After a while, I’d entertained the idea of becoming a certified teacher, but it was always an afterthought. Synchronicities aligned and before I knew it, I was on day 1 of my 200h yoga teacher training with my own yoga teacher leading the training (talk about a full-circle moment!).

In 2019, I graduated as a 200h Certified Yoga Teacher in Vinyasa and Hatha.

In 2021, I completed a 300H online YTT becoming a 500h RYT.

In 2022, I became certified as a Yin Yoga Teacher.

In 2024, I completed a 40-hour Functional Anatomy Advanced Study.

In 2025, I completed Continued Education with Naked Truth Yoga and Oxygen Yoga and Fitness for their NTY/Oxygen Methodized Training for Yoga and Fitness Classes.

2020 was supposed to be my gap year prior to a major career shift, so when the pandemic hit and life (as we knew it) was put on hold, I knew it would go one of two ways for me. I’d either sink; fall deep into destructive patterns; stay up all hours of the night; or consume things that weren’t in any way good for me; basically setting myself up for a downward spiral (a tendency I was quite familiar with). Or, I’d swim, dedicating myself to cultivating habits I’d always convinced myself I was “too busy” for. One of which was meditation. Although I’d been practicing yoga for years, intentionally sitting down to meditate was never a part of my practice. Truth be told, I felt afraid; afraid of the thoughts that might come up if I were to just keep still, unable to hide away behind the distractions of everyday life. And so I joined a meditation group where we recycled through the different 21-day meditation challenges offered by Deepak Chopra.

At some point, something within me shifted.

It was a result of my willingness to show up on a daily basis. That shift was life-changing and I was ready to shout it from the rooftops, but instead, I decided to become certified as a Meditation Instructor.

In my search for a trusted online program, I stumbled upon the Chopra program. I never knew it existed until I went looking for it and so I enrolled in the program and studied to become a Chopra Certified Meditation Instructor (talk about another full circle moment!)

I decided to become a Meditation Instructor because I want others to know that they too can make this choice.

They too can choose to swim instead of sink.

They too can choose to transform their lives.

For most of my life, I felt unheard. As if there was no room for what I had to say because what I had to say didn’t matter. Growing up, I was always the kid being told, “You have so much potential, why aren’t you applying yourself?” I wasn’t applying myself because I didn’t know how, why, or what that even meant. Because I didn’t know who I was — what I wanted, what I liked, disliked, was interested in, or passionate about.

Using my voice was challenging enough for me as is so on the rare occasions when I would speak up, it would almost always backfire. And when that happened, it only served to push me deeper into the isolating belief that it was ‘me against the world’. So I stopped doing that. I stopped using my voice. I stopped voicing my opinions, thoughts, and emotions out of fear of being rejected, hurting others’ feelings, feeling inferior, being misunderstood, dismissed, gaslit, etc. Because the way I saw it, if I’m not saying anything, then I’m not giving anyone any ammunition for them to use against me.

When I went into corporate, a big part of my role was lending an ear and supporting people in feeling heard and understood. It allowed me to hone my listening skills and create a compassionate space for people to show up as they were. Most of all, it allowed me to give to others what I needed to receive, especially from myself: permission to be enough just being myself. I became the go-to person for a judgment-free place to talk, in both my personal and professional lives.

When I transitioned into teaching yoga full-time, my sessions always included room for conversation; unpacking the day, and talking through what came up during the practice. I began to hear from many students that I ought to pursue coaching.

But what sealed the deal, in this case, was indeed a eureka moment.

I was venting to a friend about how I felt like I had all the pieces of the puzzle but couldn’t figure out the big picture of the puzzle until they said, “Do it Christine’s way.”

At that moment, something in me clicked.

I enrolled in the Chopra Coaching program knowing that the resources, teachings, and insights would allow me to continue adding to my unique toolbox of skills, knowledge, and expertise — for the benefit of both myself and others.

I never sought out Ayurveda. I knew it was the sister science to yoga; I knew they complemented one another; I knew practicing both simultaneously is ideal for optimal health; that was it and I was okay with that being it.

The world of yoga felt overwhelming in and of itself which is why I didn’t want to dive into a new set of teachings. And so I never sought out Ayurveda. It, however, sought me out.

When I enrolled in the Chopra Health program as part of the Total Well-Being Coaching program, I began to realize that a lot of what I was learning was tiny habits and changes that I’d already begun unconsciously integrating into my own life. To this day, I’m in awe of the body’s intelligence and how if we just get ourselves out of our own way, the body, mind, and soul know what needs to be done to restore harmony to oneself.

My first yoga class was actually a yogalates class and I loved how different and fun it was.

Over the years, I’ve done spinning, weight training, CrossFit, calisthenics, yoga, Pilates, gymnastics, running, and swimming.

I love movement. I love how strong it makes me feel. I love how confident and empowered I become. I love learning new things about myself, especially after underestimating myself. I love doing the hard things and surviving them. I love that I get to choose my hard.

And I love how it all blends in together. I don’t see them as separate — I never have. Any skills or drills I learn in one, transfer to another. Any strength or endurance I develop from one, enhances the other. They all complement each other because the body is a whole ecosystem with needs that change and evolve with time and with life.

My yoga class are inspired by these other modalities — and how they all complement each other.

One of which is Pilates so it was only natural to become certified in Mat Pilates so I can have more refined tools in my toolbox to better create an inclusive, challenging, and empowering experience whether through Pilates or a Yoga/Pilates fusion form of class.