I’m a hippie, fitness-loving yogi with a passion for fun, a healthy lifestyle, the arts, and writing. I grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia and feel very connected to the ocean. I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington in May of 2016 with majors in both Studio Art and English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Shortly thereafter, I married my high school sweetheart, and graduated from 200hr RYS (Registered Yoga School) at Dragonfly Yoga in Downtown Fredericksburg. Currently, I am teaching yoga classes at Breathe Yoga and Wellness Center in Pensacola, FL. I am also working on pursuing certifications in Prenatal Yoga and Yoga Therapy. The first yoga class I attended seriously was “Warm Yoga” at Zen Hot Yoga in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and I fell in love instantly. The studio provided me a quiet space where I could take my mind off of everything happening outside, and focus plainly on the present moment. The class also challenged me physically, in a way different from what I was used to as a runner. At the end of that first practice I felt wholly blissed out, and when I left the studio, everything seemed just a little bit brighter. I was hooked. This feeling of total bliss is what originally brought me back to the mat. But the more I practiced, the more I realized how the time I spent on the mat translated into my lifestyle. I began to feel lighter and more relaxed. I progressively spent less time dwelling in negative emotions, or worrying about the future—I began to learn how to live in the present. I noticed that yoga was beginning to affect me beyond the physical—my practice was teaching me how to change my perspective on life in a positive way, in a way that allowed me to understand that the only thing in life that I could control was the way I reacted to stimuli, and that this reaction was my choice. I decided to start my journey as a yoga instructor my sophomore year of college. I had been practicing in studios for two years, and had developed a personal practice of my own. My motivations for teaching were twofold: to deepen my personal practice and to share with other the positive influence that yoga had on my life. My hope was to learn how to make yoga accessible for everyone in a way that spread the benefits that I experienced. My mission is to inspire self-love and acceptance: to provide peace and a save space for expression and meditation. I want to make yoga and meditation accessible for everyone and help my clients and readers understand that by choosing to take control and responsibility for the way we react to what the universe throws at us, we can change our perspective on life. By manifesting positivity, we can create positivity in our environment. With love & light, Nicole * QUICK DISCLAIMER * 1. I am just a guide offering suggestions, don’t do anything that doesn’t feel good to your body. 2. You may notice when practicing with me that my wrists and elbow appear to be at funky angles when I straighten my arms — my elbow naturally hyperextend when my arms are straight, which is why they look this way!