Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Wells.
Ashley, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey with yoga started as a way to recover after injury. I periodically went back to yoga, but I never really took it seriously. As soon as I was recovered, I would put my mat away. It wasn’t until my struggle with depression and anxiety started to make its way to the forefront of my mind that my yoga mat became one of my prized possessions. I knew that I could practice yoga and my brain would be silent, even for a moment.
In January 2019, the universe intervened and put me in the right place at the right time. I took one class at a local studio that completely changed my life. I learned that although I was not the stereotypical yogi, my practice was just as beautiful and worthy as everyone else. Only days after I took this class, I signed up for teacher training and furthered my spiritual practice as well as my physical one.
Now, I am happy to say I am a yoga instructor teaching in studios, in parks, and really anywhere I can gather others who want to give yoga a try. I aim to show others that yoga is for every single person regardless of age, race, gender, body shape, etc.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey was anything but easy. Most of my struggles were created in my own mind. At the peak of my struggle with depression and anxiety, I couldn’t even practice yoga outside of my home. Even after I began to win the long war of mental health, I had to deal with learning the ins and outs of creating a business and finding others who support your vision. My advice to any young women is to simply push yourself once per day. Maybe your first push is rolling out your mat and sitting for a while. Either way one step forward is much better than staying in that place.
What should we know about Everyday Yogi? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My passion lies with helping those on the brink of taking their health and wellness in their hands. I use my personal experiences in combination with my formal trainings to make being healthy relatable. The idea behind Everyday Yogi is the I am just a normal human but I decided to take my life in my hands and YOU can too.
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
If you’re just starting your yoga practice I highly recommend giving The Inner Tradition of Yoga by Michael Stone and How Yoga Works by Geshe Michael Roach. My absolute favorite podcast is The Yoga Girl Podcast: Conversations from the Heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: everydayyogi.life
- Phone: 3607618183
- Email: ashleynwyoga@gmail.com
- Instagram: @everydayyogi.life
- Facebook: facebook.com/everydayyogi
Image Credit:
Missy Babineau Capture Awe Photography
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