Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoë Freedman.
Zoë, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My movement journey began at age four when I first started dancing. I studied and trained in classical ballet over the course of my childhood and through high school, in St. Louis, MO, where I grew up. I spent a few summers at ballet intensive camps, the most notable being at Butler University in Indianapolis.
Though I spent decades cultivating my movement practice, my body has always had a natural talent for moving with grace and ease. I loved to walk on my tippy toes as a child, perhaps I can credit that movement with the high and strong arches of my feet. 😉
Unsure of what I wanted with my future, I stuck with what I knew for my original focus in University; dance. I auditioned at a variety of California dance programs and chose the dance program at San Diego State University, which is what brought me to San Diego in 2009. A few years into school, I decided to add on an additional major, as my identity was shifting, as it tends to do in college. I was opening up to the possibility that there was more to me than dance, and I craved to explore what else there was. I hadn’t ever considered myself particularly book smart, having focused most of my attention on movement growing up. I decided to double major in journalism (emphasis in PR), and soon discovered, I was quite intelligent! I did very well in my courses and ended up being selected PR student of the year my senior year.
I’m mentioning this because I have since realized how easily we box ourselves into one identity or even assume a negative identity of sorts, i.e. “I’m not book smart,” yet that’s never reality, only our own perceptions or the adopted perceptions of others.
Anyway, after graduating with two degrees, I was still unsure of what lied ahead. More than anything else, perhaps, what I’ve always craved the most is “freedom.” Freedom of time, money, physical location. I knew that a M-F office job would not satisfy my soul. So, I continued working at Stacked, a restaurant in Fashion Valley, part-time and writing for a boutique marketing agency here in San Diego, Lure Agency (which I still do today!).
A few months after graduating, I discovered aerial yoga and instantly fell in love. Though I had practiced yoga on and off through college, it had never occurred to me to explore the spiritual side, it was strictly physical. In the aerial yoga classes, different instructors incorporated different mantras, sayings, incense, and other small “crumbs” if you will, that can be followed into the more spiritual side of yoga. When the owner of the studio approached me to try the teacher training, I agreed! This was in the fall of 2014, and there was hardly any aerial yoga in San Diego! The training was an incredible experience, I was forced out of a comfort zone I didn’t realize I had! I began teaching shortly after training, the decades of dance weighing very much in my favor. I loved teaching and was enchanted with yoga in general. I chose to do my 200 YTT from the same woman my favorite aerial yoga teacher, Olivia, had trained with. Since I loved everything about Olivia’s classes, mat and aerial, I knew this training would be magnificent. It was. Elka Haeckel, of Elka Yoga & Wellness, will blow your chakras right open! Especially your heart chakra! I would say my “personal development” journey began that March (2015), but my goodness, I didn’t know how much more was left ahead!
After completing my 200 YTT I started teaching mat yoga. I was lucky to have been given quite a few opportunities without having to do much other than saying yes. Yet, when I began teaching mat yoga I had a paralyzing fear. An overwhelming sense of “I’m not good enough.” There are so many spectacular yoga teachers in San Diego, I just kept comparing myself to them and going down the mental rabbit hole of “not enough.”
It took about two years before I started to overcome that fear and plenty of champions along the way who saw my potential when I could not. Shaun, the owner of The House of Yogi was one of them, putting me on the teaching schedule even when I was sure I wasn’t good enough. Kindly encouraging me, along with many of the students at THOY. Elka and Olivia both were always in the background supporting me, offering me teaching opportunities. Kat, the owner of The Studio on Palm (a GORGEOUS yoga studio in Imperial Beach) was also a huge support and champion of my teaching journey. The point here is, it took a village! Finally, when I accepted that I have something unique to offer, my teaching career really took hold. I launched my company and brand, Flow With Zo.
Fast forward to today and I’ve led a yoga retreat in the jungle of Belize (and another happening in March 2019 in Tepoztlan), I have weekly private clients, a few corporate yoga accounts, a vibrant array of studio classes, and a variety of ongoing workshops and events. Behind every stage of this journey has been the same underlying why: my students; my community.
As a species, we’ve gotten so far away from ourselves. Many of us spend an inordinate amount of time sitting. We have tight, cramped physical bodies. We have endless distractions, one of the most prominent being social media. Tech is in our faces all day, every day. More people than ever before are suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. We’re constantly being told, through various ways, to be more, have more, and do more. The result is more disease than ever before and a societal-wide belief of “not enough.”
Bringing people back to themselves is my why. Drawing their attention inwards, and providing space to just BE. To create an environment where we can all raise our consciousness out of “survival” and into creation. The main tool I use is yoga, but that’s merely my jumping off point! I’ve been expanding my tools to include meditation, breathwork, journaling, and much, much more! As I grow and learn, so does Flow With Zo. We can all find our way into the flow state, it’s a matter of connecting back to ourselves, releasing limiting beliefs, and opening our creative channels. So, this is where I’m at today, teaching all over the place to all sorts of people, groups, and organizations, hoping to assist people to bring wellness, peace, and more consciousness to their lives.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I mentioned some of the struggles before, so feel free to repeat that or take that information.
The main struggle has been the same all along, believing in my own abilities. I would say the secondary struggle has been finding a clear focus.
In terms of advice for the former, it all comes down to diet. I’m not talking about diet in terms of food, although eating well will always support all other endeavors, but rather an overall diet. What are you ingesting in terms of information, experiences, and relationships? Surrounding myself with people who I can learn from, who champion my growth, and encourage me to keep going even when I feel defeated, has been essential. Rather than the friends who bring me ice cream when I’m down, I have friends who lend me a motivational book or encourage me to sign up for a personal development course.
One of the most beneficial things I’ve ever done to help combat the inner demon of “not enough” and all of its iterations, was participating in the Landmark Forum. It’s a three-day “conversation” within the vein of personal development that will allow you to get complete with whatever inner insecurities you may have. I found about the forum by two separate people, a yoga-student-turned-friend, and one of my very successful private clients. They don’t know each other but within two weeks of each other they both credited Landmark as being foundational in their success. This was enough “proof” for me and I signed up! Best $700 ever spent (aside from my YTT, of course).
That’s more a specific recommendation but speaking generally, assess what you take in every day. From what you watch, the types of conversations you have, what you eat, how you move your body, and what you do (or don’t) fuel your spirit with. After honestly assessing that, are those things serving you well? Enhancing your feelings of inner peace and fulfillment? If not, start to make changes and adjustments. You are the creator of your life, and if it isn’t going the way you wish, then start adjusting.
When it comes to finding focus, the best word to live by is “simple.” Get off social media where it seems everyone is doing all the things and thriving. They’re not. Doing a hundred things will only leave you feeling exhausted. This has been a steep learning curve for me, at least. I’m drawn to so many experiences, I want to create as much as possible. What’s helped me is honing in on a few projects or creations at a time, and having the discipline to see them through. It’s only when I adhere to this that real progress and success ensues. It’s a constant practice! I’ve also worked with a business coach in the past, which was very helpful. My meditation practice has been key in helping me connect to my source and get more direction from within, rather than without.
If you’re just starting, acquire a few role models or mentors, women who are doing something similar to what you might want to, and ask them to go coffee or tea. Pick their brains, hear their stories, gather their insights. Take it all in and hold on to what helps you, discard the rest. Everyone’s journey is different but it does help to find out about the pitfalls, if any, and the unexpected successes of others! We are stronger together, and there’s much to learn from one another. On top of that, stay committed to yourself, and never forget that what works for you, will work for others. If you say yes to opportunities that don’t fit well in your schedule or don’t pay you enough, they won’t work out. I have made this mistake time and again, if it flows for you, it will flow for others. It’s as simple as that. In business, and in life in general!
Last, do whatever you need to do to believe in yourself and harness your power. The foundation of all you do is you. There will be people who support and love you and people who won’t. You can’t rely on EITHER. Be your own renewable energy source and there isn’t a damn thing that will get in your way for longer than a moment.
Please tell us about Flow With Zo.
I am most proud of the impact I am able to make on my community. I say community because so many of my students have become my friends and teachers. We are all teachers and students, the roles are constantly reversing. Anyway, getting to witness or hear about the impact I’ve made fills me with joy. I had some tough personal challenges in 2018, and know first-hand how dark and bleak life can feel, at times. What got me through, what kept me going (keeps me going) is people. My community. We all have the chance to impact each other through personal connection and business, it doesn’t matter how or when, just that it occurs.
I would say I’m most known for being a vibrant ball of energy. I’ve had many nicknames over the years but I always chuckle when I recall one of my fellow dance majors nicknamed me (at SDSU) “zo-ball.” This was because I am often perceived, by others, to be a tiny ball of energy and enthusiasm. I would say even before my teaching, that is what I’m known for. In terms of teaching, I specialize in creating dance-like yoga flows that leave students feeling strong, balanced, open, and calm by the end of class. I also specialize in creating an ambiance of unconditional support and love. Students walk into my classes feeling welcome to be as they are but always encouraged to explore and grow. I also specialize in creating forums for women to tap into their sensuality, this is best experienced at my Aerial Burlesque Dance Workshops, which I’ve co-created with one of my closest friends Amy Baack, an incredible spin and yoga instructor.
Lastly, I specialize in encouraging my community to get out of their comfort zone. Through global yoga retreats, Instagram challenges, peak poses in yoga classes, and other special events, I am always creating opportunities for my students to explore the boundaries of their comfort zones and push their way through.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Peel back the layers of yourself until you find out, without a doubt, what your why is. What your insecurities are. What your habit patterns are. Then, do what it takes to release those insecurities and create habit patterns that serve you well. While you do this, allow only those that enhance your life, promote your wellness, and see you for the powerful goddess you are, into your energy field.
Pricing:
- Private In-Home Yoga, Meditation, and Stretch Session $95
- Private Group Yoga Class (Friend brunch, Bridal Shower, Pre-wedding, etc.) $150
- Corporate Wellness (Yoga, meditation, and stretching) $200
- Cultivating Consciousness Yoga Retreat $1300
Contact Info:
- Website: flowwithzo.com
- Phone: 8584440009
- Email: flowwithzo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @flowwithzo
Image Credit:
Scott Bennion, Belizean Hitmakers, Josh Hoagland
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
